[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by karibear

Holdenville has AT&T broadband, plus landline, cell phones that actually work here, and one of the TV packages. The other high speed internet works on a line of sight thing, RB and Peggy have that, but where I am is too low/has too many trees. There is also Hughes Net, but I've heard more negative things about them than positive, though I have some friends in rural NW Louisiana who are happy with it. There's also a hospital here, but the doctor situation seems a bit weird. I just heard today that anyone expecting a baby needs to go to either Ada or Shawnee to have it. Ada is only about 40 miles away, but still... However, the entire state of WA has had a lot of trouble keeping OB's because of the humongous cost of malpractice insurance. Seems like when something goes wrong, someone blames the doctor and gets litigious, even if the rate of complications are low and a lot of them could be more appropriately attributed to poor to non-existant prenatal care or just plain fate. I mean, it's not the doc's fault if the expectant mother drinks like a fish or does drugs.

As for that 'younger days,' welcome to life in my world. Every once in awhile if I catch sight of myself in a mirror accidently, I wonder what my gran is doing in there!

I guess I'm okay for now Kari. I just keep wondering what my Dad is doing in the mirror (for now).

Great post.

[TheComputerGuy]

Hey!

[PanhandleOkie]

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring (and with a little bias towards the western half of the state ) say Woodward could be an option. Like virtually all of western OK VERY rural, however Woodward has a few hardware stores, a grocery store and quite a few little restaurants. Safe, clean, nice town. The have Woodward Elks Day and Rodeo every year which is a blast and quite a few rodeos and jackpots throughout the year. However, lack of trees, and dry, dusty high plains climate may send you packing for eastern Oklahoma. Just thought I'd keep it fair and balanced though LOL.

[karibear]

Originally Posted by TheComputerGuy

Hey!

Hey, yourself! So what are you doing, etc etc?

Enquiring minds wanna know!

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by old_grouch

My husband and I noticed that Oklahoma was the only state where every county voted Republican.

Oklahoma is very mixed politically, but there is one commonality among everyone.....we are fiscally conservative. So while many people vote nationally for the Republican candidates, they vote for their friends and neighbors locally so party is irrelevant. We tend to be progressive in many ways, but are reluctant to change in others. Our Governor is Brad Henry a Democrat who has won two terms. His predecessor was Frank Keating, a Republican who served two terms, despite him frequently embarrassing himself and the state. Prior to Keating, David Walters, Democrat, served one term, choosing not to run after pleading guilty to misdemeanor campaign finance violations (his plea was to prevent a felony trial).

Originally Posted by old_grouch

I would be interested in suggestions for areas of Oklahoma where you think there is strong support for smaller government, Second Amendment, property rights, sanctity of life, and the original Constitution, and where it might stay that way for a while.

That covers most the state, including the larger cities.

Originally Posted by old_grouch

I lived in Harrah, Oklahoma from 1979-1981, and found it a very relaxed friendly place.

Harrah is rapidly becoming more yuppie and a bedroom for OKC

Originally Posted by old_grouch

We live in the country and would be looking for enough property that my husband could have a little shooting range and no one would hear our barking dogs because we have a breed that tends to be barky.

Again, that is pretty much the entire state, but with the exception of cities.

Originally Posted by old_grouch

My husband is a potter, and we currently sell from our home studio and at local shows. Any suggestions of areas to look into would be appreciated.

Does he grind his own clay? If you are looking at it from a business perspective, I would add some criteria. Not only do you need a place where you can shoot and bark at each other, you need a place where traffic can be steady so signage is effective, where there is a nearby population base where a reputation can be developed, where raw materials are readily available, and where electricity is abundent and not too terribly expensive.

Given that additional criteria, the Stillwater area comes to mind with the University and arts community. So does the area between Claremore and Salina off Highway 20 with the traffic from Tulsa to the lake regions, then there is the Highway 69 corridor from Vinita to McAlester that would suit you as well....there is very heavy traffic there and lots of rural cummunities where land would be reasonable, then there are the areas around Sallisaw.....Blue Ribbon Downs, Ft Smith, etc has a tremendous number of visitors and is off I40. You might also look at Guthrie....it has a heritage type of tourist on a regular basis.

South Central I would like Sulpher and Duncan......both have good tourism traffic.

South east from McAlester to the Arkansas border is spectacular and draws tourists.

I like Woodward, Elk City, Anadarko, and other western Oklahoma communities, but I am not sure there is a population base there that would support artistic pottery as a business. You really should try and be located between population centers such as between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City and Dallas or Ft Smith, or Tulsa and Joplin. My own experience, when traveling west out of Oklahoma City, I don't get off the highway until I hit Amarillo.......a possible exception might be Watonga out towards Roman Nose.......I love that area too, and the rattle snake hunts and cheese festivals draw a pretty good sized crowd.

If I had to choose three or four top contenders, I would have to say Guthrie, Grand Lake area, Sallisaw, or Stillwater....in no particular order......in fact, I would look at land, prices, housing and get the best deal I could in whichever one I could get........

[old_grouch]

Thanks for all the good suggestions from everyone! They will keep me busy with google maps trying to figure out where they all are, and what they are like. Yes, Goodpasture, we do take those considerations of traffic into account, and your comments are right on target. No we don't dig our own clay, on a regular basis, but it is great fun on a limited basis, and I was reading a little about the local clay on a site about Frankoma Pottery.

Here are a few more questions for all you helpful Okies...What is the zoning like in general? Do you have a statewide uniform building code like we do here in PA? Are you allowed to build without an architect's plans? How about burning ordinances (we aren't allowed to have a burning barrel here any more, and it costs $25/per burn to get a burning permit, such as to burn brush cuttings.) How about mother-in-law housing -- here we aren't allowed to have two kitchens in one home, without having two sewage systems...Does Oklahoma have in-ground septic systems (in the country)? Here we have sand mounds.

I found the photo thread, and have been spending too much time looking at all the pictures! This is a really good forum, and lots of reading going back into the older posts. I'm glad I found it.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by old_grouch

What is the zoning like in general?

NOt too bad in the cities, non-existent in the country.

Originally Posted by old_grouch

Do you have a statewide uniform building code like we do here in PA?

No, although the environmental quality does do moderate regulation of septic systems.....frequently water districts will handle that sort of thing. Wells are drilled by guys who record it at the engineers office. Electrical is handled by the local co-op or provider....usually require an electrician to set the power pole. If you are going to buy a MH, you can usually run your own line from the power pole to the MH.

Originally Posted by old_grouch

Are you allowed to build without an architect's plans?

Of course

Originally Posted by old_grouch

How about burning ordinances

Burn all of them you want, most people would cheer if they knew you were doing it. Unfortunately, most cops still enforce them even after they've been burned.

Originally Posted by old_grouch

(we aren't allowed to have a burning barrel here any more, and it costs $25/per burn to get a burning permit, such as to burn brush cuttings.)

Burning in the cities is a problem.....gotta get permission from the fire dept. In the country, go for it, use sense (don't burn on dry windy days), call the local VFD and let them know you are doing it so they won't send out a truck (join the VFD.....they need the money and it gets you introduced to the community faster).

Originally Posted by old_grouch

How about mother-in-law housing --

You can burn her out if you want, provided it is on your land......wouldn't it be easier to just evict her?

Originally Posted by old_grouch

here we aren't allowed to have two kitchens in one home, without having two sewage systems...

What constitutes two kitchens? Strange..........does that mean I would have to get rid of the microwave and fridge in my office?

Originally Posted by old_grouch

Does Oklahoma have in-ground septic systems (in the country)?

We still have a few lagoons.......mostly we have anerobic and aerobic systems....outside of town, that is......although some septics are still found in towns........

Originally Posted by old_grouch

Here we have sand mounds.

we use sand boxes outside for the cats........

Originally Posted by old_grouch

I found the photo thread, and have been spending too much time looking at all the pictures! This is a really good forum, and lots of reading going back into the older posts. I'm glad I found it.

You REALLY need to get a life...........

[old_grouch]

Goodpasture wrote:
"You really need to get a life......"

LOL!!! I am working on the computer this afternoon, and I would have been done a lot sooner if I didn't keep checking this forum, it's addictive!

[old_grouch]

By the way, how do you intersperse the original post with your responses like that?

[karibear]

Originally Posted by old_grouch

By the way, how do you intersperse the original post with your responses like that?

You hit the 'quote' button on the lower right of the post, delete the quote markings from the beginning and end of what you see in a new box, then type in whatever you want. Then highlight the parts from the orginal post that you are responding to and choose the 'wrap quote' icon from the top. If you don't delete all the quote stuff in the beginning you can still do it, but it looks funny. I've made some pretty ridiculous-looking posts trying to figure out how to make it work.

Oh, there is one other thing regarding zoning, etc. If you want to get a mortgage, it will require homeowner's insurance. In fact, even if you pay cash, you'll want to get homeowner's insurance. The one thing that the insurance companies do require is that all wood stoves be professionally installed - as in you can't do it yourself. Or maybe you could, but you'd still need to have it inspected by a professional. All of the insurance companies I talked to were adamant about that. They won't do owner installed wood stoves, unless the home owner happens to also be a professional installer of wood stoves. It's actually a good thing, because most people don't have a clue about wood stoves and how they work. All they know about is stuffing more wood in it. As for burning brush, if you plan on having a garden or horses, a wood chipper is a better bet. You can use the chippings as mulch or bedding.