[Mom2Joshua]

Hello, I am new to this site and my family is moving to the OKC area. I was wondering about the Spencer area. Is it a good area? Are there dumpy houses and people who don't seem to care about their property? Also, what about crime? Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[_redbird_]

Well, you can start here (click link) for stats, etc:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Spencer-Oklahoma.html

[lasomeday]

IT IS BAD DON"T MOVE THERE! There is a reason why those houses in Spencer are cheap!

[sameoldsonganddance]

I agree with lasomeday. Not good.

[TimC2462]

I only ate at Spencer's, a BBQ restaurant last October. The area looked decent to me. But the BBQ ribs were mmmmmmmmmmmmm....

[dogdaysheatandair]

Look at the facts before you let some uninformed person give you the wrong impression. Spencer has the same problems of any other town. But without good people willing to move in and make a difference how is anything supposed to change? My daughter just purchased a home there and I am getting ready to open a business in the community. A place is what you make it - lets make it better!

[Silvermoon]

I am always happy to talk about the place we chose 22 years ago to call home. Back then I was coming from Northern Calif. I had lived in Oklahoma for a little over two years off and on and we were ready to settle in and find a real home. Having come from a farm/orchard and 4-H environment I wanted a community of people that would support the goals I had for my family and allow me to take part in their goals as a community and meet somewhere in the middle in finding a purpose to where we could all make a difference for the better as I had been raised. While that may seem like a lot to ask for in a town in is exactly what the people of Spencer were doing when I came and have been doing ever since. The funny thing about towns, cities and communities is that while they may all look different and some may look better than others what you have to remember it is not the buildings that make the town. No where else is that more important to remember than here in tornado ally. This country is a place that can be here one day and gone the next. This little town sits in an area know years back to the railroad engineers as the eight mile strip. Known for it's dark rich soil in thru a strip of low Valley along the North Canadian, the land in the area unlike most in the state is perfect for planting small crops and backyard gardens. I am able to grown beautiful squash, berries, tomatoes, herbs etc. The town is five miles square with approximately 3800 people. Unlike many small towns the City of Spencer has a paid Fire Department as well as a paid Police Dept. The paid Fire Dept gives our town an insurance rating of a six, with means low insurance rates and of course gives us excellent response time.We have water and sewer thru a good part of the town but not all. We have city garbage pick up thru all weekly as well as animal control. We have a Chamber of Commerce, of which I am a member, the members are made up of citizens and businesses and they are involved because they care about the town. We have a Historical Society and our town is over 105 years old( older than the state) and we have a small original home to stand as a museum with donated items run by citizens. The property has a park and during the year we have bake sales,plant sales and an Ice Cream Social with a band and people enjoying the day and watching the sun go down. We have a garden club where members gather and share ideas on keeps flowers and gardens and they also help with garden beds around town. This is just a few of the things we have. We also have six parks owned by the City.All need lots of ideas, one has a nice walking trail, located behind City hall at the end of Daryll Lane. One that has rodeo grounds that were built in 1960's. The park is 50 acres and has plenty of room for what we need, the majority of the dirt work has been accomplished/donated by the district county Barn 1. What we need now is baseball grounds, T-ball parks, football fields and basketball courts and a skateboard park, tennis courts, with lights for some and people can walk a ways but for the most part bathrooms for all. We need any company that wants to do good works, we will put you and your name to good use. I personally will promise you that if you come forward ! Sorry , that's begging, I digress. The children in our town have to go to the neighboring towns or use the public school grounds which have very little of the above for them to do. This makes it very difficult for them just go and practice with out a ride. Many kids in other towns find out what sports they like or are good at by just trying not having everything scheduled and it is a downfall to our town. We need all the help we can get so that our kids can have the opportunities to be the best at all sports for the hope of scholarships and the very least a good understanding of team efforts. We know it is truly a if you build it they will come because when a Rodeo is held in our town with very little advertising, truly just a few signs, 5-7000 people can show up. We have the perfect location for almost any event.. In fact the park would also make a great County Fair option.We have a very high number of people who have and ride horses to include people who are involved in Rodeo and ride and participate in IFR and NFR and many finals winners.So if you move here the above is a pro and con list. It is also a if you move here and work for a big company or own a big company and want loyal customers and workers boy do I have an idea for you ! The question about homes in the area is a very fair question to ask and in more fairness to the people, has more to do with politics than just a few people. The City of Spencer is run by a city council and if you are not happy with the situation you see, then it can be changed by reading the laws as to what the city ordinance /law says the public can and cannot do, looking to see if it is being enforced, asking why or why not of the local city manager who will check with the local code enforcement and if you believe the situation needs to be changed then you have the right to voice your concern. This by the way is the way that most towns operate and if people would not just complain but rather would gather once a month with their concerns their towns would be cleaned up. Homes in the area vary in size from 6500 sq ft on down. Many are a lot like ours ,Not in size but in options, ours is over 3600 sq ft with a shop and a bunk house of over 1200 sq ft a four stall barn and a garage converted to a pool/billiards room all on over 15 acres. The average is around 2600. In saying they are like ours the options may change but be assure they have the room and they have many possibilities. The best part of all is today we were watching a renovate show done in Southern California and while no question it is beautiful the small three bedroom home with a tiny backyard in a neighborhood where no one knows anyone the house was $750,000. Here no matter what you decide you can have enough room for your kids to grow, to raise a sheep, have a horse, a dog for that matter.You can buy five acres for $100,000 and build a home or for under $300,000 you can have a four bedroom with a few acres. We only have kids for such a short time in the span of our lives and if during that time we choose to live in an area where they can have an experience where they could have a little of all in these tough times, Oklahoma towns, many of them not just ours, have a lot to offer. Yes, I'm proud that we are 14 minutes to downtown Oklahoma City with mass transportation available if you want to ride the buss. In a matter of 10 to 15 minutes you can be at the best of the best from The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum just 10 minutes North East of us to The Oklahoma City Museum of Art located in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center with the most comprehensive collection of Dale Chihuly glass in the world ! Located just downtown not 13 minutes form here! We have the Oklahoma City Thunder our NBA Basketball team as well as ,The Oklahoma City Redhawks are our minor league Texas Rangers' AAA baseball team , all set within 10 miles of our town and in the beautiful crown jewel of the city Bricktown.This is an area that hosts every dinning experience you are seeking along a beautiful cannel that leads to the North Canadian River. Beautiful new hotels and the Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16 a short walk or cannel ride to Bass pro Shops. My point in all of this and I could continue for pages, is that our little town, just six miles north from Tinker AFB, 20 miles North East of Will Rodgers International Airport. My point is while we are a small town with-in many towns, Oklahoma City school district is the schools here (and we have the mapps project, however I will not defend the test scores numbers do not lie, this is something that needs to be fixed and we need someone to care about fixing it. Let me add however that Jan. is open enrollment month and you can put your child into whatever school will accept them, many parents do, and car pooling should be discussed. We also have two private Christian schools in town. Education matters. ) Back to the town, you will find no finer group of people, neighbors, citizens to be a part of. We have a bit of confusion and that just ads to making us unique, it comes to where to post office address had their lines verses our actual city limits. many people have a Spencer postal mailing and they think that means they live in Spencer, this might be out east of post Rd. north of 36 th on the East side. Some of this is Oklahoma County Unincorporated and much of this is Oklahoma City. This is why I say don't judge. All areas have different parts and they are all made of people. It is the people that will decide how strong we as a town get in the next five to ten years. We are at the time of golden opportunity for our town as the unknown prices for gas come our way we know how far it is to everywhere and what opportunities our youth has at their fingertips if they need to take a bus to College we are within biking distance of most things need be and yet our town is very quite at night, our neighbors watch each others we have good officers. If we all work together bound by the laws originally written to keep our town looking clean and use the tools of the city offices to help enforce properties where an owner is not present, if you purchase in our town not only will you be made to feel as welcome as my family and you will have an investment you can be proud of. For us, this is home and priceless. Last note: My great hope is that while people from all areas of the United States move this way people who enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables like myself ,small growers will find their way to the area. Here they will find that the East is in slogan of the new part of the Oklahoma County Area is an entire diverse and growing community full of creative people of all incomes and all backgrounds ready and hungry for the fruits and vegetables and even breads and deli's we left behind. This area is ripe and ready as sadly we have no" Whole foods " because of our old but lasting liquor laws. This leaves us with a shorter and shorter list of places to shop and our only hope in staying away from stores that import from other countries in local growers. This state has good solid and water, it just needs the people. Local gardens as well as using mentors seeking youth for 4-H and FFA will help grow fruits, vegetables and talents in abundance. Step forward and the Co-Operative Extension office is located at NW 10th and Portland. Thank you for your time. Please visit our town, the museum is located just east of Spencer Rd and NE 50 th. and Indiana
T. Canaday/Spencer

[hickeho]

Originally Posted by Mom2Joshua

Hello, I am new to this site and my family is moving to the OKC area. I was wondering about the Spencer area. Is it a good area? Are there dumpy houses and people who don't seem to care about their property? Also, what about crime? Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks!

I just moved from Spencer approx. 10 months ago. You better have Jesus in the area I was in. I was at Fred factory apartments on Dunjee Blvd. You can look that address up on your pc. I used to live in the ghetto and I was still uncomfortable....email me if you need more infor. [EMAIL="vjgreen0000@yahoo.com"]vjgreen0000@yahoo.com[/EMAIL]. Good Luck!

[hickeho]

Originally Posted by Mom2Joshua

Hello, I am new to this site and my family is moving to the OKC area. I was wondering about the Spencer area. Is it a good area? Are there dumpy houses and people who don't seem to care about their property? Also, what about crime? Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks!

I guess you must really be selective about the area in Spencer....Some parts I am sure are O.K. but some areas, be very careful, especially if you are buying.