[catwoman66]

I'm a nurse who is considering relocating to Muskogee in order to take a position at the VA hospital. I would like to hear any information good or bad about the town, and the hospital.

I understand from reading other posts that the Honor Hights area might be a good place to live. I am a single female and safety is my first priority. Is this the safest area of town? Can anyone give the name or address of any really good apartment complexes? Also, which apartments or areas should I avoid? I am very familiar with Tulsa, but know nothing of Muskogee.

I have worked at a different VA hospital in the past and am wanting to return to federal employment due to the uncertainty of the current economy. I would love to hear from anyone who has worked or is working at this VA, as well as anyone who has been a patient there.

Is Muskogee a freindly town or a cliquish one? Liberal or conservative? What do you like most and least about living there? I can read the crime rate on the internet, but would like to hear what the people who live there think of it. Do you feel safe in the town? Is the crime mostly drugs and petty theft type stuff? Are there more serious crime problems there; such as one would find in north Tulsa? Thanks in advance!

[Rickd203]

That's a coincidence. I am a retired vet and the Muskogee VA Hospital will be the closest to where I want to settle. Maybe after I get there, I will stop by to say hi.

Rick

[catwoman66]

Since you are planning on moving there yourself, can you tell me anything about Muskogee or that particular VA hospital? Have you had pretty decent experiences with the VA health care system so far?

[linicx]

What I can tell you is one of the top lung specialists in the country quit a very lucrative private practice to work at the VA hospital. Muskogee has Honor Park. It has a spectacular Azelea show and festival the first couple of weeks in April. The Five Tribes Museum is inside the entrance to the park.

I visted Muskogee several times. It is a small town. I found frendly people and some great food. I am sure it has all the problems as other towns of the same size in America. The big hospitals in big towns in Oklahoma are in OKC, and four in Tulsa .

[StillwaterTownie]

Yeah, but Muskogee is definitely more than just a small town, because it has a large enclosed shopping mall downtown. Most small towns don't have that. It also has some old mid rise buildings downtown which further distinguishes Muskogee away from the typical small Oklahoma town.

[catwoman66]

Thanks for the information and comments everyone!! Keep 'em coming!

[Rickd203]

Originally Posted by catwoman66

Since you are planning on moving there yourself, can you tell me anything about Muskogee or that particular VA hospital? Have you had pretty decent experiences with the VA health care system so far?

Actually, I'm looking at an even smaller town a few miles south. It has a population of about 1,450. About 1,000 residents are students at the Ag college. A small town with a community college near a well-rated VA is more than I was hoping to find anywhere. I have been taking college classes for most of my adult life. I have never taken a Ag courses so this should be an interesting new experience. I also have some skills that the people in a small town might find very useful.

I just hope I can find type of land that I'm looking for. I'm looking for about 10-20 acres of land suitable for a small farm. I can only afford 1-2k (cash) per acre since I wouldn't qualify for a loan anytime soon. There some properties around there that might meet my needs.

Without the VA, I would most likely be homeless and my living situation would be desperate. I can't begin to express the gratitude that I have for their support.

[catwoman66]

I'm glad that your experiences with the VA have been good ones. I really enjoyed working for the VA in the past. It was nice to be able to "give back" to those who had given so much for the rest of us.

I think your chances of finding the land you want may be excellent given the current economy and the abundance of land in the state. The instructors at the college with the Ag program would probably have some good leads. Good luck!

[Mattie Jo]

I really don't care for the town of Muskogee because it is run down. I would rather live in Ft. Gibson or Wagoner nearby. I live in Tahlequah as it is, and my husband goes to the VA. It isn't as great as some VA, and I understand some people here prefer to go over to Fayetteville's VA. I have no idea what are the better communities in Muskogee. My husband used to go to the VA in La Jolla, CA. and it was great, so he was pretty spoiled. Now he has to nag them to take certain tests that he really needs.

[Okieinvestor]

I have a house in Honor Heights & the VA area that I've got up for sale. I'm seriously thinking about selling it with a % down and carrying the note for a year or two. I've also thought about renting it to the right person. It's a great solid full brick house, if anyone is interested. About safety... knock on wood... We've never had a thing missing from any of our properties we've purchased this past year in Muskogee. The last place I ever thought anything would happen was Ft. Gibson and we had kids repeatedly tossing rocks at our windows until we put up a privacy fence. We've not had to replace any glass since the fence. Ft. G is wonderful too. I've never lived there but I feel a sense of peace each time I arrive.