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Old 07-06-2015, 07:06 PM
 
22 posts, read 40,947 times
Reputation: 27

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Would really love some input on the Hot Springs area. My husband is considering a job move to Edgemont but from the research I've done, Hot Springs looks more up our alley and I see it's only about 30 minutes away. Any input would be great- but especially on schools, and how the people accept newcomers! TIA!
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Old 07-07-2015, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Custer, SD
1,582 posts, read 3,096,839 times
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You don't say where you are moving from, so it's hard to judge how well you might adapt. Hot Springs can be a haul from Edgemont in the winter if your husband is commuting. Others with more experience in this area might chime in, but the roads are hilly and windy and can get very slick and snow covered. Hot Springs does tend to be in a "pocket" in the Hills that does not get as severe weather as the surrounding areas, but it is possible.

Housing is generally affordable. The town is pretty, for the most part.

I know several teachers who have quit the school system, and my husband (who is Custer's band director) won't consider a job there. A friend whose daughter is in middle school there hates the school system - too much bullying that goes unadressed by teachers and administrators. One teacher who stood up for a student was fired. This is not rumor - teachers talk to one another, and my husband knows the teacher it happened to.

Hot Springs has more "small town" gossip than most small towns in the southern hills. I don't know why this is, but I have heard it from several in the area I know, and I have seen it myself. I can see where the kids get it, sadly.

That said, I know several seniors who are very happy there - weather, cost of living, services all agree with them. Hot Springs has several nice features - Mammoth Site, Evans Plunge, restaurants, parks, movie theater, bowling alley - but I prefer to visit, not live there.

Edgemont is a nice little town, and people there have been very friendly to us. My daughter is a Girl Scout and was invited to sell cookies down there one year. We have also been to a couple track meets there, and the people were always very friendly (the Hot Springs track meets are an interesting gossip session, for comparison).

JM2C, but if you don't mind rural, I would choose Edgemont.
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Old 07-07-2015, 01:20 PM
 
Location: Hot Springs
1,299 posts, read 2,843,421 times
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I am a retiree that has lived in Hot Springs for 5 yrs. My experiance has been that most people are welcoming and friendly. After reading the above comments and thinking about it, I realized that most of my Hot Springs friends are also retirees who are not very involved, if at all, in the school system. I do know that there seems to be a group of naysayers that seem to be born and raised here that can be distracting. That being said, the last election saw a couple of the more vocal naysayers replaced on the city council and a reasonably progressive mayor elected.

As mentioned above Hot Springs is in a banana belt or pocket which helps to moderate the climate. This is created in part by being located on a geo-thermal formation and in part because most of the town is located in a canyon which provides shelter from the worst winds. Being in the southeast end of the Black Hills also helps to dampen downs the winter storms. Edgemont, on the other hand, is off the western edge of the Black Hills and can recieve the brunt of winter storms. The commute between the two goes over one hog back, which gives you a beautiful view of Wyoming, and the top of the canyon which surrounds most of Hot Springs. I don't think the commute would be that difficult in any season, but you will have to use your own judgement there.
Housing in both communities is quite reasonable with Edgemont being the lower cost of the two. Hot Springs has two grocery stores and a health food store and a hardware store aloong with an assortment of restaurants, barbers, hair salons & gas stations. Edgemont has a very small grocery store and a hair salon. There are also a couple of gas stations in Edgemont, one of which carries some conveniance products. Edgemont is a bit farther from Rapid for major shopping.

Both have had hot & dry climates until this year.

uh
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Old 07-07-2015, 08:36 PM
 
22 posts, read 40,947 times
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Thanks to you both for your quick replies! I'm really hearing some stuff about the school district that has raised some concerns- thanks to you both for your candor! We're from SE Nebraska, so we're no strangers to a commute or driving on snowy roads. As a matter of fact, I'm a school bus driver so I don't usually have a problem with road conditions at all. So it sounds to me like Edgemont schools might be a better choice for the kids. Thanks for letting me know, since I've really only been looking at Hot Springs so far! Do either of you attend church, or know of church options in the area? We're pretty much non-denominational so a good Bible-teaching church is what we're after......

Thanks to both of you!
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Old 07-07-2015, 08:48 PM
 
22 posts, read 40,947 times
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Another question- I see a lot of land for sale around Hot Springs, but nothing around Edgemont. We definitely prefer to live in the country and were thinking about building a pole building home. Is there a reason why there isn't much land in the Edgemont area? We had the same problem where we live now in SE Nebraska- there just isn't much for sale that isn't farm ground and it took us a while to find the 7 acres we did find. Input appreciated, thanks!
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Old 07-09-2015, 11:34 AM
 
Location: Custer, SD
1,582 posts, read 3,096,839 times
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You would be more likely to find land back up toward Argyle - as to why, I don't really know. Maybe someone else can shed some light. I don't attend church there (we live in Custer, so both towns are a ways away from us), but I do know that the Evangelical Free church in Hot Springs has good people - they run the church camp in Custer that my daughter attends.
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Old 07-09-2015, 12:00 PM
 
27,957 posts, read 39,589,513 times
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Is the possible job with the railroad? I had an interview setup with BNSF and thought better of it. If I was going to work for BNSF if prefer Sheridan, Lovell, or someplace in Montana. It is all a matter of preference.
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Old 07-09-2015, 11:35 PM
 
22 posts, read 40,947 times
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Yep it sure was BNSF- that's a nice part of the job- you can move pretty much anywhere. Although we're trying to stay within the hubs' territory so he can keep his seniority........
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Old 07-12-2015, 03:58 PM
 
Location: Hot Springs
1,299 posts, read 2,843,421 times
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There are very parcels of land available near Edgemont because it is surrounded by fairly large cattle ranches. 5 to 10 acre parcels are more available around Custer, Argyle, or Hot Springs. I can only guess at why none of the ranches near Edgemont have been split up, but it might be because it is quite open there. People who want a hobby ranch will frequently want some trees or something more scenic.

uh
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:55 PM
 
Location: Idaho
6 posts, read 12,439 times
Reputation: 15
Thumbs down Edgemont and Custer over Hot Springs anyday

Hi

The answer to the question raised here is what type of environment do you want to end up in?

The retirees in Hot Springs sit in the coffee shop and gossip and the high school and community is full of bullies and gossip snipes. The real issue here is people. Do not let the beauty of the area fool you.

My advice is to move to Edgemont or Custer, where the level of gossip and bullying is lower and the mind-set is a little higher.

I witnessed this whole scenario and my take here is to prevent someone else from destroying their life by moving to this awful town-village. Low income jobs,low property values, compounded by low minded people, and a knack for destroying others is inherit in the town for some reason. Just read the minutes of the council meetings to see how low it goes.

As far as it goes, a move to Eastern South Dakota would be better or even Wyoming.
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