Will we like Carthage, Mo.???? (St. Louis, Springfield: for sale, to rent, crime)

[Rogter]

My wife and I are retired...we currently live on southern Oregon. VERY boring small town. We have looked at Carthage because of the "Oldness". We really love old vintage homes and stuff like that. We found a really nice older home for sale and are very interested. I guess Im paranoid about if we will be welcomed by the locals or will they tend to be standoffish. We're fun loving people and get along with most anybody. Been putting up with log truck drivers and rednecks for 6 yrs now. We want a town that has some character and good shopping that's not too far away. That would Joplin or Springfield. Im a woodworker and a drummer. I'd like to find some guys to play good old rock and roll with. My wife sews, gardens and cooks. She needs sources for those supplies.
Come on folks...gimme your input. You have a really lovely area there in SW Mo. We've considered NW Arkansas but I think it's more crowded..???
What's your thoughts/advice. Feel free to email me: rogter2 AT mycomspan.com
Thanks for your help.

[firebll31]

I have lived in Carthage for 27 years. We have a lot of people who move here from other areas, as well as lots of families that have been here for generations. There is an active Master Gardener program based at the County Extension office at the court house, they have a sale every year and are available for advice. There are several local bands in Carthage and Joplin that play rock n' roll, country and bluegrass. If you are the church-going type, you have many choices. In August we have a large influx of Vietnamese for a week for the Marion Days Festival, a good time to sample food from another culture. October means the Maple Leaf Festival, with a week of pre-parade activities ending with the largest parade for many miles around and a huge high-school band competition. There is a Senior Center, RV club, Art community, farmer's market and many civic organizations. If you make an attempt to meet your neighbors, join a group or two and wave when you see someone you know, you'll fit right in.
Feel free to ask if there is anything else you want to know!

[linicx]

If you do not read one more word, remember this. SW MO is Tornado Alley from Oklahoma City, OK to Springfield, MO. All of the major towns have had a direct hit in the last 25 years. The last one was Pierce City, not far from Carthage.

I lived in Carthage for 10 years and couldn't wait to get out. The illegal aliens are invading the town. Crime is up. Slumlords are on the rise. The school is more interested in SPORTS than education. If you get Direct-TV you cannot get local channels. The cable system hasn't been worth a dime since the owners sold out 8-9 years ago. The local radio station plays more Mexican than American music. The Mexican grocery stores outnumber the others. The realtors in that city held a phony closing to try to get me out of my house once the buyer backed out of the contract to save their collective arses. The city owns everything and don't care whether you live or die. The medical services in Carthage is terrible. My husband had MRSA. I had him at the hospital, Then at the hospital owned wound care 6 Times. , I had him to surgeon 4 months who put him in a "U-boot". It caused his leg to swell three times its ormal size. Had him to the Chief of Staff four times.. Had him to another doctor 3 times. All these visits and all this money and all they did was feed him antibiotics and never tested for anything. I finally got him to a different doctor who did a culture. It took almost a year to heal his foot. If you come to his area, be prepared to be your own nurse. The hospital is not overly clean and they don't take very good care of patients. The hospital was the only place in 10 years that he had his shoes and sox off. CArhtage is redneck, country and religionists. If you never lived anywhere else you don't know the difference. The only cheap houses are in Mexican or red-lined areas. If you don't wear the :right" clothes, drive the 'right' car, and go to the 'right' church twice a week, and don't have ancestors that served in the Civil War in that town, you're pretty much unwelcome.

The good news is it is a beautiful "Maple Leaf", and "Main Street" City. The City owns everything. It's annual budget is $20M. The biggest churches are Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian. It has a nice big park, an 18 hole golf course and a dozen ways to connect to the Internet. AT&T is by far the best. There's a family Y,
walking track, soccer, horse club, Kellog Lake, Precious Moments, and a Hardware Store you'll never forget on the square, and some nice CW museums. And there are a half-dozen businesses worth supporting. If you ever decide to move to Carthage, stay away from Walgreen's Pharmacy; you have three other pharmacies that are far superior, and they don't make critical mistakes.

If you ever plan on getting sick, the medical care in Grove and Fayetteville is far better than Carthage, Joplin or Springfield as those doctors are HMO owned. .

There are places in NW Arkansas, particularly around War Eagle that will make you think you are in the wilderness. I spent 25 years visiting friends there. Fayetteville is Urbane. Great living areas around it. Great University. Mall and all the national stores. Rock, country and Symphony. Crafts., etc., and Washinton General hospital is very good. The old Victorian houses area in nearby Eureka Springs. Tontitown is intersting too and goood food.

Grove, OK on Grand Lake is a great area to live. Good hospital and some pretty good doctors. I have a lot of friends there. The downside is Joplin is about an hour away, but Tulsa is two hours. This is a tourist/water/country town, but it is a lot of funa nd the folks are friendly. Lot of people from CA moving here.

Springfield is a church owned town. You'll never find an Octoberfest with beer, nor an alcoholic, nor a pregnant teenager. It doesn't exist.

Martha and I lived in Springfield many years ago. She moved to Fayetteville. I moved to Grove. and then to Carthage for the Cardiologist. He got sick of Jopln Hosptal games and moved his practice to Grove.

If I was going to pick a MIssouri town for you I would chose Lamar, Nevada, Marshfield or Lebanon. I'm parial to the last because it is a little largeer and has more services.

The thing to know about MO tornado is it follows 1--44 through OK to the MO boder where it either follows 1-71 N or US 60 S, but not always. It's dicey until you get fathre north around Ashland and Jefferson City. Joplin was hit in 1999.

[melissajo]

I disagree with some of the posts. I personally have seen lots of beer in Springfield And everything else in the world....I lived there two years ago...not many, many, as the last poster did. I LOVE the Springfield area. Much more diverse, more entertainment, and I actually prefer the healthcare options there. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Cox Health. Now, Freeman in Joplin, is a whole other story. Nothing but rude.

Yes this is tornado alley. I have lived here for 15 years and have never taken a direct hit from a Tornado. Sure, some close calls. Carl Junction was hit in 2003 and in the Spring there was a tornado that went just south of town and killed many people. The worst I have personally dealt with is baseball sized hail (often this spring!) and very high winds and of course, those ice storms in the winter. The weather is unpredictable. I don't let it bother me.

Carthage is a nice small community. My husband works there. We chose to make our home in Joplin but I wouldn't have been upset to live in Carthage. Just wanted to be closer to friends.

Don't let people scare you off, sure there are problems in SW MO-every area has its downfalls, but overall it's a good place to live.

[linicx]

I was living in Springfield when the tornado hit. And I was in Joplin the night beofre the tornado took out half of Rangeline Road.

Carthage is one of the prettiest cities in the United States and it offers every city srvice you can want. It is also skinks. You can smell the chicken fat rendering plant four miles away when it is rendering. The Mexican business owners are not the problem. Its a small community. Illegals are taking over the town. they bring their third world diseases and drugs into a city that already has a lousy medical system and poor hopital care. I can tell you stories that will curl your heir about the doctors starting with the fact that nearly all are owned bv a hospital in Joplin. Their number one priority is not the patient; it is hospital policy.

If you want a beautiful town that is rotten to the core Carthage is it.

[Cali BassMan]

Originally Posted by linicx

I

If you want a beautiful town that is rotten to the core Carthage is it.

Wow......................

[firebll31]

To address a few issues that seem to concern people:
Yes, Carthage has had some odor issues due to the RES plant on the north end of town. However, the governor and the EPA have been involved in resolving this and we seldom notice the odor anymore. But it is occasionally bad. As far as the heathcare issues-I work at St. John's in Joplin which has been rated a Top 100 hospital for the last 3 years. It is part of the CHI system, a non-profit. Freeman Hospital in Joplin is a for-profit and I think part of the Cox system. McCune-Brooks in Carthage just built a brand-new facility. It is a privately owned hospital. I have heard horror stories from all three, as well as Cox in Springfield, Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis and Mayo in Rochester. I also know of some amazing work done at all these places. In today's healthcare industry politics plays a very large part no matter where you go. We have some fine doctors in this area and some fine facilities. Carthage does have a large Hispanic population, most of whom are hard-working families trying to better their lives. Undoubtably there are some illegals as there are with any foreign population. We are not a perfect town, but overall it is a clean, safe, pretty place to live. Some may find the city ordinances a little restrictive (no parking boats and RVs on the street, no tied dogs, etc.) but that's one reason it looks nice. We have easy access to shopping, cultural events, outdoor activities, restaurants etc. It's the kind of place where lots of people walk for excercise, church groups are active and the football rivalry with Webb City brings everyone out for home games. Most of my high school class and my husband's (20 years) live within 75 miles of their hometown, with many returning. The biggest downfall to me is the lack of good-paying jobs and the number of people on welfare and disability. But that sort of goes along with low cost of living. If there are any specific questions you have, I'm happy to oblige!

[pete.barb]

Originally Posted by firebll31

To address a few issues that seem to concern people:
Yes, Carthage has had some odor issues due to the RES plant on the north end of town. However, the governor and the EPA have been involved in resolving this and we seldom notice the odor anymore. But it is occasionally bad. As far as the heathcare issues-I work at St. John's in Joplin which has been rated a Top 100 hospital for the last 3 years. It is part of the CHI system, a non-profit. Freeman Hospital in Joplin is a for-profit and I think part of the Cox system. McCune-Brooks in Carthage just built a brand-new facility. It is a privately owned hospital. I have heard horror stories from all three, as well as Cox in Springfield, Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis and Mayo in Rochester. I also know of some amazing work done at all these places. In today's healthcare industry politics plays a very large part no matter where you go. We have some fine doctors in this area and some fine facilities. Carthage does have a large Hispanic population, most of whom are hard-working families trying to better their lives. Undoubtably there are some illegals as there are with any foreign population. We are not a perfect town, but overall it is a clean, safe, pretty place to live. Some may find the city ordinances a little restrictive (no parking boats and RVs on the street, no tied dogs, etc.) but that's one reason it looks nice. We have easy access to shopping, cultural events, outdoor activities, restaurants etc. It's the kind of place where lots of people walk for excercise, church groups are active and the football rivalry with Webb City brings everyone out for home games. Most of my high school class and my husband's (20 years) live within 75 miles of their hometown, with many returning. The biggest downfall to me is the lack of good-paying jobs and the number of people on welfare and disability. But that sort of goes along with low cost of living. If there are any specific questions you have, I'm happy to oblige!

hi, my name is barbara and i read your post about cartthage. yours was one of the nicer ones. my husband and i are moving to carthage in march. we are going to rent for a month or so and then go look at some of the homes for sale after we get a little settled. please, if you could, could you tell me a little about the weather and the people? are the people friendly? my hubby has been with the school district for 8 yrs. he is head custodian. i don't know if he wants to do that again. those kids can behave so badly. no respect what so ever!!! if you could help, we sure would appreciate it. you can reach us atModcut- send email info via DM so as not to be made public. thank you

[J1ndo]

Originally Posted by linicx

Springfield is a church owned town. You'll never find an Octoberfest with beer, nor an alcoholic, nor a pregnant teenager. It doesn't exist.

I nearly spouted my morning tea through my nose and onto the keyboard when I read that. I know you had a good rant going (and I love a good rant, no matter the topic) and were really hitting your stride but, come on, no alcoholics or pregnant teens in Springfield? Two plagues of the entire Midwest miraculously absent in the largest city in the Ozarks?

On the topic of Oktoberfest, how's the one in Freistatt?

[rogersturnback]

I was born and raised in Springfield MO and now live in Greenfield (Tiny Rural Town) but all my business activities still in Spfld. Love SW MO and Springfield has it all.

I would recommend the suburbs like WILLARD or REPUBLIC very close to Springfield for Medical but nice small communities.

IF YOU LIVE IN SWMO YOU SHOULD LIVE IN A HOUSE WITH A BASEMENT - TORNADOES.

The Southside of Spfd near Nixa or Ozark is nice but growing out of control. You would like the Branson area also but it can be crazy in the summer with all the tourist. But inbetween Springfield and Branson is great.

Springfield really does have everything and the people are still very nice.