Need Advice On Great Place To Live and Work In Piney Woods Region (Dallas: construction, friendly)

[Qazulight]

Originally Posted by Amber75

I was saying that the Mt. Pleasant--->South to Longview is overtaken with the chicken plants. Tyler is just basically the same situation city as I'm living near now.........and I do not like it one bit. I don't want to live near that kind of town again.

I'm very much interested in the area just between the Angelina and San Sabine National Forests. Towns such as San Augustine. It's a pretty short drive to Center, TX for shopping, Drs, etc. Does anyone know anything about this area?

I lived in San Augustine for a couple years. There is little or no work. It is beautiful little town. The school district is considered to be pretty bad. So bad that the parents are allowed to send thier children to any other school district. Most parents that can afford the transportation send the children to Shelbyville. I decided to move to Nacogdoches so I could eat out at more than a Mexican restraunt or Mary Kay's

You can check out my wifes website at:

Www.myadventuresinSanAugustine.blogspot.com

However, the drive to Center is not too bad and the natural gas boom has created some work there. While Center is not as pretty a San Augustine, it has a theater, Walmart and an active (For East Texas) life on the square.

There is a new company in Cherino, (about half way between San Augustine and Nacogdoches) you might check for office work there, but I do not hold out high hopes.

The employment situation in Deep East Texas is tough. The timber industry in down, the gas field boom is past, and the chicken industry has very close margins (From what I understand about that industry you wouldn't have to worry about working there, you would not be competitive.)

If you have your heart set on Deep East Texas then Lufkin or Nacogdoches would be places to consider. Lufkin has more going on and housing is less expensive. You might try Lufkin Industries. The main.plant is south of town and there is a little town that is pretty nice just down highway 69.

On the other hand Nacogdoches is a prettier town, with a decent downtown area and it feels a little more alive because of Steve F Austin university.

In addition to the University the are some other industries in Nacogdoches, I.E. An electrical component plant, RV Manufacturing, Hot rod motor building, and a wood mill and some agricultural based industries. While housing in Nacogdoches can be expensive, if you move out to Appleby or Garrison it is not so bad and the school districts are better.

I live within walking distance of down town. We went to the Christmas parade tonight and we drove thinking we would park closer, bad idea, we should have just walked the mile or so. We have deer come up in our back yard, and the day care down the street thought they were feeding cats, but we caught the family.of racoons in our headlights more than once.

Cheers
Qazulight

[Amber75]

Thanks,

I happened onto home listings in Onalaska and Huntsville area....in the vicinity of the Sam Houston National Forest. Does anyone have any information about these places? Also, I wouldn't want to be in an area that might be torn apart by a storm from the gulf

[BobTex]

Amber,

My wife works in Livingston which is about a dozen miles east of Onalaska. Livingston is growing town on US 59 but there is nothing "pretty" about the town. Onalaska is on Lake Livingston and thrives on the lake recreational monies along with residential retirees (lotta folks retiring here from the Houston area). Also this area has grown a lot in the last 20 years considering there is nothing there but the lake, it used to be a few marinas and small subdivisions with a few convenience stores and gas stations. Huntsville probably survives on the prison and university industries along with being on I 45. Onalaska and Huntsville are OK in my book but I have much less experience with Huntsville with it being 2 hours west of me.

I continue to like Lufkin for a more small town feel with some employment opportunities.

[Mark Senior]

Amber, what (kind of city is Tyler?) have you ever been there?, if not, you have never lived near a city like Tyler, isn't medical facilities most or really important to you? Dee's response is in the real minority, the vast majority really like Tyler. Yeah, traffic is heavy.

Remember the woods in East Texas and near Tyler your can get very isolated if you like, you just might not be as happy, as isolated, as you think you want to be. But it looks like you really need to give it a shot. It's probably going to be much harder life to do that than you think, but, hey, go for it !!

[Houtex77]

Can a big city person get used to living in a rural area?

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by Houtex77

Can a big city person get used to living in a rural area?

Too much of an open question, depends on your age, what you really want, if you REALLY, but hey thousands have gotten "used" to living in rural area, that's why some areas are not as "rural" anymore. But on the other hand, many have moved back to major metros. So I said "nothing" really, too much of a general question, I guess.

[dee936]

Nacogdoches is a beautiful and hilly city of east Texas and you will love it!!!!!!!!!!!
TRUST ME!

Nac has tons of biking and hiking trails and a nice water park and a couple of colleges and a growing city.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by DaynaKH

Hi Bob. You live far too close for comfort. I also live halfway between Beaumont and Lufkin. A little further north than you, but less than a 20 mile drive. I'm always nervous I'm going to run into someone I know here. I'm not personally a fan of East Texas (That whole clannish thing bugs me).

I moved to northeast Texas (Tyler area) nearly 30 years ago and I honestly have no idea what you're talking about in that bolded statement.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by GayleTX

Since access to an area with good medical and social services is important for you, somehwhere near Tyler would be a good choice....it has become an outstanding medical center in the past decade with all kinds of specialists and even has satellite clinics in the many areas of the country. There are two colleges there, lots of jobs for young people - but it is also a popular area for retired people.

I second this due to the excellent medical facilities in the Tyler area. You could look at smaller towns like Winona, Hawkins, Overton, Chapel Hill, Bullard, Mt. Selman, Chandler, Brownsboro, Van, Athens, Gresham, Whitehouse, Lindale, Holly Lake, Edom, Hideaway, etc.

I've gone back and reread the thread and realized that for some unnamed reason, Tyler is off the OP's list. I really don't understand what she means by "I have no interest in living in a city like Tyler." I'm curious about what that means specifically. Also, OP, please note that my town recommendations are all outside of Tyler. I understand that you don't want to live IN Tyler but I'm interested in what specifically turns you off about Tyler because that might shed some light on what other areas may or may not be a fit for you.

[James Shepherd]

Tyler,is a wonderful city. I have looked at houses there and they have all been very nice. The people there are very friendly and there is lots of construction going on all around. There are numerous Hospitals and Emergency rooms all around there.Also lots of Doctors offices around. I am unaware of any Veterans Facilities available there. I have an Uncle that is a veteran and he says that they are treated so bad he wont even go there. He is a Korean veteran and he doesn't use the facilities. It disturbed me very much. He would rather go to a hospital then put up with that. He has those benefits coming to him and it is wrong for him not to get to use those benefits that he has coming. I havent talked to any other veterans but i know he is very right about his feelings. k