I need some information about Lynchburg... (Richmond, Roanoke: crime rate, houses, private school)

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by Teebyrd86

I dont understand why race is always brought up. Just because someone is black dosnt decrease their chances of a job. Maybe your cousin is having a hard time finding a job but I am sure a white person would be too. I hear a lot of complaints about the job market in South West Va... So trust me its not because he is black. I know many blacks that are in very high paying ranks at various companies including the one I work for. Good luck to your cousin I am sure with patience the job he wants will come eventually!

Actually if the original poster is a pharmacy tech there are plenty of jobs around there with the major chains and also with the hospital. I have spent time in Lynchburg and it seems the economy is healthy there compared to most of the country. Granted I was there for one summer for an internship but a lot of people move there and find jobs. IF you are Christian and conservative you will fit in very well. I am these two things. I am also of Asian descent but very assimilated so that didn't matter for me.

Yes Teebyrd you should stop making everything a race thing. The good ol' boy network is everywhere. IT dominates the Baltimore area where I currently live and it has nothing to do with race just who you know. I would say that the biggest and most impenetrable good ol' boy network is that of the banks and law firms in New York, Boston, and Washington.

[Tom Lennox 70]

I disagree that Lynchburg feels "slummy". Someone who says that much have been raised in a very elite and exclusive area. While not all of Lynchburg is extravagant with multi million dollar homes and BMWs like Northern Virginia is it NOT a slum or ghetto. The poorest, most run down parts of Lynchburg would be considered an exclusive and dream neighborhood here in Baltimore. There is nothing in Lynchburg that is as depressing as parts of Baltimore, DC, or even Richmond.

[LynchburgLover]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I disagree that Lynchburg feels "slummy". Someone who says that much have been raised in a very elite and exclusive area. While not all of Lynchburg is extravagant with multi million dollar homes and BMWs like Northern Virginia is it NOT a slum or ghetto. The poorest, most run down parts of Lynchburg would be considered an exclusive and dream neighborhood here in Baltimore. There is nothing in Lynchburg that is as depressing as parts of Baltimore, DC, or even Richmond.

You're absolutely right about the McMansion/BWM/nouveau riche of NoVa. Lynchburg has plenty of money but it is quieter, not so in-your-face; a little more southern.

[Mr_Jonas]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Someone who says that much have been raised in a very elite and exclusive area.

I have been called "slum dweller" on these boards, and now I am part of the elite? What is going on?

[badger74]

Here's a clue. The US is not much like Sweden. It is not a welfare state, has far more minorities and poor, and nearly every city has a bad side. NYC has Harlem and Bed Stuy, Chicago has the west side and south side, Dallas slums, Houston slums, LA slums you get the picture. Lynchburg is also very old but the government won't pay to fix up your old house so the often become slummy.

How could you not even know where Trents Ferry is?? One of the larger nice areas in town. I guess I answered my own question. At least when I got to the place I drove the entire city the first month--even the slummy part. You just don't have a frikking clue.

[LynchburgLover]

I can see not knowing Trent's Ferry Road. It is strictly residential and leads out into the country. Unless you had friends out there, you would not be driving it. Now, if he said he didn't know Boonsboro, Langhorne or Link . . . .

But, Mr. Jonas, take a Sunday drive, you'll see there's another whole side of Lynchburg and it is beautiful.

[thejoe]

C'mon,

Badger and Lynchburglover you both are in an extreme state of euphoria over Lynchburg. or so it comes across on this board.

Ok, there may be some nice neighborhoods and decent scenery in the vicinity and backdrop, but it's not exceptional. As far as the city of Lynchburg itself, what is exceptionally appealing about it? I find it depressing and insipid in appearance. Doesn't mean that's what it is, but that's the impression an outsider may get.

Sure it offers quiet, uneventful living, but so don't a lot of places. To some Lynchburg may have appeal to it, but I wouldn't categorize it as 'exceptionally appealing'.

[springgrl]

Originally Posted by sregorat3

Maybe I'm just special! I'm not a native, but fitting in isn't an issue for me...

Ditto. Maybe it's because I don't care if I do or because I'm female and we like to bond, but I think it's because

a.) I do what I love, such as climbing and hiking and I have met people at the gym and via meetup.com that feel the same,
b.) I go to my neighborhood meetings and local events
c.) I introduce myself when I'm walking around and see a neighbor I've not met yet, and
d.) those of us "living on the edge" downtown (Lynchburg isn't Anacostia, despite people trying to make it so) have a community feeling because of it.

(As a southern gal, I know I'll make more friends if I join a church, too, but I haven't yet.)

PS: Yes, I came here for personal reasons, and bought here because of cheap housing and the low cost of living, plus a workable train commute to DC when I need to go there for work, but I should get out there with my camera and post my POV. As I was out driving around last Sunday I got lost and turned onto Wiggington (sp.). I was thinking "where were these pictures on City-Data?" And when I go out onto my front porch and see the Blue Ridge peeking over the slate rooftops I can't believe how pretty my view is. Plus most of the "bad" I've seen here seems tolerable and completely avoidable.

[Mr_Jonas]

Originally Posted by badger74

Here's a clue. The US is not much like Sweden. It is not a welfare state, has far more minorities and poor, and nearly every city has a bad side. NYC has Harlem and Bed Stuy, Chicago has the west side and south side, Dallas slums, Houston slums, LA slums you get the picture. Lynchburg is also very old but the government won't pay to fix up your old house so the often become slummy.

How could you not even know where Trents Ferry is?? One of the larger nice areas in town. I guess I answered my own question. At least when I got to the place I drove the entire city the first month--even the slummy part. You just don't have a frikking clue.

Well, as LynchburgLover said, I do not have any friends out that way so I rarely go out that way. What is so strange about that? Due to LynchburgLovers explanation I understand what road Trents Ferry is and I have been there, on occation. That is definetly the outskirts, right??


During 2003 - 2004 I worked in day-support, a service that offers meaningful activities for adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities. The day-support center I worked for believed that these guys (and girls) do best in not just sitting around with coloring books (of course the level of functioning comes in play what activity is suitable) side, so we took them around Lynchburg and the surrounding areas, mainly Madison Heights and Amherst. We also did very frequent visits to parks like Riverside and Peaks view park. (I never realized my experiences as a camp counselor for kids with down syndrome would be how I landed a job)

I went to school here in the US for 3,5 years during the 90’s. (a Virginia state university, no ivy-league elite school) and I have been back stateside since 2002.

Maybe I do not fully understand how American socioeconomics ties into the appearance of American cities and towns. That might be the case. Perfectly plausible.

One thing I do notice is that when I go and work in Roanoke or Charlottesville (usually one day every other day or so) is that I can go to the office, do what I am there to do, go to lunch and drive home and things do not look nearly as worn and torn as in Lynchburg. I am fully aware that Roanoke and Charlottesville has bad sections of town too, now if it is all down to city planning or what, I do not know, but things are not nearly as depressing as in Lynchburg. (Yes, I go to Danville and Waynesboro too….I guess I need not to comment)

Obviously Sweden is different from the US, in the same way it is different from Italy (Sweden probably has more in common with the US then with Italy, but that is a different thread). Sadly I do not get to travel around the US as much as I would like to. However, when I do and I visit my wife’s relatives or college buddies what I see is generally not as wore and torn like Lynchburg. We are mostly talking college educated middleclass here. I am more than aware that just because I do not see the bad areas, they do exist. But you can drive around, go to the movies, out to eat etc, etc and while things might look a bit plastic, it is not slummy.
I know I am not the only one who feels that way, and they are American born, bread and proud.

Sure if I lived in Boonsboro, spent all my time there, maybe for the occasional excursion out to the New London golf course or out of town, I might have a different opinion.

I might not have a frikking clue, I might be suffering from extreme culture shock, I might be suffering from Schizotypal personality disorder, I might be an “evil-snotty-elitist Euro-trasher” or a list of other things.
One thing is 100% sure, I do not “get” Lynchburg and I do not feel at home here. The latter is quite sad, actually.

PS – The Swedish government does not pay for anyone to fix up their house, but a lot of city planning regulation and real estate restrictions usually hinders properties from deteriorating in non-rural settings.

[LynchburgLover]

Originally Posted by thejoe

C'mon,

Badger and Lynchburglover you both are in an extreme state of euphoria over Lynchburg. or so it comes across on this board.

Ok, there may be some nice neighborhoods and decent scenery in the vicinity and backdrop, but it's not exceptional. As far as the city of Lynchburg itself, what is exceptionally appealing about it? I find it depressing and insipid in appearance. Doesn't mean that's what it is, but that's the impression an outsider may get.

Sure it offers quiet, uneventful living, but so don't a lot of places. To some Lynchburg may have appeal to it, but I wouldn't categorize it as 'exceptionally appealing'.

Aww Joe, you're just not gonna be happy until everyone is miserable . Even Thomas Jefferson thought Lynchburg "the most interesting spot in the state".