Need info on Blackstone, VA (Richmond: how much, elementary school, closing)

[htlong]

what part of jersy ya from? my wifes relatives are in new brunswick, edison ,and a.c......they all work.... but no one says what they do.......thats why i say yes dear so much!!!

[jerseyshoregirl]

Your funny - I say yes dear a lot except i'm the wife saying it! Just makes life a whole lot easier! I grew up in Belmar (only a few blocks from the ocean). Have u ever heard of Asbury Park? Belmar is just a couple of towns away along the shore. Very nice area. Can't even afford to live in the town i grew up in. houses go for about $1 million. I live in the next town in the opposite direction of the beach (a lot less expensive and definately less traffic). Totally love it here. Maybe because it's where i grew up. But i definatley have pipe dreams of have a country vacation house. Or maybe the pipe dream is "honey, you stay here in nj, i'm going to the vacation house and i will see u in about a month." Just joking. I've just been married my whole entire life. Have you ever been to nj to visit your wife's relatives? She has them spread out throughout the state. Thanks for the info you gave me in your last reply. Much appreciated!

[droseflowers]

My husband and I bought a home to restore in Blackstone (thus we are transplants from the Northeast). It has a cute historic downtown and residential area with interesting architectural structures. We worried when a number of businesses moved up the street to the "newer" plaza where the Food Lion is. However, we have seen a Mexican Restaurant open a little over a year ago and it does pretty steady business. Blackstone is also home to Virginia's famous Herb Store and recently a large Antique/Craft store went in where the furniture store had vacated. Where a former restaurant and gym used to be (burned down) a catering, cafe and coffee shop is going to be built. The town has received a grant this year to do the facades of a section of buildings (businesses) in the historic section. With a little more push, the historic down town area could easily be revitalized. It is going to take more "outsiders" to come in and start businesses. From what I can see all the most recent economic development in this area has come from outsiders moving in. There is a little more tolerance for outsiders because of Fort Pickett. Be aware that this is an economically depressed area. Houses are affordable (especially by D.C. and New England standards), but salaries for jobs are equally low unless you are willing to travel an hour to a job in Richmond or are lucky enough to have a job that allows for telecommuting.
All of the neighbors are friendly and look out for one another (do not interpret this as nosy). There is a sense of community and pride in Blackstone. It is quaint and worth visiting during an event, such as the Annual Craft Fair held the weekend after Labor Day each year, or the Lighting of the tree for the Holidays just after Thanksgiving. Or, if Halloween falls on a weekend, it is quite a site to see. Several historic home owners on Main Street go all out with the decoration, notably the Deven's Home. Kids from all around the county come. The foot traffic is so heavy, the police department has to direct traffic in the residential area. We were present for the first year and over 300 kids came to the door to trick-or-treat!
We have enjoyed our second home, our neighbors and the community and always feel welcomed and relaxed when we are down to visit.

[jerseyshoregirl]

Thanks droseflowers for your reply. You gave me a lot of information. Halloween sounds like fun for the kids. I'd like to visit some day. Thanks again.

[Dinzzy]

Are there any apartments or houses for rent in Blackstone? I am relocating there and I have been searching on internet but I cant find nothing. I am going to be working in Fort Pickett, since I don't anything about the Virginia area, I really would like suggestions and help for choosing the town that's closest to Fort Pickett and the best one. Thank you very much for all your help.

[onevthoki]

Well, as someone who was raised in Blackstone, I think I can answer your question a little more honestly than our city boy from Henrico. And I am so glad to see a posting from someone who lives there currently, and she is right on the money about some of the positive attributes of Blackstone.

I grew up in Blackstone, and attended Nottoway County Schools. When I was there, I really did not like it. We had a Hardees and the local Dairy Freeze, and maybe eight stoplights in the whole town. Church Street is one of the main streets, and I'll give you one guess as to why it's called that! On Friday nights, you went to football games. After school, I worked at one of the local drug stores. There is a local club you can join if you want to play golf or go swimming in the summer. So while there wasn't much to do, I could ride my bike wherever I wanted, and my mom didn't worry if she did not hear from me for four hours.

I left Blackstone after I got married, and recently could have moved back. I will admit though, I decided not to. After being out and having so many opportunities available for my kids in larger counties, we picked Chesterfield, just two counties away though, so I can still visit my family.

If you are looking for a more laid-back lifestyle, I don't think you will be disappointed. For even more information, look into the local newspaper, The Courier-Record (it will come up in a google search). I've been gone for 15 years and I still have a subscription so I can keep up with my hometown! (This will also be a good resource for rentals - many owners do not use property managers.) Good luck with your upcoming move!

[Dinzzy]

Thank you very much, I have one more question. I come from a place where our races a very mixed and we really don't care about the color of the skin, how is the people of Blackstone, are they mostly white, black, racist??? See I don't like racism because we don't have that in my island so I really would not like to go to a new place to be the target of racial attacks. Thank you.

[oabecc]

Hello,
I spent my high school years in Blackstone...left and never went back but have fond memories. Anyone with info. I graduated from NHS in 1975,live in Texas now. Let me hear from you!

[ddragonfly813]

I'm only familiar with Blackstone because I am in the military and train and Fort Pickett. It's a small country town with not much to do. I happen to know that there is a major drug peoblem in that little town so if your teen is the sort to look for that sort of trouble, he/she will find it. Seems hard to believe from such a small place but it is what it is.

The people are generally friendly and used to outsiders as they deal with the military coming and going on a constant basis.

Mitchell's is a great family resteraunt...

People seem to move extra slow in that town but perhaps that's because I'm originally from New York?


That's really all I have on the place...

Good Luck~

SGT P

[TRobin]

This is one town that you want to avoid like the plague.