Moving to Pullman/Moscow from Wisconsin: What areas to avoid due to college parties/noise? (Seattle: appointed)

[Gooey]

We will be moving to Pullman or Moscow this August (our first big move) and finding a house to rent online (without visiting it in person) is quite intimidating.

What are some street names, blocks, neighborhoods or areas that we should avoid? We both are quiet people looking for a quiet neighborhood away from the college parties and bass thumping.

What are the areas to avoid? What are the areas that are nice?

Thanks in advance!

[Dendrite]

If you have not done so already, you might find more takers if you post this question on the Spokane area subsection of this board (located at the top of the main forum page). Many here on the general WA section, for whatever reason, tend to be "more fluent" in all things western WA.

Good Luck!

[Time and Space]

Pullman and Moscow are so different from any place you've ever lived before in your life...

I was raised there...the college parties are only on campus for the most part..

You may have your occasional high school keiger party...but for the most part...

Moving to Pullman and Moscow area is like moving to the neighborhood that Leave it to Beaver was filmed in...

You have absolutly nothing to worry about...infact, your own mind will generate more paranoia than reality will...

People from that area are very 'square'...

I just ask you don't bring any 'prejudices' with you...

Relax, and let people be...

[MarvinK]

WSU isn't the party school it once was, but when I was in school in the mid-90s there were definitely some pretty loud party areas. Even though it has toned down, here's the areas I'd recommend if you're looking for a more quiet family environment (in green), and areas I'd avoid (in red).

Of course, even in a family-oriented neighborhood, you can still run into a particular neighbor who is loud or rowdy.

[Time and Space]

WSU is such a wierd place in that it's such a large, prominent university, located in the middle of nowhere...It's like half the town of Pullman...

But land area wise, I wonder how it compares to other Universities, like the University of Washington...their football rivals...

[hsmith77]

I live in Moscow! We moved here for school and are still here six years later. We have a family and have really enjoyed living on the northeast side of town. I would recommend against Styner Ave., Lauder Ave., Taylor, A. Street for the most part.... Some streets that are busier but not terrible would be Sixth, Third, Blaine and Hayes. If you were to look at a map of Moscow I would say to locate UI...find the highway 95 going North/South going through downtown and in general stay to the east of that...of course keeping in mind some of the streets I mentioned. I would say in general the further back from the two highways crossing through the better. We live on a side street off of Mountain View and I love it!

I don't have a lot of experience with Pullman although we have started looking over there to buy a house as Idaho is really messing with its K-12 education. Both towns have great schools though if that is important to you. Moscow is more hippy...and has a really great community and is really walkable. Someone else will have to speak for Pullman.

[pw72]

Where from Wisconsin are you moving from?

I attended WSU, so I could offer some insight, but it would be nice to know what your history has been.

That having been said, I will agree with some posters above...Pullman is quite isolated, or atleast feels that way, and the University dominates EVERYTHING. The nearest "big" city, (though not that big), Spokane, is almost two hours away.

There are some nice residential areas in Pullman, but they are small and prices are probably somewhat inflated due to the university's proximity.

[Time and Space]

Compared to some of the places I've lived since...the whole Pullman/Moscow areas...seems somewhat 'twilightzonish'....



In that it reminds me of those old Twilight zone episodes that start off in some small dusty town...that doesn't exist anywhere else except in Rod Sterlings mind...

And the Pullman/Moscow area kind of seem that way to me now...

(This is to include the family of towns known as Lewiston, Clarkston, Colton, Albion, Palouse, Union Town, Colfax, Potlatch and the rest)

I'm sure a lot has changed since I left...but when I left...we were pretty 'square'...

But 'square' seems attractive to me now...Square and proper....

Going to parks where you could actually have fun, relax, and read....

It's such a different world there, compared to where I live now...

But being years removed from there, I'm sure I talk it up as being more than it really is...

And as with Rod Sterling and his little towns, the Pullman/Moscow area, as I remember it, probably only exist in my mind now...

[bonediggy]

My wife and I are also moving to Pullman from WI. I too am worried about leaving the convenience of the Milwaukee area. I'm hoping that a positive is the lack of a rush hour commute. All I know is I'm bringing a truck load of Spotted Cow to keep me content.

[higginh2]

I was born and raised in Pullman and would move back in a minute if I could find a good job there. A quick summary of pros and cons of the town for those considering a move:

PRO:
1) It's the ideal place to raise kids. The schools are high quality, and with only several hundred students max, kids get a chance to form close relationships with their peers and teachers. Every year PHS sends graduates off to Stanford, Harvard, etc. Plus, I think that a lot of Pullman-raised young people are more creative and self-reliant than kids from bigger cities. Pullman is so safe that kids can be outside by themselves, exploring and adventuring. Music and art seem to be important to Pullman's youth, because without "big city" distractions, kids have to entertain themselves. There are plenty of extra-curriculars; I did ballet, Celtic dance, golf, volleyball, tennis, soccer, art, drama, woodworking, astronomy, sewing, debate, and band. Turns out I'm not very good at any of these things, but at least I had the opportunity to try! Also, it's tough for kids to get into serious trouble, the worst stuff most kids ever did was skip school to go down to the river on a sunny day.
2) You don't have to deal with the university if you don't want to. College kids stick to College Hill, they usually have no reason or desire to venture into the residential areas where most families live. And even if you are on College Hill, loud parties tend to concentrate near Frat Row, near Colorado and Monroe. And a plus of having the university is that high school students can do the Running Start program and take college courses during their junior and senior years. I had seventeen college credits when I graduated high school.
3) Weather. It's like much of the rest of Washington, not too cold, not too hot. You'll get a few good snowfalls in the winter, and a few hot (95 degrees, but low humidity) days in summer, but otherwise it's wonderful. It's true that it doesn't rain too much, but it's a far cry from a desert and it makes the summer thunderstorms that much better.
4) Convenience without the stress. Pullman's just the right size to have all the amenities you need (drugstores, grocery stores, movie theaters, restaurants, doctors, gyms, hospital, etc) without the ugly strip malls and big box stores. There is a Wal-Mart and ShopKo, but they are hidden off on the edge of town. And Costco is a 40 minute drive away in Lewiston, and if you must go to a mall, there's a small one in Moscow 7 miles away or a big one in Spokane, an hour away.
5) Beer is never far away. After all, Pullman is a college town, and we do love our beer. There is a brewery, with gowlers to go. I'll admit it might be hard to find anything from New Glarus, but grocery stores have good selections with reasonable prices, and Dissmore's IGA just completed a remodel to double the size of their walk-in beer cooler. Rico's Pub downtown is a great bar that isn't overrun by students. Wisconsinites should feel right at home.

CONS:
1) If you aren't associated with the university, Schweitzer, or farming, good work can be hard to find. And high school students might find it hard to get part-time after-school work because they're competing with the college students.
2) I never felt this way, but city folk might be dissappointed with the lack of constant entertainment. Like I said, sometimes you just have to make your own fun. Backyard barbecues, neighborhood strolls, reading a book on the porch, gardening, camping, fishing, and visiting with friends were my main hobbies (and still are).

I live in Seattle now, and while I enjoy the convenience and excitement of the city, I miss the peace and quiet. Here, I can't hear the crickets at night and I have to worry about my car getting broken into. Someday I hope to go back to Pullman, or at least somewhere very similar, to raise a family and enjoy the simple life.