Okanogan - anyone been there? heard of it? lol (Wenatchee: for sale, how much)

[fish2026]

I saw a really pretty building for sale in the downtown but even the realtors told me its trashed inside totally. I just wonder what kind of place Okanogan is? Its not growing and theres no college there but thats about all I know.

[the dufferz]

Sparce population, farming community, not much there. Dry, hot.

Winthrop is probably the most famous place there due to the quaint setting.
Population is around 40,000 (for the entire county).

If your looking for small town USA this would be a place to look at.

[Ex-Ithacan]

Hard to believe, but I've actually been there once. Spent the night in a local hotel (not the greatest accomadations) back in 1969. Went to Omak and Twisp too.

Back then they seemed like the ends of the earth to a guy from NY. Long distances to a city of any substantial size. If you're looking for a slower, secluded lifestyle, Okanogan should fit the bill.

[johnlvs2run]

A weather site shows Oganogan's averages ares 85/57 in the summer and 29/17 in the winter.

Winthrop's are 86/46 and 29/13.

A friend of mine lives in Republic and they get a LOT of snow there.

If you like cool nights in the summers and don't mind cold and snow then I'd say it's a great place to live.

[djay]

check out the suicide race in Omak. they have a website I think.

[raember]

Omak is a nice place, but small. I didn't realize how small it was until I went back for my 20-year high school reunion. I lived there for 11 years until I graduated from High School. The economy fluctuated with the lumber mill and when the mill was down...the economy was down.

The summers were much like here in Phoenix, dry and hot, but I think it did rain more often in Omak. The winters were brutally cold and pipes would freeze 10 feet underground. I hated having to carry hot 5-gallon buckets of water out to the cows to unfreeze the water trough. At my 10-year reunion everyone talked about how much milder the winters had been in recent years.

At my 20-year reunion last year I noticed that time had not quite stood still. They now have all the fast food joints, a Walmart (sigh), some extra gas stations, a better location for the Safeway, a newer hotel, and the schools have actually grown and improved. Yet, the core "main drag" looks like it could be any old town that time is forgetting. There is now a movie theater that has several screens, but the one screen theater that I grew up with still shows movies that are several months or a year old by the time they get to Omak. Even buildings that I remember being built when I lived there now look forgotten. Twenty years later, I still can drive every single road like I had never left - there does not seem to be many new roads to get confused with. I think I was able to walk across the majority of the town in about 25 minutes.

There is a branch of the Wenatchee Valley Community College in town for those who want to pursue a 2-year degree.

I suppose other than Walmart, many of the electronics and clothing stores I knew have long gone out of business. Was it because of Walmart??? Thank goodness for UPS and the Internet.

Having spent the last 20+ years in Phoenix, I do not think I could live in Omak again. Visiting is nice. The people and feel are very small town and friendly and I do miss that. However, without jobs... It would be difficult to have the salary I do now, but maybe I wouldn't need it. Maybe, I would have time for more social things and more friends to spend that time with. Everything is a trade-off. I could see retiring there if it wasn't for the snow.

[Corkyrae]

well... i live in okanogan, and it is a really neat place to live, the suicide race is within the first two weeks of the month of august, i really enjoy the carnival/stampede... which building are you looking at and for what? my mother had a restaurant in south okanogan... so maybe you can give me an idea about which building it is and i can give you more info... so let me know pls! winthrop on the other hand is kind of a one time of year business place, they have "tourist season" and thats only in the summer... also there is a college, its wenatchee valley college and its a really good college. the computer classes they have are really great! so no worries on that.

[RiftReaper]

born and raised and left

[kirin222]

I came to live in Omak, Okanogan area.
These are my impressions in this area.

Good things
Beautiful nature
Lots of wild life
Almost everyday sun shin
No heavy traffic

No good things
Small town, small mind
People are not friendly except outsiders
No options for restaurants
Too far from civilizations
Discrimination (No civil rights in some situations) to outsiders or minorities unless you agree 100% to locals


This area might be the nice place to live for people who love to die in nature if you do not expect good social life, stimulus conversations, and that you can put up with those no good things. Statistic data and informations did not show us those facts.

[509]

Originally Posted by fish2026

I saw a really pretty building for sale in the downtown but even the realtors told me its trashed inside totally. I just wonder what kind of place Okanogan is? Its not growing and theres no college there but thats about all I know.

Amazing!!! You don't know anything about the town next to the biggest city in the largest county in all of Washington State!!!!