SW WI, Lafayette County, City of Benton (Green Bay, Two Rivers: for sale, high crime)

[StevenKrzak]

I'm hoping that some members of this forum would please share some information/experiences about living in the southwestern area of Wisconsin (Lafayette County), particularly the city of Benton?

In a previous post in the IL forum, I was seeking information about smaller IL towns because I've always wanted to live in a rural area (I was born in Chicago and currently live in the northwest suburbs of IL.)

I really love some of the smaller cities in the northwestern part of IL; however, after reading the Benton, WI website, it sounds like a nice place to live and I'm curious.

As a child, I couldn't wait until summer vacation because I knew that we were going to spend a week or two in Wisconsin. My grandparents lived in Marquette County for a number of years and I have many special memories of that time.

Any insight about the SW part of Wisconsin would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much!

[JoshB]

I can tell you this, Southwestern Wisconsin has many charming towns. There is Spring Green, Dodgeville, Muscoda, Richland Center. etc. I'd recommend a road trip to some of these towns. I really can speak for Benton though, as I've never been there.

[StevenKrzak]

Hi, Josh,

Thanks for the information, I really appreciate your input. A good friend of mine and her husband have relocated from Chicago to Richland Center and they love it there. I should take them up on their invitation and visit them sometime.

You're absolutely right, a road trip to SW Wisconson and to some of the towns that you mentioned would be the best way to learn more about the area, people, jobs, etc.

Thanks again for your insight. Also, I enjoyed looking at the Wisconsin pictures that you've taken and posted in the forum.

[JoshB]

No problem esbat13, Make sure you visit House on the Rock and Taliesan.

[StevenKrzak]

Thanks, Josh, I'll put those on my list of places to visit. I actually think that I've been to the House on the Rock with my mom and sister, but that was years ago.

Steve

[everwinter]

How did you come up with Lafayette county?
To each his own, so take what I write as you will & check out the area some weekend.
Zero stoplights in the entire county & I heard a stat (not sure about the accuracy) that they have more cows than people in the county. The majority of trees are stripped down to allow for corn and hay. Lots of farms, streams, & four wheeler trails. Yellowstone area is pretty. Sorry I don't have much to say about Benton, definitely small, not great, not bad. Check into nearby Shullsburg. If I'd imagine what a quaint town would be, Shullsburg would be it. Shullsburg, Wisconsin, Lafayette County

I read your post about IL towns, & I'll comment about the ones I know.

Lena - Lived there & really liked it. In the county it's known by some as cliquish, and snobby, but I didn't see this at all. Pretty area, with lots of old stone/granite(?) houses & gravel roads which I love. A nice state park (free admission), apple orchard & a locally grown produce stand nearby. Town has pride, & is concerned about upkeep. One of the nicer towns in the area.

Mt Carrol - traveled through mainly. A nice town & people I know who lived there liked it.

Galena - tourist area for lots of Chicago folks. Nice, Hilly, scenic, expensive.

Scales Mound - Very small & rural. Scenic, hilly. I rode my bike down there a couple years ago, all I remember is a bar with lots of harleys, and a town on the side of a hill.

Apple River - Also very small, they have a nice state park & a Chicago resort area nearby (Apple Canyon Lake). Town itself is a touch rougher.

For Illinois I personally recommend checking into the Elizabeth, Woodbine, Stockton area. Hills, scenery, & very rural. Nice people as well. Freeport is about 20 miles from Stockton & that's where you could find work.

I've talked with a number of people who moved out of the Chicago area & into NW IL & were very glad they made the move. Do realize the people are different & it may take some patience. Rural people will want to ask lots of questions & know all about you. Get used to it, at first it may seem like they're nosey, but that's just the way small towns are. To me city folk are more respectful if you will. It's easier to stay under the radar living in a city than it is in a small town.

[StevenKrzak]

Hi, everwinter, thanks for your reply.

Well, I came up with Lafayette county after looking at some of the towns that kind of bordered the Galena, IL area. I started reading the Benton, WI website and became interested in learning more about life in SW Wisconsin.

You gave some really good information, to which I am very grateful. As you suggested, I'm reading about Shullsburg, WI. It seems like a really nice town as well. I enjoy walking in a quaint downtown area with little shops and friendly people. I've lived in the Chicago area my entire life, and I dread when I have to go downtown because it's just too busy all of the time, too fast paced, which was never my style. Some people like that, and that's fine. It's just not for me.

Thanks for taking the extra time to give me your honest opinions about some of the other cities that I had mentioned in my IL post -- good information and very helpful. It gave me more to think about and explore.

As far as getting used to rural people asking a lot of questions, I tend to be a very patient person and don't take offense to questions. It's good to know who your neighbors are. I've always lived in the city, and it's odd how sometimes you could feel lonely even though you're surrounded by thousands of people. And what you said is true, it's definitely easier to stay under the radar in a city. That has been my experience living in the city.

Thanks again for your reply!

[susancruzs]

Great information for you so far, which is good! I recently moved from NE Illinois to Wisconsin and I'm quite happy. I'm on the east side of the state because (for me) the lake is a major draw and I wanted to have a fairly easy ride to my sister in the UP.

I looked a great deal in Illinois first and decided Wisconsin was a better fit for me even though I've lived in Illinois all my life.

Only comment I wonder about is Freeport as there are a major number of homes for sale there and the downtown area is not thriving at all. I don't feel the job market would be strong there. I went to Freeport, stayed there several weekends and did not get a good feeling at all.

As you will notice from posts on this forum, a lot is personal perception and individual needs. The town I'm in is very friendly and receptive to people coming from another state. This might be because it is on the way to Door county and constantly has people coming through or staying.

The bottom line is research, do your homework, local papers, local libraries, try restaurants, stay for weekends and a few days during the week if possible. I found out about a couple from Illinois running a local business from stopping at a restaurant. I went and talked to them about their experience before I even looked at houses. Most newspapers are available online now, too.

Good luck in your search!

[StevenKrzak]

Excellent post, susancruzs, thanks so much for the information. I agree, I'm happy to be getting great information from others who have either visited these areas or who are currently living in Wisconsin.

I've never thought about living on the east side of Wisconsin, although my Dad does have relatives who live in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay (we were there once about 30 years ago.) My cousin's wife is also from the UP.

For me, living in the country with hilly terrain near a quiet, quaint town with friendly people is something that I've always desired. I've lived in the city my whole life and have grown tired of all of the traffic, airplane noise, tons of people wherever you go, crowded shopping malls, high crime, etc. I feel that it's time for a change - I'm not getting any younger.

Whenever I take a day trip to a country area, I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I appreciate nature and people who do their best to preserve it.

And you're right, whether I choose IL, WI, or any other state, I'll have to do plenty of research, take short trips, read the local papers and get a feel for the areas (and I'll try to find a few of them online, thanks for the tip!)

I've driven through Freeport a few times and did not consider living there. There are probably nicer areas than others within the city, but I think that one could find that wherever you go.

I would never want to ruffle any feathers in the place where I would decide to call home. It's true what you said that there are certain towns being more receptive than others to people coming from another state. I'll have to keep that in mind as I search.

It sounds like you've really found a nice place to live in Wisconsin. I've looked at the Two Rivers website and was impressed with all of the activities planned on the website calendar. Maybe I'll even have to take a trip to the Two Rivers area and do a little exploring!

Thanks again for your reply. Have a great day!

[everwinter]

I mentioned finding work in Freeport, not living there. Honeywell, Titan tire, & Newell are located there. It's not thriving, but for example it would certainly be easier to live in Lena & find work in Freeport than live in Mt Carrol & find work directly in town.