December 2014 - Do You Like Living In Topeka? Why Or Why Not? (Wichita: appointed, fit in)

[Searching4TraditionalLife]

Hey all,

So in keeping this brief, I had started a thread over in the WV forums looking for a possible relocation after living in huge liberal cities for many years and not enjoying the culture/social leanings at all. Let's just say I'm originally from Jersey, and we're of the more "traditional" ilk. Of course C-D erased my thread(for obvious reasons I'm smart enough to not go into), and so I've had enough of the major West Coast metros, and now am looking to downsize and move to one of the "uncool" states that I've somehow been brainwashed into avoiding for so long. No more. I'm through with progressive politics and beliefs, and so I was wondering about Topeka.


Without me going into variables, and beating you all to the punch, let's just say I can afford to live there, and the job market is a non-issue(work from laptop).

What I'd truly like to know is, do you like it there, and if yes, why? If you loathe it there on the other hand, please explain that too.

I was there many years ago traveling as a salesman, and I remember the people were much friendlier than in Wichita.


So please, ONLY if you actually live there, or have lived there in the past 6 months, what you love or hate about your city of Topeka?

Thanks so much guys.

[AnywhereElse]

We live 50 miles south of Topeka and while that doesn't fit your chosen criteria to entitle me to speak, well, I don't think you'll get many posts and KS isn't a fit. I did go and review your WV posts. I can assure you that I have lived near Topeka in a couple different directions for many years of my life. No, what you want won't be there. You'll need to go more remote in a less populated area and I don't think KS will fit in the bill at all as I have lived in more remote areas of the state also.

You are hoping to go back in time and while I always consider KS a little behind the times, they are not far enough behind the times. This whole religious thing you hear about for KS doesn't play out in day-to-day living.

Have you considered returning to your home state? KS might have fit your criteria in 1950 but not today.

[Mattks]

I've lived in Topeka 23 years, I'm 27 now... So take that into consideration. I don't think any major city has what you are looking for. You need to go to a much smaller town, something under 20,000 people and isolated, maybe Montana or Wyoming.

That said, Topeka is far more conservative and traditional then east or west coast cities. Traditional can mean different things to different people. I personally think a traditional Midwestern/western town will feel different then a southern or New England town. Are you Catholic/Protestant/evangelical? Not a lot of Catholic influence here, but it does exist in some places. Topeka may be what you are looking for in a sense, it's not progressive or liberal. I consider it a safe city, most of the crime is located in 2 areas. I can't tell you about public transport except that it exists.


Pros:
Low cost of living
More traditional then most major cities
Seemingly low crime
Good local economy
Friendly people

Cons:
Boring, for a city this size there isn't much to do
Crime is fairly high in 2 neighborhoods, just stay away
Probably not as traditional as you want, but I really don't think any city exists that does


Topeka is not really behind the times at all, but it is still a largely conservative and traditional city. From my perspective it's a decent place to live, it's not booming economically by any means, but it remains stable with slow growth. You won't find what you are looking for in a major metro. I'd recommend a smaller town like McPherson, Lindsborg, Hillsboro, etc. those are all smaller town, McPherson being the largest, all very traditional towns.

[Searching4TraditionalLife]

It is plainly apparent here which response was the more unbiased and written with truly sincere intentions.

Thanks Matt. I think I may be settling on Topeka as a city that, like you said, can come the closest, if not actually realize the preferece completely.

[denverian]

You'd probably enjoy joining the Westboro Baptist Church There you could hate the gays and find a homely, traditional woman who would submit to you. Otherwise, you might want to look into those polygamist cults down in southern Utah. Women have very few rights there.

[AnywhereElse]

Originally Posted by denverian

You'd probably enjoy joining the Westboro Baptist Church There you could hate the gays and find a homely, traditional woman who would submit to you. Otherwise, you might want to look into those polygamist cults down in southern Utah. Women have very few rights there.

Point goes to denverian! I reviewed the WV thread which is here: //www.city-data.com/forum/west-...iving-big.html My first thought was "barefoot and pregnant"! I thought about the south but they are also pretty advanced socially and I have lived in 3 southern states. They can be a little more accommodating to the male in a couple but that just worked against them in our case. My older son lived in Topeka so we visited there and stayed a couple of months also in our RV one summer. The WV thread spells out "traditional" and I was confused by that in that it didn't seem to be based on a religious preference. Time machine is the answer!

[Mattks]

Originally Posted by denverian

You'd probably enjoy joining the Westboro Baptist Church There you could hate the gays and find a homely, traditional woman who would submit to you. Otherwise, you might want to look into those polygamist cults down in southern Utah. Women have very few rights there.

What a ridiculous statement. Someone is seeking a traditional life so you bash him, Kansan, Topeka, Utah, Christians, and Mormons. All in a few sentences, way to go.

Westboro Baptist Church isn't accepted here or anywhere. Nearly all Christian groups denounce them.
Actually, the Westboro neighborhood and surrounding areas are quite nice with older homes and quiet parks. WBC has zero impact on the day to day life for Topekans.
To show my unbiased view, I'm an atheist, moderate politically, and not very traditional, but I'm the odd man out here. Kansas isn't the backwards hole that most on these forums make it out to be. Traditional doesn't equal backwards. I live here because of family, I like the people, and the cost of living is low.

Kansas gets a lot of hate on this forum, most of the reasons aren't true.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Mattks

What a ridiculous statement. Someone is seeking a traditional life so you bash him, Kansan, Topeka, Utah, Christians, and Mormons. All in a few sentences, way to go.

Westboro Baptist Church isn't accepted here or anywhere. Nearly all Christian groups denounce them.
Actually, the Westboro neighborhood and surrounding areas are quite nice with older homes and quiet parks. WBC has zero impact on the day to day life for Topekans.
To show my unbiased view, I'm an atheist, moderate politically, and not very traditional, but I'm the odd man out here. Kansas isn't the backwards hole that most on these forums make it out to be. Traditional doesn't equal backwards. I live here because of family, I like the people, and the cost of living is low.

Kansas gets a lot of hate on this forum, most of the reasons aren't true.

I wasn't bashing Kansas, Utah, Christians or Mormons. I was just helping the OP link to religious nut jobs that might be more in line with what he's looking for (not Mormons, but the crazy polygamist cults, not Christians, but the inbred, gay hating Phelps nuts). He stated in the WV post that he hates gay people and wants to find a woman who will shut up and submit to him, the "manly man". Topeka's definitely on the conservative side, but he's looking for something much more extreme. Although he may just be a troll here to stir things up.

[AnywhereElse]

Mattks: Have you read what he is looking for in the WV thread? If not, you need to do so. And, for anyone else that reads this thread, I am VERY aware of the attitudes about women and gays in KS and there may be a place for the OP, but it isn't here.

And, you say, "Kansas gets a lot of hate on this forum, most of the reasons aren't true." yet, you want to embrace and offer a home to someone like the OP? He doesn't want to be around women who exercise their equal rights and he doesn't want to be around gays and he is VERY outspoken about his preferences and it goes beyond, just beyond. Good grief! Yet, you are saying, "This is the place for you." I'm thinking you aren't very aware of your surrounding because I DO NOT think that KS is like that, not any city/town here and that is a compliment for the state coming from me!

The only thing the OP didn't include was a racial preference which surprised me.

Surely Topeka has not become this bad in recent times.

[Mattks]

I didn't read his other threads, so thanks for clearing that up. The OP will be disappointed if that's really what he is looking for.

Denverian: your post makes a lot more sense when the other posts are taken into consideration, but I didn't know about those posts, so sorry.

Topeka isn't bad at all, just a couple bad neighborhoods, but really what city doesn't. The only big negative on Topeka is that it is very boring.

If OP did some research he would learn that Topeka has been on the forefront of women and minority rights for a long time, the exception of course is gays, but I know a couple who live here and never have problems.