From Southern CA to South Hamilton, MA (Boston, Lowell: for sale, real estate) - Massachusetts - City-Data Forum

lj3 · 06-16-2014, 05:14 PM

My husband is going to be attending Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the Spring and our family (us and three children) will be relocating from San Diego to South Hamilton. Most likely we will be living in family housing, but I wanted to take an opportunity to get some feedback on things like the public schools, weather and overall culture of South Hamilton. It appears to be quite rural but also very beautiful. We will be visiting the school and area this fall before the big move. We will be driving cross country to get ourselves and vehicle out there. We are shipping a majority of our things. I have never lived in snow before so I am wondering what the weather will be like end of December as well as if we need to have special tires for our vehicle. I have driven in blizzard like conditions before. I know I may sound quite naive, but I really would appreciate any feedback you could offer. Thanks!

CaseyB · 06-16-2014, 05:49 PM

Welcome to Massachusetts.

I don't think you have to worry about the schools as Hamilton's are quite good.

You don't need snow tires. Some people prefer all weather tires, but if your tires are in good condition, I don't know if I'd replace them.

in_newengland · 06-16-2014, 06:43 PM

You're moving to a very beautiful area. It is rural but not rustic. It's upscale and quiet. Picture the most beautiful New England town and you've got it!

That area is wooded but to the north you have the town of Ipswich with the famous Crane's Beach for summer fun. To the south you will get your malls and heavily trafficked shopping areas. You will mostly be driving on narrow winding roads but it's flat, not hilly, so that's an advantage in winter driving.

You have rte 1 that goes north and south through town and a few little shops and eating places but not much.

By the end of December, it will probably be very cold. We get our worst weather in Jan and Feb so you can expect sub freezing temps and in the daytime it can be 5 degrees or 10 degrees or 20 or 30 degrees. Sometimes it gets above freezing, but that didn't happen much this past winter. Other winters it will be milder--we never know.

Don't worry about tires but just know how to drive in ice and snow. Rte 1 gets plowed well so it's mostly your little town roads or if you go out of town and get stuck in a storm before the plows have come out. Those are the most difficult driving times. I would say that you can expect almost complete peace and quiet where you are moving and that may be an adjustment from where you are coming from. You could expect boredom but that's up to the individual. If you are creative and like to take walks on winter days or cross country ski or ice skate, read, study, you will be fine. In the summer you are in the midst of a wonderland of things to do with beaches, hiking, scenic fishing villages, arts and crafts, rides in the country--it's endless.

It's a nice community and I think the people will be friendly and that you will enjoy it.

konfetka · 06-17-2014, 08:52 AM

My uncle used to live at the seminary, it's quiet, beautiful and compact. Hamilton is known for its equestrian tradition. They have Polo matches every Sunday, and many horse farms. Bradley Palmer State park has a wading pool for small children. Ipswich nearby has a bigger downtown, more farms and horses, a historic mansion and a famous Crane Beach. Ipswich river is popular for kayaking. Green meadows farm in Hamilton is an organic farm. Schools are top rated, there is a public pool, but you will have an outdoor pool at the seminary. Hamilton is very woodsy with picturesque winding roads. There is a small center with food shopping and some retail and restaurants, and a train station, but there is much more shopping nearby in North Beverly on route 1a, which is also the route to 128. Patton park is the main local park with a brand new playground with a zip line, a sand box, and many cool structures for kids different ages (my kids favorite).

konfetka · 06-17-2014, 09:39 AM

Also, Appleton farm is the oldest in the country and has grass fed beef and fresh dairy. The nearest YMCA's are in Ipswich and Beverly. Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary has many nature programs, especially for kids. Wenham Museum is a kid-friendly museum with a model train room. Lynch park in Beverly is not far, it's an oceanfront park with 2 small kid-friendly beaches, playgrounds, a concert shell, a snack shop and a rose garden, by next summer it will have a kids spray park. They have movies and concerts in the summer.

brightdoglover · 06-17-2014, 01:15 PM

A gorgeous area near more beauty! End of December isn't the heart of winter. The winters have been varying pretty wildly in recent years, from seasons with a weekly snow (not a blizzard) to having a/c on in stores in MARCH. It seems it's either a weekly snowstorm or maybe one or two in the season. Road clearing is very good and driving is usually normal the day after a snow. I've been driving in eastern Mass. during snow (have to get to work at night) and have always only had front-wheel drive and radial tires, driving little entry-level cars and no problems at all. Best wishes on your move to a lovely area.

alidmc · 06-17-2014, 06:57 PM

Welcome! I live in Wenham, just next door to Hamilton. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions. My oldest daughter attends the high school and my middle daughter is in elementary.
The school bus will pick your kids up on campus, so you won't have to worry about getting the kids off on a snowy morning unless you want to.
Gordon Conwell has many families that live on campus and the campus is very beautiful. It will be a bit of a change from San Diego, but I think you will all love it. Good luck with your move!
Hamilton and Wenham share a library, schools, and recreation programs. Both towns are small, but I have found people to be very friendly and welcoming.

Parsec · 06-18-2014, 10:12 AM

GCTS and the surrounding area is great. I know quite a few couples who went there. It associates itself with Reformed theology (maybe too much if you ask me) and is well-integrated with the Boston-area schools through BTI. As a result, you will find yourself spending a lot of time driving to the Boston area for ministry purposes. Many (most?) of the seminary students attend church inside 128, but since you have children you might find yourself staying around town more often than other seminarians. The subsidized campus family housing is great - you will be in for major sticker shock if you decide to stay in the area after graduation.