[darstar]

Coming from urban California , I think one would be bored with Paw Paw. Its very rural , to the extreme, as is most all of Van Buren County. really in the " sticks " , as some would say. I tried the area for 5 years , and , grew to dislike it. I was only 12 miles from South Haven , but , it seemed like many miles , not even a Starbucks.........until you drove 30 miles to the Kzoo.......... and , that was a bit far for a cup of coffee.
Throw in all the trailer homes , the trash in the ditches , the lack of interesting places to eat , all the workers were missing their front teeth , the meth labs around most rural corners, cell phone service was marginal , and summer homes were always getting broken into for drug money , well , you get the picture.... however , the County did have great blueberries , the best. If you are into rural truck farming endeavors, migrant workers without English or drivers licenses , or insurance , then , go for it.

[xlabel]

Originally Posted by darstar

Coming from urban California , I think one would be bored with Paw Paw. Its very rural , to the extreme, as is most all of Van Buren County. really in the " sticks " , as some would say. I tried the area for 5 years , and , grew to dislike it. I was only 12 miles from South Haven , but , it seemed like many miles , not even a Starbucks.........until you drove 30 miles to the Kzoo.......... and , that was a bit far for a cup of coffee.
Throw in all the trailer homes , the trash in the ditches , the lack of interesting places to eat , all the workers were missing their front teeth , the meth labs around most rural corners, cell phone service was marginal , and summer homes were always getting broken into for drug money , well , you get the picture.... however , the County did have great blueberries , the best. If you are into rural truck farming endeavors, migrant workers without English or drivers licenses , or insurance , then , go for it.

I think you might have been to far west into Van Buren County, I wouldn't care to live any further out than Paw Paw. I've passed through some of the towns out that way and it is boring and I've heard aabout the dope problem. It's only a matter of time before a Starbucks or something similiar opens up out here. We just got a new Walgreens and Sears outlet is in the works.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by xlabel

I think you might have been to far west into Van Buren County, I wouldn't care to live any further out than Paw Paw. I've passed through some of the towns out that way and it is boring and I've heard aabout the dope problem. It's only a matter of time before a Starbucks or something similiar opens up out here. We just got a new Walgreens and Sears outlet is in the works.

Yes , you may be right. Paw Paw is the county seat however....... They even closed the drivers license office in South Haven.

[northstar22]

Van Buren County is nice. I would love to live in South Haven, but it's way too expensive and too tourist-filled in the summer. Paw Paw's nice, but a little too suburban for my tastes. Mattawan is basically a suburb of Kzoo. Overall, I'm more of a Michiana (St.Joseph/Cass/Berrien counties) fan.

[wagonproject]

Originally Posted by darstar

Coming from urban California , I think one would be bored with Paw Paw. Its very rural , to the extreme, as is most all of Van Buren County. really in the " sticks " , as some would say. I tried the area for 5 years , and , grew to dislike it. I was only 12 miles from South Haven , but , it seemed like many miles , not even a Starbucks.........until you drove 30 miles to the Kzoo.......... and , that was a bit far for a cup of coffee.
Throw in all the trailer homes , the trash in the ditches , the lack of interesting places to eat , all the workers were missing their front teeth , the meth labs around most rural corners, cell phone service was marginal , and summer homes were always getting broken into for drug money , well , you get the picture.... however , the County did have great blueberries , the best. If you are into rural truck farming endeavors, migrant workers without English or drivers licenses , or insurance , then , go for it.

I think your view is a little off, but thats your opinion. Living in Mattawan, right next to Paw Paw, I go there often. Its a nice place, yes it does have its share of "hillbilly" people. But I can see where if your coming from California it may be a shock.

And yes we do have the best blueberries farms!

Mattawan is a very nice place to live. Mattawan schools are excellent. Theres not a lot to do here, you either travel to Kzoo or Portage which is just a short drive on I94 or Red Arrow Highway.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by wagonproject

I think your view is a little off, but thats your opinion. Living in Mattawan, right next to Paw Paw, I go there often. Its a nice place, yes it does have its share of "hillbilly" people. But I can see where if your coming from California it may be a shock.

And yes we do have the best blueberries farms!

Mattawan is a very nice place to live. Mattawan schools are excellent. Theres not a lot to do here, you either travel to Kzoo or Portage which is just a short drive on I94 or Red Arrow Highway.

Mattawan.......isn't that grape juice and pickles ? , or , is it something else along those lines of produce......big packer there I know, and , sod farms.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

Van Buren County is nice. I would love to live in South Haven, but it's way too expensive and too tourist-filled in the summer. Paw Paw's nice, but a little too suburban for my tastes. Mattawan is basically a suburb of Kzoo. Overall, I'm more of a Michiana (St.Joseph/Cass/Berrien counties) fan.

When I moved to the area 6 years ago now , I was looking for a spot on the Big Lake , but soon found out it was out of my budget , so I settles for an inland"puddle ", as the north side Chicago summer set calls them little lakes in farm country............ I am not sure Barrien would have been any better. My first choice was Lake Geneva, Wi area , but , you got the most bang for the buck in SW Mi., and lower taxes..........maybe had I waited out the search and find for Cheese land affordable , I would still be there?

[northstar22]

Originally Posted by darstar

When I moved to the area 6 years ago now , I was looking for a spot on the Big Lake , but soon found out it was out of my budget , so I settles for an inland"puddle ", as the north side Chicago summer set calls them little lakes in farm country............ I am not sure Barrien would have been any better. My first choice was Lake Geneva, Wi area , but , you got the most bang for the buck in SW Mi., and lower taxes..........maybe had I waited out the search and find for Cheese land affordable , I would still be there?

Wisconsin?!?!?! Surely you must be joking!

[darstar]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

Wisconsin?!?!?! Surely you must be joking!

No , but , finally settling down in the UP , where I wanted to be all along WAS worth the wait.

[mhev1970]

The town of kalamazoo now has the Kalamazoo Promise. Free College for those who live and go to school in the Kalamazoo school district. prorated for the kids that have not went to school there since kindergarden. Check out the details online.