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Why did nobody else want to move there, despite the free stuff?
Good question...
I think a lot of people really have little to no understanding of what North Dakota is like. Before my family moved here in '96, I barely even knew where the state was, let alone what to expect. I remember telling friends and teachers that my family was moving, and they were just as confused as I was. Most of my extended family has yet to make the effort to visit us "out west" since they have no desire to travel here and are content to stay on the east coast.
Still, it really is hard to believe that only one family out of hundreds of applicants eventually made the move. Additionally, why was this family out of all the others chosen to relocate? If there was any kind of screening or interview process, the people of Hazelton had to have known a ritzy family from Florida wasn't going to fit in right away. I just don't get it.
I came from a small town (pop 475) in MS and moved to a larger town in Oakes ND (pop 1900). Small towns in ND are no different than small towns in MS and I would wager that they are no different than small town, USA. (with the exception of weather) My husband and I were transplants in MS, although my family had owned property in the small town for 50+ years and it took us a long time to make friends. We worked at it and it eventually paid off. We were also transplants in Oakes, pop slightly larger, and we welcome with a warmth that was totally unexpected. We blend fairly well, but we also really want to fit in here. I think that makes all the difference in the world. We didnt do Oakes any favors by moving here....and that is sometimes the attitude people bring with them to a small town. We chose to move here and become part of the exisiting community.
It used to make me crazy when folks would move to "now where" MS from "town" buy up all this land and build a huge house and wonder why no starbucks was bulit in honor of them moving to our small town. Small town and their values are different and it is why most of us love to live in them.
I read the article and I figure there are 2 sides to every story. We've been in N.D. about 4 times in the last year or so when we went down to the lower 48. Now mind you, we were passing through and spent the night in a motel each timel. We stopped at a store in Minot; husband asked the clerk something about another town and she very snippity told him that was NOT how it was pronounced and then went on to tell him how it was pronounced.
We also stopped at a computer store; clerks were gathered together talking. My husband had to wait and wait on them, and then asked if someone could help him. When he finally got service he told the clerk what he was looking for. Husband had to explain it to him and the clerk rudely let him know "we don't call it that here." So as outsiders that was 2 rude encounters that were totally uncalled for. I was in the grocery store at the time, otherwise I would not have stood there waiting on the ignorant clerks. Husband did, because he really wanted the part for our laptop. My approach would have been "can I get some service here" after about 30 seconds of being ignored. BTW, the manager of the store was there also so that spoke badly for him also.
There are rude and unfriendly people no matter what State you travel to, unfortunately rude encounters leave a bad impression on outsiders.
As far as the couple who moved there in the article; they came off to me as possibly acting as if they were better then the townspeople. As far as the townspeople, I've encountered people like that in every State. Why they do it, I'll never know since all it does is prove pure ignorance on their part.
Yes I'd say N.D. has unfriendly and rude people, but I'd say I'm sure they also have alot of nice people as does every State.
Last edited by Alaskapat528; 02-16-2010 at 11:37 AM..
Weren't they giving away land like this in Kansas as well? I wonder if they have had any better luck?
BTW, I think it's rather tasteless for Yahoo (or whoever it was) to nationally bash a whole town on the word of two people.
I agree.
Yahoo puts out articles about "The Best Cities to Live In" and things like that regularly. I always browse them to see if any ND towns make the list, but it's usually places like Minneapolis or San Francisco. The one time I finally see an article about ND, it's about bashing a small town for being wary of newcomers. Not good at all for our national image.
I agree.
Yahoo puts out articles about "The Best Cities to Live In" and things like that regularly. I always browse them to see if any ND towns make the list, but it's usually places like Minneapolis or San Francisco. The one time I finally see an article about ND, it's about bashing a small town for being wary of newcomers. Not good at all for our national image.
I know. There's such a big city bias from Yahoo and other organizations making "best places" lists. If it's not a major city or a suburb of a major city, forget it. There's also an anti-Midwest bias: all of their "best places" seem to be in the South, the East Coast, or the West Coast.
I usually ignore such lists. In fact, if a city is frequently on those lists, I make it a point NOT to go there, as it's probably somewhere I couldn't stand.
Why did nobody else want to move there, despite the free stuff?
Maybe they had 2nd thoughts.
People have to be realistic when a town is offering free land and free incentives $$.
Usually it is a small town that is losing population and trying desperately to keep their school.
Usually the population is dropping cuz there are few opportunities there and commuting to a different town that has jobs/opportunities is a long comute.
If this was untrue, they would not have to give away free land ( there would be a demand for land in their town)
An ideal applicant would be a family with children ( local school support ) who were either self employed in a business that did not already exist in that town or had a job they could work from home via a computer.
I've lived in small towns my whole life, and I kind of see both sides. In small towns, as a newcomer you really have to make the effort. People are pretty content with things, and aren't really looking for anything new. If you wait for townsfolk to come to you, you may wait awhile.
It is too bad that it didn't work, and like has been said, too bad what it does to a small town's reputation.
Having lived in a smaller county here in Oklahoma, I can say that I knew a fellow who was from Seattle, and he stood out and gained a reputation as the local ******. Every shyster within 50 miles knew who would be conned. I grew up in a big city, but at least I knew enough to keep my mouth shut and my ears open and blend....
Having said that, and having read the article, and knowing that the Oklahoma economy is in the toilet, I am intrigued by the program. Are the cities in North Dakota still offering such incentives?
My wife and I have 9 kids, so we would be instant populators.....
I understand what many small towns are faced with as the people age and the population drops. Schools close, churches dwindle in membership, businesses close. I went to a small African American catholic school back in the 1960's. By the 1980's my school had lost students to the point the high school was closed and Black Catholics now go to the middle class, White Catholic High school. There is an upper class White Catholic high school but it moved out east to the country club zone.
I would suggest that retired baby boomer grandparents be recruited. One set of grandparents may have twenty grandchildren and forty nieces, nephews and great grand children. Children visiting Gramps or Auntie in the summer will have fond memories of those summers and some will undoubtedlyput down roots. There are millions of working class boomers who would love to retire to the country.
If you get the grandparents you will get some of the grandchildren! I would come for 40 acres and a mule or two, or the equivalent.. I am disabled and would need my medical marijuana. I have a daughter, two grandsons and about two dozen nieces and nephews who are now having babies.
If you get the oldsters the youngsters will come. Maybe this is divine providence. Those Americans who did not get a fair share of America's land, now have enough heirs to work the land, while those who did not share the land in the beginning are now dwindling in numbers and strength to work the land. Divine providence!
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