[HeatherMarie814]

My husband and I will be relocating to Vance afb in Enid this fall. I was born and raised in the huge city of Columbus, Ohio and am having a hard time realizing I'll have to leave everything I've ever known - BUT I'm trying to look on the positive side of things. Can anyone give me any advice on Vance AFB or Enid in general? It looks like there are 2 main hospitals - Integris and St. Mary's. Is one better than the other (I'm a nurse so I'm hoping to work nearby).

Any and all advice is really appreciated!

Thank you

[SluggoF16]

My FIL, who lives near Enid, was laid up for a few weeks in St. Mary's two years ago; not the best neighborhood. He prefers Integris for his treatments. My wife lived on East Broadway in the 80s and it was shady at best back then... however, west of Van Buren it's much nicer. When I lived in the Enid area, going through pilot training at Vance, the cost of living was through the roof. It took a dump for many years but has rebounded, and Enid now has the highest per diem rates in the state.

Can't speak for the schools but there's a park just north of the gate for Vance, Meadowlake, that is one huge slice of Americana. Normal Rockwell would love it.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by HeatherMarie814

My husband and I will be relocating to Vance afb in Enid this fall. I was born and raised in the huge city of Columbus, Ohio and am having a hard time realizing I'll have to leave everything I've ever known - BUT I'm trying to look on the positive side of things. Can anyone give me any advice on Vance AFB or Enid in general? It looks like there are 2 main hospitals - Integris and St. Mary's. Is one better than the other (I'm a nurse so I'm hoping to work nearby).

Any and all advice is really appreciated!

Thank you

I wouldn't worry much, because Enid is one of the best of the bigger small towns in Oklahoma. They recently completed a new convention center and arena downtown and it's mighty impressive. And Enid even has an enclosed shopping mall. If you get tired of not having enough in Enid, then Oklahoma City isn't much more than an hour's drive away.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

I wouldn't worry much, because Enid is one of the best of the bigger small towns in Oklahoma. They recently completed a new convention center and arena downtown and it's mighty impressive. And Enid even has an enclosed shopping mall. If you get tired of not having enough in Enid, then Oklahoma City isn't much more than an hour's drive away.

There was consideration for razing the mall and making it more of strip mall, but that was nixed over a year ago. (Makes sense when the north winds howl in January.) Also, I forgot to mention downtown, it has a lot more to offer than when I first visited in the 80s. A couple Irish pubs, a tapas place, nearly full occupancy of the shops and offices. I like Stillwater better, but Enid has a load of charm as well.

[Skip OK]

Enid is in farm country.

If you like surfing or mountain climbing, you'll have a bit of a drive.

Likewise, if you like Broadway shows, well, you may get to see some but you'll be driving to OKC or Tulsa, or Wichita to do so.

College sports, you have OU in Norman, OSU in Stillwater, Wichita State in Wichita, University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, and or smaller colleges. Please note that even the biggest Universities mentioned are about half the size of Ohio State, and the rest of them are way smaller.

If you like to hunt, Enid is great for pheasants and quail (if there are any quail left).

Not that long ago, the richest man in Oklahoma lived in Enid. Harold Hamm moved Continental Resources to OKC a couple of years ago.

[StillwaterTownie]

I've driven through northeast Enid on the highway before. It's looked kinda run down.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

I've driven through northeast Enid on the highway before. It's looked kinda run down.

That is, except for around the old Phillips University, now NOC, the low-rent district. Near the old Champlin refinery is the same area. I would also avoid the north-south corridor around Oakwood, not for crime, but noise. (T-38s taking off to the north)

[Zachj7]

Enid will be a huge adjustment compared to Columbus Ohio. I wouldn't exactly call Columbus a huge city but compared to Enid, it is. You'll probably be making some trips to OKC and Wichita for "big city" activities which aren't very close. The thing is OKC and Wichita are smaller than Columbus. Enid is okay. It's a farm town with an air force base nearby. Although this will be a huge adjustment, this isn't permanent probably. It will be a unique and good experience in life to say that you lived in a smaller town. The town is somewhat green but there is a sharp divide in precipitation from Western OK to Central and points east. There will be some wild weather, but I find that exciting. Enid itself is the bigger town in the area.

[StillwaterTownie]

I would have picked Tulsa over Wichita while sticking in Oklahoma. Tulsa is a somewhat bigger and prettier place than Wichita. If you take Cimarron Turnpike to Tulsa, it takes a little less time to get there, since much of the way the speed limit is 75 mph. Also the latter half of the trip is more scenic. Speaking of scenery, get used to ruler flat, nearly treeless horizons around Enid. It's a noticeable difference from the Stillwater and especially Tulsa areas. Not all of it, but quite a bit of Oklahoma is very flat once you get west of I-35.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

I would have picked Tulsa over Wichita while sticking in Oklahoma. Tulsa is a somewhat bigger and prettier place than Wichita. If you take Cimarron Turnpike to Tulsa, it takes a little less time to get there, since much of the way the speed limit is 75 mph. Also the latter half of the trip is more scenic. Speaking of scenery, get used to ruler flat, nearly treeless horizons around Enid. It's a noticeable difference from the Stillwater and especially Tulsa areas. Not all of it, but quite a bit of Oklahoma is very flat once you get west of I-35.

The creeks in Garfield county have plenty of trees along them. Particularly the larger ones (Turkey and Skeleton). It's greener than you would expect. When the wheat fields are green in the spring it is pretty lush if there has been any rain.

The northwest quadrant of Enid is really green. Not sure why but the neighborhood behind the new Walmart Neighborhood grocery is super green and north of that the Willows addition literally looks like a jungle.

Indian Hills at Garriott and Van Buren is a beautiful neighborhood along with the Champlain Mansion and is close to the Airbase.

Probably 80% of the neighborhoods west of Van Buran are nice. Also the very southeast corner of Enid has a really nice addition and is in Pioneer school district which is an excellent school if you want something small for kids. Enid High is good but comes with the requisite problems of a larger school. You want in Waller Jr. High district.

As for hospitals, both are pretty good I think. Reasonably large but not too big.