moving to Schuylkill County (Pottsville, Shenandoah: hair salon, apartment complex, to rent)
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Location: Rural PA, where we are apparently bitter and cling to spirits and artillery. Well, we ARE gun owners
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PHS
I could never figure why anyone who moved far away, would spend so much time on local forums, complaining about things back here. I would think that they would spend that time, enjoying their new location, with all that new found life. The reason is because they "miss this place."
Thru the years, I've known quite a few families who moved back, & honestly said..."the grass was not greener on the other side."
YES, you are correct, living expenses are much less than in the city.
This will give an opportunity to save for your future.
You can walk down a darkened street more safely, & wherever you shop, you will be know as the person you are, & not just a customer.
Drive into Pottsville & observe all the Banks that are opening in Branch locations; and they say that there is no money here? WalMart just opened a second 24hr. Super Center in the county, only 18 miles apart.
It the people themselves, that make up the quality of a community, & as the Gripers & Complainers diminish, things get better; but of course you have seen this too, where you lived before.
Let us know how things are going....got a question???....let us know.
PHS said that!
Recently, in a local paper, somebody wrote a letter to the editor that Schuylkill County is "a hole" and that we should all be so grateful that "transplants" come to bring the county out of the Neolithic age.
That's the exact attitude nobody around here cares to listen to and part of the reason "transplants" aren't always welcomed.
It seems like some folks have a phobia about living in a majority white area. Oh no what would we ever do without the Crips?
Pottsville is up and coming, in fact, this weekend my husband and I just looked at a house up there, we are thinking of relocating there. I already go to Pottsville weekly on business, and I always enjoy my time there.
My father has multiple sclerosis and had a short stay at Pottsville Hospital a few months ago, and everybody was sooo nice and professional. They even let my 4 year old nephew in to see him which is something that would not happen at a big city hospital.
I'm tired of seeing people completely down Schuylkill. It's a tough working class area for sure and maybe if more people stuck around to help build up their communities again instead of running away to some place more "sophisticated"- the place would improve.
The area isn't for everyone, but it is for me. I went to my friend's bridal shower in New York a couple of years ago- New York, you know, diverse, sophisticated, hip, happening and let me tell you I couldn't wait to get back to PA. People talk about the area being like deliverance- well I have some choice words for what I thought about New York.
I'm actually a native of Wayne County which is 10 times more backwoods than this area and look..I can spell and I have all my teeth and I'm not in the moonshine business! There's nothing to be afraid of! Really!
My company is building a facility in Pottsville so I was perusing the threads for info about the area.
I found on these forums most people deplore quiet, everyone knows everyone, slow paced places. I love them! I prefer less traffic and lower crime rates. If I want culture (which I do) I will drive to one of the three large citys nearby. How often does one go to theatre (Not movies) or concerts (not rock or pop concerts, we're talking about culture here) anyway? I go maybe 4 times a year or so, so I have no problem driving to a big city to do it. Usually after the show and dealing with the hustle and bustle of a big city I am ready to settle back down with my family in our cozy neighborhood.
I guess I just grew up in a small town so I never needed anything special to keep me from getting bored. I just picked up some hobbies like playing my guitar, reading, cycling, or volunteering. You don't need anything special close by to do those:-)
I don't know if you were responding to my post or just the general tone of this thread, but I was being sarcastic. I wouldn't change my mind about moving somewhere because of what a few people on a forum said about a place.
We are settled in now in Tremont and I have to say that its a great change of pace. Everything is slower yes, but I love it. People are really friendly and things are cheaper which I think is a plus. (I don't know why anyone would want to pay more for the same thing).
There are parts of the area that are bad/run down but you have that everywhere. People here seem to take pride in what they have even if its not up to par acording to some on this thread.
I live in Exeter have my whole life. I recently meet a woman from "upthru",she lives in Shenandoha.Shes one of the best humans ive ever met.
I work with alot of Skooks, 99% of them are grat people,very honest and you can trust them,the wives I met are the bomb,they would do anything for the guys.And yes they drink beer who don't,only posers.
I drive up most weekends and hangout with my girl.i love up here ,great places to eat.real food,homemade..diverse.......screamers from Tonys.....(hambergers with chilie sauce,they will even put marshmellow on um call them fluffers,it tames the heat. ) are mega.people line up before he opens!!!!!!!!! Wings from Black Diamond,Koweloneks kilbasa(you can resell it pizza from Sweet Petes (diffrent from what i get in Philly,and N.Y.C. Centiloes Pizzia ,call 2 days ahead to order, The Oyster House ,RJ's good family meals at "FAMILY "owned places ,who needs Outback,Olive Garden ..Mc Funsters........its real food, im told the 1 woman who works a Tonys has been there 30 or 40 yrs.
The people are friendly.i think its clean.goto Reading you wanna see dirty.
As far as schools.........everyone ive met is smart.and thats really up to you and your parents to round you out.
Now I love where i live ,but i probably will retire up here.her mortgage 300.00 a month end of row,mine 850.00 semi-detached, where buildings upto 3 more schools and my taxes are high now, 250.00 of my mortgage payment is taxes.
Traffic is horrible where i live.yes im close to Philly and D.C. but i usally stay over night when i go.so the extra 1.5 hrs. drive is no problem from here.
If you want to save money or spend it to travel or whatever,living upthru is not a bad thing. And,you like dirtbikes,quads.......its heaven up here tons of places to ride and its ingrained on the locals ,they don't ***** about the noise and dust
Everything is what you make it.
Im 47 but still rock out................and yes i like to sit around grilling and chillin.......but thats me. its very laidback.
my 2 cents
I live in Exeter have my whole life. I recently meet a woman from "upthru",she lives in Shenandoha.Shes one of the best humans ive ever met.
I work with alot of Skooks, 99% of them are grat people,very honest and you can trust them,the wives I met are the bomb,they would do anything for the guys.And yes they drink beer who don't,only posers.
I drive up most weekends and hangout with my girl.i love up here ,great places to eat.real food,homemade..diverse.......screamers from Tonys.....(hambergers with chilie sauce,they will even put marshmellow on um call them fluffers,it tames the heat. ) are mega.people line up before he opens!!!!!!!!! Wings from Black Diamond,Koweloneks kilbasa(you can resell it pizza from Sweet Petes (diffrent from what i get in Philly,and N.Y.C. Centiloes Pizzia ,call 2 days ahead to order, The Oyster House ,RJ's good family meals at "FAMILY "owned places ,who needs Outback,Olive Garden ..Mc Funsters........its real food, im told the 1 woman who works a Tonys has been there 30 or 40 yrs.
The people are friendly.i think its clean.goto Reading you wanna see dirty.
As far as schools.........everyone ive met is smart.and thats really up to you and your parents to round you out.
Now I love where i live ,but i probably will retire up here.her mortgage 300.00 a month end of row,mine 850.00 semi-detached, where buildings upto 3 more schools and my taxes are high now, 250.00 of my mortgage payment is taxes.
Traffic is horrible where i live.yes im close to Philly and D.C. but i usally stay over night when i go.so the extra 1.5 hrs. drive is no problem from here.
If you want to save money or spend it to travel or whatever,living upthru is not a bad thing. And,you like dirtbikes,quads.......its heaven up here tons of places to ride and its ingrained on the locals ,they don't ***** about the noise and dust
Everything is what you make it.
Im 47 but still rock out................and yes i like to sit around grilling and chillin.......but thats me. its very laidback.
my 2 cents
I am 48 and a former(my parents left in 72). When I go back I see how rundown everything is. Not my thing. Of course the women will do anything for their men there because they have been brainwashed to do that. Gosh if you get a BS,Masters of PHD you will not be hangin in a Beerjoint and hanging all over your guy!
I live in Schuylkill and I do not hang out in bars, wear flannel clothing or hate everyone who isn't white. People are basically the same all over and it is ignorant to lump a whole county into one category.
Is the area depressed? yes. Most high wage earners travel to distant cities to earn a living. If you love the nightlife and very fine dining you will also have to travel to a larger community.
This area is full of old towns and communities but it is precisely what my husband and I love about it. The view from our home in the valley is beautiful and we often take it for granted. If we need to do any special shopping we can go to Wilkes Barre, Reading, Lancaster, Allentown, etc.. If you are in need of special fun New York City is only a few hours drive, the same with Philadelphia, the New Jersey Coast, Washington DC and Maryland beaches. My husband and I are very contented here. When we travel to the larger cities we look forward to coming home!
We recently purchased property in Ringtown, PA after searching for a long time for land that we would eventually build a home on at retirement. The taxes for the undeveloped land were $860 per year, which meant we could buy the property now and afford the taxes until we were ready to build. Six months after purchasing the land, we were notified that the school board had raised our taxes to $4400! We were not made aware that hearings were pending, or that an increase might be in the offing.
We contacted the County Court for an explaination, and were informed that this increase was imposed by the school board, and there is no process in place to appeal the decision.
We have contacted 3 attorneys to question the legallity of this increase, or the legal right of the School Board to raise our taxes over 500%, and have learned that we will loose the case in County and State courts, but will win on appeal at the Supreme Court level. At this point, we are angry enough to pursue this case and are looking to speak with others that have found themselves in a similar position. We would appreciate any information that could be useful, such as others who have tried to fight the school board, etc. If your intrested in joining us as part of a class action suit against the school board, we would welcome the chance to talk with you.
I grew up in Schuylkill County, went to Blue Mountain High School then to Penn State Schuylkill. I love the area. I moved to New Jersey to begin a career with JPMorgan Chase last November. I live literally five minutes away from New York City, and am paying WAY too much for rent. I can not stand living here. There is constant traffic, always a putrid smell in the air and rude people all over.
I have many spanish speaking friends, many black friends and I do not biasly judge anyone. I treat everyone the way they treat me. Most people in the area are becoming more open-minded to people of different races living around them. Please be aware that you still may experience some prejudice when you initially move to town if you are not white.
This is not because of the color of your skin so much as what the people hear on TV regarding other races taking jobs - which are scarce in the area - or because they think people from out of town may bring illegal activities with them. Talk to people in the area, and the initial cold feelings will disappear. My family used to be very prejudice, but from our experience interacting with people in other areas, we have since lost many beliefs we used to have . . . Although living around New York City makes me realize where stereotypes come from, it has also made me understand that every race has a good side and a bad side. Generally people moving into Schuylkill County are trying to leave the madness of the city environment behind them.
I will be purchasing a home in Pottsville soon. It needs some work, as it's over 100 years old! I like the idea of living in a home I can say I put my heart into. I also like the idea of living in an older home. It is not a cookie-cutter design that 500,000 other people across the country live in. It's unique. I won't need to worry about walking into the wrong house because it looks the same as 23 of my neighbors' homes.
For entertainment... Well with in the county I suggest buying a computer or gaming system and find something you enjoy on them. You will have plenty of free time! New York City and Philadelphia are about 2 hours away if you are looking for something to do and are really determined for a GREAT club or bar. If you don't mind a dreary bar with a close-knit group of people, then the local bars are great. Check out the Brass Tap if you are opposed to smoking. It attracts a lot of college students, but you won't get lung cancer by having a beer. If you are looking for a nice place to eat, look into the Grey Stone in Pottsville or the Lazy Dog Cafe in Minersville. For more of a family oriented place to eat, Ruby Tuesday and Friendly's are both in Pottsville. Fast food is all over the place.
Traffic and crime are not issues at all. You will not hear sirens every night like I do here. You will not end up in a 45 minute back up because someone is changing a tire, and everyone feels like they are at a zoo and needs to watch every step in the process. I can not remember the last time a truck caught on fire in the county, but it was last Monday on the turnpike here. Wal-Mart is in the area, and Cabela's. Both are attracting a lot of new business to move to the area, so the job market may start to rebound. I am not making any promises.
There are down sides to the area, but I would feel safe letting my 16 year old daughter walk the streets late at night alone even in the most populated areas of the county. Drugs and alcohol are common forms of entertainment for teens. I made it through my entire life without ever trying any form of drug, or picking up a cigarette to help with the "stress" of living in the area. That is because my parents actually put an effort into raising me properly. My girlfriend is the same way, so I think it can largely be attributed to a lack of effort on the parents' part.
Harrisburg, Hershey, Reading and Hazelton offer some decent paying jobs within a 45 minute driving range. You can even find some jobs if you are fairly compotent with computers within the county itself. I am actually getting a job that pay $18,000 more than what I am getting now in the "high paying" area of NYC. The house I am looking at costs $35,000. A similar property here would cost $465,000.
These are just my opinions. I personally don't like clubbing every weekend. I enjoy hiking, boating, fishing and sight-seeing, as opposed to getting wasted. I can shop at a nice store online if I want. I don't need to deal with salespeople that way, which for me is great. I know what I want before I start shopping. Sales associates generally irritate me because they try to sell me products I don't want or need, especially in the the NYC area!
I wear business-casual attire all the time, regardless if I'm in the county or in NYC. I am clean-shaven, and I even use cologne! I enjoy theatrical perfomances and even orchestras! Is it really hard to imagine a "coal cracker" enjoying "sophisticated" arts? A lot of people in the county do not grow up with exposure to the "refined" arts. The education system is partly to blaim for this, but the education I got at Blue Mountain is top teir. I was extraordinarily well prepared for college. I did not experience a need to study for any courses I took until the second half of my junior year.
If you move to the area, I hope you enjoy it. I'll be there soon enough!
Culture is HERE! Where are you in support of it???????
[quote=gr8ful;8459]Hello:
Having lived all over the US and enjoying what the "BIG" cities offer I missed the MTNs. of Schuylkill County! Plus I was living like the Molly Mcguires where,working my butt off to pay for rent,food,taxes(used mass transit)and not gaining anthing for a rainy day!
So much cheaper here,the people are friendly(ya just gotta say;HI) In the city no one says;"HELLO" any more and if you do your an odd ball or some kinda nut or thought of as a druggie!!!
Anyhow Schuylkill county is depressed but growing in leap & bounds! Just attended the Junior Symphany practice last night(150 members) Theres also a senior symphany,Dance corp,art museum,art center,Stonehenge arts(by artists from big apple)High school plays,concerts,esembles,jazz,bagpipes,hang drummers,fidle players,musicians of all kinds,ethnic plays & music..........Plus sooooooooo much more.....You just gotta look and attend!
Most of these can't fill a auditorium because of lack of culture in the area plus PEER pressure....?.....Yes peer pressure! You went where??????? LOL-LOL! And peeps think it can't be as professional here as in the big cities so go there and spend $$$$ that we need here!
The peeps here say, "theres nothing to do here" are the ones sitting on their butts watching TV! Not going out and explore because of what "THEIR so called friends may think or say".......JEEEEEZ! Think for yourselves!
Forgot to mention the 1898 newly renovated MAJESTIC theater & Arts center! In POTTSVILLE.
Most stuff is in Pottsville because of the 2000 seat auditorium.
And if you can't find anything here; YOU'RE just an hour from the mid-sized cities of Scranton,Allentown,Reading,Lancaster,Harrisburg! Were the colleges are and much more arts & culture is!
Theres many nice cummunitys near POTTSVILLE and just 15 miles south,Such as Pine brook($$$) Hawk Ridge($$$) Mckeans Ridge($$$) Ridgeview($$$$) Norwegian Woods ($$$$) Yorkville where I live ($$$$) Lake Wynonah ($$$) plus others being built!
And plus the hour from mid sized cities;Your also just two hours from Philly,NYC,Baltimore,DC.
I love Vashon Island,Wa. But, this is home and LOVE it very much!
A SKOOK(coal region lingo);SCLAVE
We recently purchased property in Ringtown, PA after searching for a long time for land that we would eventually build a home on at retirement. The taxes for the undeveloped land were $860 per year, which meant we could buy the property now and afford the taxes until we were ready to build. Six months after purchasing the land, we were notified that the school board had raised our taxes to $4400! We were not made aware that hearings were pending, or that an increase might be in the offing.
We contacted the County Court for an explaination, and were informed that this increase was imposed by the school board, and there is no process in place to appeal the decision.
We have contacted 3 attorneys to question the legallity of this increase, or the legal right of the School Board to raise our taxes over 500%, and have learned that we will loose the case in County and State courts, but will win on appeal at the Supreme Court level. At this point, we are angry enough to pursue this case and are looking to speak with others that have found themselves in a similar position. We would appreciate any information that could be useful, such as others who have tried to fight the school board, etc. If your intrested in joining us as part of a class action suit against the school board, we would welcome the chance to talk with you.
JEEEEEZ! I feel really bad for you
I'm in pottsviile in a $175K home and pay $3K twice a year!!!!!
SCLAVE
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