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I am interviewing for a very good Fed job in Mount Hope, WV. I know very little about the area other than what I can gather from google which is that it is a small town in the Appalachians, kind of isolated.
I am a single guy currently in the Chicago area. I don't much care for big cities or big city stuff like sports and bars. I kind of keep to myself I love going for long bike rides on country roads and hanging out with my dog (poodle).
Could anyone tell me about the area? Are there decent rentals? What is the area like? How about the weather. From what I can tell it is a bit milder than Chicago.
I don't care about schools. Are there necessities stores nearby like a supermarket. Am I better off living in another community? I would prefer to be live close to work.
You might be better off living in Beckley, as that's where all the amenities are in the region. Someone more familiar with Southern West Virginia will have to help you with information about rentals, etc. as I'm more familiar with the North-Central and Eastern parts of the state. I can tell you that you'll find no shortage of country roads to bike on and that there's really quite a lot of outdoor recreation in that area, if that's your cup of tea.
Hope you are ready for a slow down. The pace is alot slower in WV than Chicago. Mount Hope is a very small town nothing there much to speak of. It's closer to Oak Hill than Beckley, but Beckley has alot more stores and social life than Oak Hill. Fayetteville is a cool little town that's not too far from there also. The New River gorge is close to Fayetteville, lots of white water rafting in that area.
There's lots of outdoor activities in Fayette County where Mount Hope is located. So if that's what you're looking for there's plenty of it. I grew up in Fayette county so that area is my favorite part of the state.
Hope your job interview turns out good and you get the chance to move to our beautiful state. I don't know much about the rental situation there, should be some good rentals to choose from around the Beckley area.
If you love the outdoors, you will love Fayette County. Plan to stay a few extra days and "scout around" for a place to live. You might find a small house to rent in any of those communities.
Winters are milder than the Windy City but can still create slick roads.
What federal agency has employment opportunities in Mr. Hope if you don't mind saying?
If you love the outdoors, you will love Fayette County. Plan to stay a few extra days and "scout around" for a place to live. You might find a small house to rent in any of those communities.
Winters are milder than the Windy City but can still create slick roads.
What federal agency has employment opportunities in Mr. Hope if you don't mind saying?
Mine Health and Safety administration. They have an analytical lab in Mount Hope.
Well, you can't go wrong with the Beckley/Oak Hill area. If you haven't seen, the Boy Scouts of America are moving right next door at the Summit Bechtel Reserve where they will have all of their national and international jamborees. My mom moved back down to Beckley last year and that's where a lot of my mom's family live, so I've grown up around that area a lot. It's very scenic down there, the people are wonderful, and there's enough to do to keep you from being too bored (especially outdoorsy stuff) while keeping plenty of peace and quiet.
If you want to live close to work, the Mt Hope community has what you would need, but if you want something a bit bigger than 1,500 people, Fayetteville (2,700), Oak Hill (7,600), and Beckley (17,600) are all within 20 minutes of Mt. Hope.
Wow in this outdoor setting! Read WET AND WILD APPALACHIA. Outside Magazine has lots of articles about this region.
After your job interview, I suggest you to go to raft river offices or outdoor expeditions offices to ask their staffs about finding a place to live because most staffers are transplanted from major cities over USA.
If I were in your shoe, I could accept this job offer.
Also, the weather is 4-seasons, wet all year. Outdoor areas nearby include Little Beaver State Park, the New River Gorge, Babcock State Park, and some others.
The area can range from being suburban in some spots, to being rural. The town of Mt. Hope is a bit depressed economically and has seen a long area of decline. The city of Beckley and its surrounding area is really holding steady, but has seen some modest commercial growth by being the cultural, governmental, and economic hub of Southern WV.
I lived in Beckley for 6 years, and I think you will like the area, especially if you don't care for big cities (in which case anywhere in WV would do). As far as weather goes, I'm going to say there may be more snow in Beckley than Chicago, but it tends to not stick around that long because of the more southern latitude. And summers are relatively cool compared to lower elevations of the state, with more rain. The area has an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities as others have said.
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