Hill towns of Monongalia and Preston Counties? (Charleston, Morgantown: rent, homes)

[Fiddlehead]

In reading up on WV, I have noted that some people live up in the hills and commute in to Charleston. And folks here have recommended Preston County as a more affordable alternative to Morgantown. For someone working at WVU, it looks like Brookhaven (in Mon. County), Masontown, Independence, and Kingwood are the best options. Can anyone comment on them as places to live? They look to be about 1000 feet higher, is the climate nicer than Morgantown, or harsher? What is the culture like?

Good public schools are also important. We had a single six year old son relatively late in life, so want him to be near a town to visit other kids.

[David Kennedy]

Terra Alta is a gem of high class homes, an incredible park-like atmosphere and has the traditional winter.
Not for the squeeeeeeemish.

Reedsville? Pasturial and open...
Arthurdale...lots of old FDR history...a socialist experiment of the Depression Era.

WVU?
Brookhaven area is a great middle income housing area.
Go for that, look the area over for a year and then find your peice of paradise.

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

Terra Alta is a gem of high class homes, an incredible park-like atmosphere and has the traditional winter.
Not for the squeeeeeeemish.

Reedsville? Pasturial and open...
Arthurdale...lots of old FDR history...a socialist experiment of the Depression Era.

WVU?
Brookhaven area is a great middle income housing area.
Go for that, look the area over for a year and then find your peice of paradise.

Thanks David,

If we end up heading to WVU, we'll take your advice and rent for a year and scout about. Good to hear about Brookhaven as middle income. The crazy thing about things out west is that everything was huge and upscale except folks incomes! Crazy. Mrs. FH and I are just looking for a decent place to live a middle class lifestyle, save for the tykes college and enjoy life. But it has been very hard to find sensible in this part of the world.

Glad to also get info on Preston County. Folks keep suggesting it, but need details.

Funny about the climate/elevation pattern. We live at 2000', and it is pretty hot in summer, but with some winter snow. Foothill climate. My brother lives in Colorado at 5000' on the Front Range high plains. High plains climate. In WV, 2500' is high in the mountains. mountain climate...but I suppose it is all relative. I have read that Mt. Washington, although only 6000' or so, has the worst climate in N. America. Interesting.

[David Kennedy]

My son lives on the east end of CC Springs and I hear the real scoop about Castle Rock...all of it true.

Some place should have not been developed..but the people pass over the winter because of the summer.
go figure.

West Virginia is not Oregon by any long shot...neither is Colorado.

What it has is, neighborly folk, honesty and safety...possiblly one of the last bastions of that in America.