Need your help! :) Looking for info on Decorah, IA or a comparable small town

[jasperhobbs]

Originally Posted by ILoveIowa

Hi Jasper !

Well, the reason I am willing to give up the warm winters of New Mexico for Iowa is this - The wonderful people of Iowa !! There truly are no better people in the country !! (I've been to 48 states !!!) I know it might be hard to fit in at first (almost everyone I've met in Iowa are natives!!!) But I want to become a part of a community, and blend right in ,like I was born there !

I always enjoy reading your posts Jasper, you know so much about the state, and it seems you really Love it too !! Have a great day !

Jodi

Actually I am looking to move out of Iowa to a state with mountains. Iowa has a lot of good things going for it but it is time for a change.

Jasper

[delicia9999]

Originally Posted by ILoveIowa

Hi Lori !

I'm not sure how I will visit Iowa next ? I'd like to visit before Christmas, but because of of possible weather issues I probably wouldn't drive, I might take the train then rent a car ! That was a good idea about "carpooling"! Maybe we can do that in warmer weather !! I do hope we can meet someday, It's exciting to meet an "outsider" that shares my Love for Iowa !! Please let me know about what you find out, and how your search is going !!
Jodi

Jodi, I'd love to be friends on facebook. I think this link will work, unless I'm blocked from sending links...anyway, here it is. Welcome to Facebook

Have a great weekend!!

Lori

[ILoveIowa]

Hi again Lori !!

You're gonna think this is crazy, but I've never been on Facebook !!!! I will try to check it out, I'd love to talk to you more ! Thanks ! , Jodi : )

[todd00]

hi delicia, its sounds like youre looking for a bit of mayberry in iowa...lol. decorah does look like a nice community, but dont set your self up to be disappointed, there are selfish and discourteous pple everywhere. of course you know that, im just saying no place is perfect. personally, i think small towns that have a college are friendlier and less cliquish. did you take a look at their newspaper? i added the link in case you hadnt looked at it. i saw a few jobs that sound like they would suit you. you maybe already know that la crosse is only about 48 miles. so possibly more job opportunities for you both there. just a thought.

i agree with the rest here, you need to see it up close and in person. thats a big move, stats and opinions can be wonderful resources, but seeing it first hand is the deciding factor. you want to be as sure as you can before seeing texas in your rear view mirror for the last time. best of luck to you.

Decorah Newspapers - Decorah, IA

[ILoveIowa]

Hi Lori !

Yes, Todd00 had a great suggestion about the newspaper ! I subscribe to 2 newspapers in Iowa towns, and it is really helpful in getting an idea about the community (what's going on,etc.) and it would be very helpful for job searching ! Good Luck with everything, please let me know what you find out !
Have a Great day !!
Jodi : )

[tmnjus]

I grew up in NE Iowa (30 miles from Decorah), went to college there, and currently live about 120 south. NE Iowa in general is a great place to live, and geographically is not "typical" of the rest of the state (more hills/bluffs/etc).

Decorah itself is a great community. Other than the impact from Luther, it has a predominant Norwegian influence in the culture. Not good or bad, just different. (The King of Norway actually visited there some years ago).

As stated, the Twin Cities are only about 2 1/2 hours away, and Chicago is about 3 1/2 hours. If you like outdoor activities, this is a fantastic place. Hunting/fishing/camping/hiking are all premier activities. We head up there twice a year to canoe/camp.

All that said, I would definitely try to make a trip there first. It is a very laid-back community (but not as much so as others due to Luther). You can take Amtrak to LaCrosse, and rent a car to drive the 1 1/2 hours to Decorah. You can also fly into Rochester MN, and drive about 1 hour.

Good luck in your search.

Tom

[tmnjus]

Here are a couple of links you may not have seen:

Decorah, Iowa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Decorah, Iowa | Winneshiek County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed


If the aspect of Decorah being a college town, you can check out Cresco, Waukon, Postville or some of the towns in SE MN.

If you need a slightly bigger town (due to potential job opportunities or other activities), check out LaCrosee WI, Dubuque IA, or Prairie Du Chien WI, all river towns with great attributes.


Tom

[stromssa]

Hi Lori,
I'm not sure if you are still considering a move to Decorah (or are already there or somewhere nearby) but in case you'd like more insight, I'd be glad to give you my perspective. Decorah is my hometown, and I currently live only about 20 miles away in Cresco, Iowa. I still go to Decorah frequently, as my parents, grandma and sister are there and I still consider it my 'home.' It's a great town!! Anyway, here are my answers to your questions:

Is it possible to make a decent living in Decorah without being rich before you get there? **We're just two regular hard-working "joes"; I do general office/admin type work (currently unemployed though) and he currently works for a convenience store (but can do light manual labor if need be).**

It is possible, but as someone already stated, the economic hard times we are facing makes job-hunting difficult. Iowa Workforce Development is a great place to look for the types of jobs you want.

What are the winters like? (I don't mind cold weather one little bit so be honest): Winters here are cold, snowy and did I mention snowy?! LOL! This past year, we had a freak snowstorm on April 19 (it quickly melted, though). I hate driving in bad weather, but it comes with living in Iowa.

What are the people like? Are they open to new residents or will they be more standoffish? Being a Decorah native, I am biased, but I have always found people to be friendly and open, overall. Having a liberal arts college here (Luther College, my alma mater) helps; there are lots of new faculty and students coming in all of the time.

Does everyone in a small town really know everyone else's business or is that just a stereotype of a small town?
A bit of both; word gets around fast in small towns, and if the families are long-established, then so-and-so who knows so-and-so finds out such-and-such, etc. You might have less of this as a new resident; truth be told, I never really felt it was much a part of the "vibe" there. It's a bit more cosmopolitan than your typical small town.

Is there anything random you want to just tell me about life in a small town? It's wonderful. Decorah has the perfect mix of small-town friendliness and accessibility and intellectual stimulaton (Vesterheim Museum, Luther College, cool little bistros and coffee shops and a new bookstore downtown!! Yay!). It's also beautiful in terms of scenery; the Upper Iowa River flows through and there are beautiful limestone bluffs.

I haven't been able to find any apartment complexes in Decorah, only basement and garage apartments, and houses. Am I just not looking in the right places? Not much in the way of apartment complexes at all; for awhile, I lived in the upper floor apartment of a historic home near Phelps Park; loved it!!

I hope this helps!! Best of luck to you!

[delicia9999]

Hi everyone, and thanks for all the responses. I haven't been back on here in a long time and just wanted to update on my current status. My husband and I gave up the idea of moving to Iowa and moved to Mena, Arkansas, instead. It was a much better move and we are very happy here living in the mountains. The scenery is unlike anything I have ever seen and everyone is sooooo friendly. Our town has about 5600+/- people and is the just the speed we were looking for. I appreciate all of the advice and information everyone so graciously provided, it was extremely helpful even though we chose another place. God Bless all of you! Have a fantastic day.

Lori