Would you take your child to live in a town like this?

Didn’t sound all that bad until you mentioned all those blokes wearing cowboy hats, fuck that shit!

While I like small town and country living, I’ve come to realize that I need to be pretty close to a university town or some thriving population that allows for cultural choices, varied ethnicities, individuality, art, music, museums, theaters, liberal politics, and open mindedness. So unless it’s close to Boulder or something like that, no.

The problem with a town like that is that unless it’s near some culture (museums, theater, bookstores, library, etc.), I feel like they’d be missing out. Bored kids get into trouble, so stimulation of a good type is a good thing.

Another requirement for me, it has to be somewhat near a good hospital – not some small community hospital, but good quality healthcare.

I’d dig it except you said single digits, makes me pucker just hearing that.

I was driving through West Texas once, out where there’s 60 miles between towns, and stopped in Langtry. Langtry was Judge Roy Bean’s seat of power back in the day, but now it’s mostly a ghost town with a gas station and a diner that served as the social center for the local ranchers

I went into the diner for a snack, and met the woman who had just taken ownership of the place. She had just moved there from NJ with her 15 year-old daughter. The daughter was sitting sullenly at one of the tables, melting into a puddle of pure boredom. I felt so very sorry for her. That was pre-internet, so at least today a kid like that might not feel quite so isolated, but still…

@thorninmud: Sounds like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” town.

One thing about now with the internet, I think that it may make kids realize there’s a better life and better situations out there than what they have. So the kids might become more depressed, with the knowledge that there are incredible places and they’re not living anywhere near one.

Geez! I grew up far from theaters, museums, arcades, chain anything. We lived on a farm, and I loved it. I never ran out of things to do. There were lots of chores, but also fishing, hiking, sitting in a fruit tree making a pig of myself, sitting on top of the chicken house to see what the world looked like from up there, riding my pony, teasing the cows, catching grasshoppers, shelling walnuts and hickory nuts, picking berries, trying to sneak up on rabbits, catching tadpoles and raising them in a little pool by the house. When we moved from the farm I was miserable. I had nowhere to go that I could be alone and just think. I couldn’t go for a walk after dark. I could see only a few stars at night.
Nowadays I need city living so I have hospital and other needs nearby. I’m just so glad for myself and my daughter that I found a place with a back yard which is pretty well closed in by the woods. It is also very good that the birds planted black raspberries along the back of the property!

The town is ten minutes from Colorado Springs but looks fairly desolate.

@Aster how old is the child in question?

My son and his family live in a small town of 685 people, according to the 2010 census. His youngest son (7) loves it, his older son (16) was not fond of it when they moved there five years ago but has come to tolerate it although would still prefer to live in a larger town closer to friends. He might change his mind once he gets a car however.

Ugh, I don’t know about kids, but I’d hate to live there. Sounds mind-numbingly boring.

I would utterly hate living in a place like that. Add three zeros to the population count and thirty degrees to the winter temperature, and I might just consider it.

I hate the cold, and I am not a fan of small towns, so no, I wouldn’t live there. I love cowboys, so that would be the only plus. I would hate the lack of variety in the grocery stores, the lack of good medical care and good doctors, no malls or good restaurants. No, forget that.

I lived in Colorado Springs for six years. First of all, I can’t think of any place that fits your description, unless maybe you are including Manitou Springs as part of Colorado Springs and are talking about one of the small communities up the Ute Pass. And then they’d be close to Woodland Park, so it’s not like that area’s the boonies or anything. Second of all, towns within ten minutes of the Springs (or even 20 or 30 minutes out) are considered to be part of the Front Range area and are not as remote as you describe.

To answer the question – yes, I’d move to a place like that with a kid.

No, not me personally. However, these days perhaps small towns are better for kids, I don’t know.It’s all a matter of personal taste.

No way….if I’m more than a mile from Walgreens, it’s the boonies. But then you say it’s 10 minutes from Colorado Springs. Doesn’t that completely change the nature of the environs?

I got bad information. Colorado Springs is an hour and a half from this small mining town.

Ah, I see. If you’re talking about Victor – no, I wouldn’t move there. It’s kinda desolate, and ever since they closed Gold Camp Road it’s too far from anywhere except Cripple Creek, which is just a small shitty gambling town, not a great spot for kids. My fiance describes Victor as being like the setting in the video game Fallout. Or maybe you mean Ouray, though that’s a bit further out than an hour and a half – I might consider moving to Ouray. It’s cute.

I visited a family member in a place like that a year ago.

- poor economy
– few jobs
– population with low level of education
– rampant sexual abuse of children
– altitude sickness during transition (it was at 9000 ft)
– region was gaining momentum with talk of cessation from the rest of CO
– felt desolate and “redneck-y”
– absolutely gorgeous surroundings

Um… no. Probably not. I don’t think I would get a fulfilling career or social life in a place like that.