Tell me about Missouri

[Flaxbee]

Any good liberal spots? Hubby and I met someone this evening who had purchased 20+ acres about 30 minutes from Lebanon and the area sounded beautiful. I don't know much about it; hubby's ex is from Columbia but that's about as far as his knowledge goes.

Can you recommend it? If so, what areas? I'd like to find 10 acres somewhere with some trees and a decent water table; the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia have gotten waayyyy out of my price range.

We're pretty much self-employed, but I'd like to have access to a good-sized city or town within about 1/2 hour if possible.

What about the Table Rock Lake area?

Thanks for any input.

[deadparrot]

1. St. Louis and KC are blue.

But in terms of St. Louis, stay away from the 'burbs. Besides the cities, everywhere else is pretty red, unfortunately. But we do have beautiful scenery.

I LOVE University City in St. Louis. Very liberal.

[REP]

2. KC, St Louis, Columbia and Springfield are Liberal

Columbia is a neat little college town; Springfield is kind of a craphole (so is St Louis, except for Shaw Gardens) and KC is a nice, crime-ridden town with some decent neighborhoods. All the really pretty land is worth a fortune (Warsaw/Osceola/Truman Dam area and Lake of the Ozarks) though the area around Boone's Lick isn't as pricey but is lovely (not too close to a major town/city though). Depends upon what you want; most of the state is rural and it is the most geologically diverse state in the union with really crappy weather (that's why I left).

[Clintmax]

4. Springfield is Liberal?

*Puts hand on your forehead to check if you have a temperature* I was born and raised in Springfield and lived there until two years ago when Greekspeak and I moved down here to Tallahassee, Florida so he could go to FSU. Springfield is one of the most red areas of Missouri. We were both so happy to get away from there!

[ikojo]

7. Springfield MO is home of John Ashcroft and

the HQ for the Assemblies of God denomination.

I would hardly qualify that as liberal.

[Robeson]

3. I've been to St. Louis and loved it....

...can't speak for the rest of the state, but it was very nice, with a small city, yet large city vibe, i.e. kind of best of both worlds. I would definetly go back.

[Jamastiene]

5. North Carolina is getting outlandish. I may have to follow your lead. n/t

[ikojo]

6. Rural MO is as red as it gets....poor but red

Columbia MO is kind of liberal, primarily due to the university.

I moved to St Louis 18 years ago and love it. I don't like the Cardinals (life long Cubs fan here) but I overlook that.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

8. I'd look in the Calloway County area

There's a great college community in Fulton, wonderful forest lands (Mark Twain Nat'l. Forest), Columbia 25 miles to the west, St. Louis, 100 to the east, KC 150 to the west, Jeff City 30 miles to the south.

And beautiful? Yes, beautiful.

[RayOfHope]

11. I grew up in Callaway County

as long as you stay close to the Boone County line south of 1-70, you're good.

[Flaxbee]

9. thanks for the info...

I'm checking out several of the towns and counties mentioned. I also went over to the Missouri state forum and there's some good info there, too, for anyone else who might be considering the state.

Land in my area of NC went from $2-3K an acre to $10-25K an acre in the last 5 years (5 years ago I was still living in NYC) so I've missed out here.

I might buy a little land here (about an acre or two) in a neighboring area, and then do some more in-depth research in Missouri this winter.

Speaking of winter - how are winters in Missouri?

[RayOfHope]

10. Cold! But it really depends

north of 1-70, pretty chilly and you can count on snow. Down south, not so much (although it does of course snow too).

[GrpCaptMandrake]

12. I remember the howling winds in winter

in Fulton. Of course, that's coming from a kid who had gone there to school after growing up in Alabama. For me, two inches of snow was a blizzard.

[evlbstrd]

13. Table Rock Lake is near Branson.

The lake is gorgeous. Branson is not. Joplin is the nearby. Also not pretty.
KC and St. Louis have major suburban sprawl.
Do you like ice storms. We get at least one a year. Plus heat and humidity in the summer.

[BensMom]

14. Table Rock

We go to Table Rock every year. It is a great lake/fishing resort area. Something about it just isn't quite right. You can drive the strip and hear loud music - except it is bad country music. I think they just got their first coffee house - walmart dominates.

I keep wanting it to be like Key West - it just isn't going to happen. I alway take a side trip to Eureka Springs to keep my sanity.