Small towns, home towns.
 

Do you live where you were born or raised?

If not, where's your home town, and do you miss it?

My hometown is Greenville, MI.
The only thing I miss is that there are still a few people I really care about there (live about 8+ hrs away now) and I do miss knowing so many people as I was out and about.
However it's slowly being absorbed into the greater Grand Rapids metropolis so as always..... it's not the same.

I was raised in Harvard, Illinois, former milk capital of the world. Last time I was there, they still had the life-size plastic Holstein on her pedastal (Harmilda is her name). I do miss Harvard, a lot, wouldn't mind going back someday. It was the quintissential small town, everyone knew everyone.

After that we lived in Chicago for a few years...I don't miss that at all except for the museums and cultural aspects...and the food, LOL.

Now I'm in a small town in Idaho, but I wasn't born or raised here, so no matter how long I'm here, I'll forever be a non-local.

I was born and raised, until 10, in England. We immigrated to the US and have lived most of the last 28 years in Utah. I went back to England 8 years ago, just after becoming a US citizen, but it wasn't the same. Utahs not really home either, but I would never move my kids away, as its home to them.

Elisabeth

I really don't have a home town..Was born in Bowie, Texas, lived in that area off and on growing up.But since dad worked in the oil fields we moved a lot..Lived in 6 different Western states growing up and attended 6 different high schools........That being said I call home the area around Bowie/Decatur/Jacksboro, Texas home..Have been away from that area for all of my adult life except fo when the DW and I lived in the area for 4 years after getting out of the Army, before returning to Germany where we have lived for the last 9 years....I do miss the people and the area but not the heat in the Summer...........We are planning to return to that area hopefully next year if all goes as planned.................LostnEurope

Was born and raised in the cincinnati area. Grew up in a small town, Mason, ohio, just north of cincy. I don't live there anymore, but I still work there. It has turned from a good ol' farm town to a micmansion city. :shrug:

I live in the small town that I grew up in. Other than about 3 years I have lived here my whole life. So that is 33 years. Our population without the prison count is 1100, with the count it is 2800. Sumner has changed a lot over the years. When I was growing up it was nothing for me to ride my bike all over town or go walking with my friends. We used to leave the doors unlocked at night. Now we have next-door neighbors who about once a year at least have a meth lab going, I used to know everyone in town and now there are several I don't know. I won't let my kids go all over town and the oldest is 16. It just doesn't feel safe anymore.
Now last summer the city council started holding free outdoor movies to try and bring the town together some. That was nice.

Same neighborhood
 

I live in the house I was born in, on the farm that has been in my family since 1886. The closest small town is about 1.5 miles as the crow flies and it is not the same as it used to be. There are no stores left except a grocery store. :grump:

Most of the farming kids I grew up with are still here, the last of the older generation in the neighborhood just died a few weeks ago. Makes us the oldest now!! This is the kind of neighborhood where we pretty much watch over each other. Going to the store to get milk can take up to an hour, got to visit and catch up on the latest gossip and there is always someone there who wants to talk. Always fun to go to a local auction and catch up too. We've had some new people more in, haven't made a friendship with the new farmer up the road yet, don't have an inclination to get to know the folks who move in and build McMansions.

Sometimes it is kind of boring living in the same spot so long, other times, like when the electric is out it feels good to have old time neighbors that will help out. The bad part of a small community is that everyone knows your business sometimes before you do. :) It is nice to feel safe knowing when the neighbor drives by he checks out who is visiting and such and if a vehicle doesn't look familiar or something is going on that he think isn't quite right he lets me know, and to be able to go away for a few days and let the folks around know so they keep an eye on the place.

Only live 15 miles (one county over) from where I grew up, and it is a VERY small town....

No, I don't live where I was born or raised...my dad was in the Navy and we movedc around a lot. I was born on the East Coast but lived on the West Coast until I was 12, then came back East and have been here ever since. My husband, on the other hand, was born and raised around here. He isn't gonna miss it 'cause we're trying to get outta here, and I don't miss the area where I was born (we left when I was 4) nor do I miss living on the West Coast.

GREENVILLE, MI?????????? My hometown is Vestaburg, MI. I went to school at MCC in Sydney. That is so cool!

I was born in Red Feather Lakes Co.Lived there till I was 5 .Would that be considered my home town. We also moved around alot as my dad worked for the government. I have lived in this small town for the last 14 years (the longest I have lived anywhere) and my kids went to school here . So I guess I would consider here as my home town . I still miss the west. When we go back to visit it also feels like home .

missouri
 

I have been away from home since I was 18 - getting towards 30 yrs now. Home was Mtn Grove and Ava Mo. My parents and a couple sisters are there so we visit often. Do I miss it? Not really, though there are plenty of positives with "home". Some things need to change and people's perspectives are one of them. Small towns can breed small minds - and I think that is dangerous. (accepting people of other nationalities being one of them)After college, I moved to Iowa for 13 years and now TN for 11 years. Moving around has given me many experiences that have helped me and broadened my horizons. I wouldn't want to give those experiences up. would I go back - yes, now, after all I have learned. But- no jobs in my DH's field there or even in Springfield MO for us.

Yep. Live in the same area where I was born and raised. My farm is 3 miles from the farm where I was raised. That farm has been in the family since 1853, and my Mom and one of my brothers live there now.

I was away for 15 years while I was in the Marines, went to college and then lived and worked in the Cities for a few years. Been back since 1996.

I currently live about 9 miles, on the other side of twn, from where my family moved to when I was 6 years old. I was in distant places from age 18 thru 35.

Born and raised in Tulsa. I hated/hate the filth, crime, noise, never felt safe going outside...
DH was from the same town, but moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas (tiny town) at fifteen... he's taken me there a handful of times to visit his father. The instant I got out of the car, that place was home to me. How I'd love to live there... but I have this traveling DH who can't seem to live in the same place twice, or for any real length of time.

I was raised in a small town in east central MN. I would never move back, as the place I grew up isn't there anymore. It was a small area about 30 miles north of St. Paul. Lots of farms and lots of open places to roam.

Now it is filled with housing developments, shopping malls and tons of traffic. Most of the roads have been moved, and most of the "land marks" are gone too.

I hate going back there - it won't be too much longer before the old homestead goes under the dozer too. My folks sold the farm and still live in the house, but once they go, it will be dozed, re-landscaped and turned into industrial park.

I now live in an area a lot like where I grew up.

Cathy

My hometown is Princeton and Malden, IL.

Princeton is the county seat and has about 10,000 folks living there. Just big enough to have everything but a Mall. Malden has 387 people and has a bank, a restaurant, motorcycle shop and Farmers Co-op.

I would move back there in a heartbeat.

I was born and raised in the suburbs. I am now finally living in the coutry, outside a town with a population of 4,000.

What I miss most about my hometown is my family. I miss that my parents, sister and ILs are not as big a part of our daily lives as they used to be. I also miss the diversity of people and the resources that come along with larger cities (big libraries, art fairs, community groups, etc).

Born in KCMO moved at 3mos. to Columbia, Mo until age 9 then to Maryville, Mo until 9th grade(1978) then to Independence MO until 1994 then to Chicago until 1998 back to Independence until 2005 when I moved to my place outside Galena, MO and I absolutely would not move back to the city. My interest in living a country life started in Maryville Mo where i was in FFA in 9th grade. when we moved to Indep. they did not have a program so all i could do was plan and that is why am where i am at today.

I live near (3miles) what was my folks hometown when I was born...about 18 miles away in the nearest hospital. That hospital isnt doing births anymore so when I recently went to get a coppy of my birth cert It read.. RURAL CHRISTIAN COUNTY ...LOL like I was born in a log cabin!
I never lived here till I was 18 and have continuously since I was 24 except for 1 year its still not home .I was an Army brat so nowhere was home but I spent 11 of my first 24 years in Alaska and thats what I get homesick for so it must be home,RIGHT?

I'm now living about a mile from the house I grew up in. My folks moved to the other side of the river (15 miles away) when I was 14 and now I'm back in the old neighborhood! But our old house was definitely suburbia and my neighborhood is more semi-rural, so I'm glad of that! But my family has been in Austin for 5 generations and I don't see us leaving anytime soon!

No, I don't live in the small village (pop. 140) I was born and reared in, in Missouri. I'm 950 miles away from it. My father and grandmother were both born and raised in the same village(it was mostly my relatives). 5 streets wide and 3 streets deep with dirt/gravel roads and a little teeny tiny post office. No street signs. We also had a little mom&pop grocery store where you could get milk/bread, candy/ice cream, sodas and such. That was it, besides the church.

I wouldn't trade where I grew up for anything but it has changed too much. Kansas City has reached it(downtown is @ 25-30 minutes away--depending on traffic). And the Harley-Davidson factory is less than a mile away. The airport is 3 miles away and all the hotels and business that come with that are nearby. I miss the church and the people who attend it. My great-grandfather was a founding member of that church and so I do miss that. I miss how it used to be.

I'm 3000 miles from my home village in England. I miss it terribly but when I go back I realize I'm just missing a memory. It's changed so much in the last 26 years. So I'm stuck pining for something that doesn't exist.

America has never felt like home but this little corner of Virginia is as close as it's ever come. If only there was the sound of church bells in the distance all would feel "right".

Pauline

This is a bad thing? :p
As long as your last name doesn't end in a vowel around here (NaccaratO, JachettA, etc.) you'll never be a local. I'm fine with that. :)
I was a corporate brat. No real home town to speak of. Thanks Dad. :Bawling:

Grew up in Milford, KS (born in KCMO) town of 250 til age 9 then Junction City, KS til married. Now in Plano, suburb of Dallas & tooo big! over 250K- can't wait to move to our land.

Patty

My hometown is Manchester, MD. I live 4 miles from the house I was born in. But back then the town was 800 people total. Now it's in the many of thousands!! It was a nice farm community. When I grew up I helped many neighbor farmers. Now it has become a bedroom community to Baltimore! :Bawling: That is the main reason we have land in Arkansas and can't wait till we retire and get back to a better way of life!!!

I live within about 4 miles of where I was born. However, I have moved around the world before returning to retire. As I left the area, they were just beginning to build a lake. I think that lake has some of the best fishing around, so when it came time to retire, by coincidence we found our 20 acres on the same lake, and near my GF's & GM's old place.

Born in Flint, MI but don't remember any of it - and as large as it is, don't think I would want to live there. According to my mom, it was rough there even when I was a baby (and that was more than a few years ago!). Now, home is where-ever my family is (right now SC KS, but always an option to change that).

I'm nowhere near where I was born. I also was born and grew up in England in a little town called Lowestoft. I left when I was 18 to come here. Since then I've lived in 2 different states and a foreign country. I've never really been homesick for England, I really love living here. My family was still in England so I visited fairly often. Now I have a brother and sister who live near London but since my parents died there is no one left from our family in our hometown. Pity since they had been there since the early 1800's. Our family has been in the county since the 1400s that we can trace and probably further back than that.DH is from Wash. state and we've had a place here for 33 years now, its home to me since I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else.

I grew up in a suburb of Chicago. When I was 33 we moved to a little spot in the middle of cornfields and cows. It's still only about an hour and a half from Chicago, but it's a whole different world and wouldn't go back for anything. Our closest town with a store is 12 miles away. 'Big' city stores are over 30 miles. I can look out my front window for miles and see fields, cows, etc... I look out the back and see our fields and the wooded land behind our house. I went up to visit my husband's sister in the suburbs a few years back. It was about 6 years ago and I was wondering if I wouldn't have been happier back in the city. We got there and she offered to go sit on the patio for a nice peaceful time outside.

Kids were screaming, horns were blaring, stereos from the neighbors house (a whole 20 feet away) were pounding. I looked at my husband and he smiled. Later I told him I was screaming inside for him to 'take me home!' I love my sister-in-law, she's really great... but she has NO idea what peaceful is.

I'm 45 and live in the town I was born and raised in. My mom is hoping I move out pretty soon... ;) :)


Actually, I left my parents house at the age of 17 after being born and raised in the same town for those 17 years. I was away for about 4 years then returned to the same town (same schools etc) and bought my own house about 7 miles from the one I grew up in, and have been here ever since. Mom and Dad passed on a number of years ago, but our family name lives on in this town.

Greenville PA .... I miss the town I grew up in but it is so different now that it's like another place when I visit. The past is gone and so are most of the people I used to know. The population is less than what it was 35 years ago when I graduated from high school. Most all of the little shops are closed. The factories are gone. Many vacant buildings line the downtown streets. This place is 60 miles from Pittsburgh near Pymatuning Lake
When I was young we had a movie theatre, an ice skating rink, a large community swimming pool, a recreational center, several bowling alleys, rollerskating rinks, multiple baseball fields, and a great amusement park at Conneaut. All those things are history. The two largest historical hotels have been torn down.
The locals are struggling to revive the town which was actually bankrupted a few years ago. You can still buy a decent house there for $50,000 or a farm for less than $150,000. The area is not highly polluted nor is it dirty. There just aren't any jobs. Great place for a retiree.

I attended MCC there twice. Small world! :baby04:

I was born in Boonville,Mo.,raised near Springfield,Mo. live about half way between them now.

big rockpile

I was born on the west side of the Current River, later years I moved to the east side of Current River. Same town. Have lived a few other places during my life time, but always come back home.

My hometown is Haleyville, AL. I live two and a half hours away in MS. No, I do not miss my hometown. I visit there fairly often though as my mom and sister still live there.

My hometown is Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Left there when I was 4 for Quincy, WA. Two years there then to Conway, WA. Four years there and then on to Everett, WA. Except for 4 years in the AF have been in Snohomish County WA since 1964. Now live between Arlington and Granite Falls near the Stilly. Love it here, but very few people doing anything approaching farming, but enough to keep the farmstores in business.
Haven't been back to Amsterdam, maybe some year when I don't have cows train and goats to catch and chickens to curse.

I guess I'd have to say Clarks Summit, PA would be my hometown. That's where I started out and lived there the longest.

I comically tell people I have moved down the hall. Yes At30 some years I live down the hall from the room in the house i was raised in. Mind you I have travelled and been to the west coast, Gulf and other spots along the way. Life has a very funny way of grabbing you holding you close in an embrace that is so much like death or fatasy. What was here is that good or do I fear to embark the unknown and lept for the shore. the home town is hardly unchanged , still struggling to survive,except for omg people of another color bought a house. However this house has held my family close and sheltered it in it's deepest hour for 132 years and who am I to estranged the 5th genratiion from it's aging/ decaying halls