How is life in and around Kamiah?

[lawhite]

I disagree that the Nez Perce tribe is very poor. Actually, they are one of the most well off tribes there is, which may not be saying a lot, but there is not that much difference between the tribal members and whites here. This is NOT a wealthy area, the pay is low and unemployment is high. Logging is the main industry, and there are continuing lay-offs. A large percentage of people in Kamiah are at or below the poverty level, white or Indian. Despite this, the homes are usually well kept, the area is clean, and crime rate is very low. It is not a run-down area.
Again, I will say that I have never encountered racism or rudeness on the part of either white or Indian.

[free-man22]

I've been reading these forums for a while, and the area around Kamiah is where I think I would like to buy a small plot and start a homestead with my family. I want to practice self sufficiency and raise our own food. My wife would be looking for a job in the education field.

I would like to acquire vacant land, the houses I see on line are really expensive. Can anyone recommend where to look for land like this? I've found talking to local ranchers and farmers about possibly buying a 5-10 acre piece of their land is better than searching the internet.

Thanks.
-Scott

[Grumbler]

Originally Posted by millagerobert

Treat them like they are below you they will return the favor, treat them as equals and with respect, and you will have all the friends you could want.

You can tell a lot about a person from the way they treat their servers
in restaurants. What's more, it's not WHAT you are but WHO you are. I
have always had good experiences while traveling in North Central Idaho.

[wandcb7673]

I was retiring and wanted a nice small town in Idaho to move to and had heard from someone on the internet that Kamiah was the rainbows end, an absolutely beatiful place. So we went there to check it out, along with Lewiston, Orofino, Grangeville and McCall. The country around Kamiah is nice, but Kamiah itself is a DUMP!
It is old, like most small towns, but there is no civic pride in most of the home owners or business owners. The town is an armpit. YUK.
We went out to eat dinner at the motel recommended restuarant/bar in town, the food was bad, the place was dirty and the bar was playing some sort of game, where they were swearing and yelling sexual stuff, right next to where the restuarant seating was with families and kids, and the female bar tender was the foulest-mouthed of the bunch.
What a dump!

[WantQuietLife]

Kamiah looks beautiful (in pics, haven't been there yet) and I love its reputation for steelhead fishing. I've read through this post and found lots of opinions about gambling and pride of ownership. I'm curious about living in a reservation--any extra governmental oversight from the Nez Perce that I should consider before buying a house there? I'm avoiding regulations that might come from an HOA, for example. Anything similar that would come from the reservation? I can't really find info anywhere about that.

(I'm a native Californian who is so disgusted with how the state is voting and what policies that brings. Housing in Idaho has been driven up by people like me fleeing the state, so I will not be able to really afford what I had hoped for. That's supply and demand so I can't complain. Well, I can, but...!)