Moving to Streator IL (Chicago, Joliet: how much, hotel, houses) - Illinois - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

shadow91 · 04-15-2007, 08:30 PM

sorry, but I did live there for many years and could not stand the decline of the city, the increase in crime. It was terrible. I just gave my HONEST OPINION of what I THOUGHT OF STREATOR. I am a native and KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

JD. · 04-17-2007, 08:33 AM

I have extended family that live in Streator and although it is not a bad town it does have a perplexing amount of unsolved murders as a previous poster noted. I have noticed however, the residents of Streator feel they are the only ones with the right to point this out, which is fine, but it is also true that they may want to work on this problem. The high school just added a new addition that I heard was very nice. The town overall has a stagnant economy but is not dead by any means. If you chose not to live in downton Streator however there are slim pickings, Lostant, Munster and a few other farm towns are the only 'towns' within 15 mile radius of Streator. Nice community with its share of problems just like many others. Some very nice parts of town too with reasonable housing.

heredia07 · 05-08-2007, 02:56 PM

i think streator would be a wrong place to move. #1 there is nothing there. #2 the schools aren't great #3 the neighboorhoods have just gone down hill in a major way. #4 i'm not quite sure what they have to offer for employment, but i don't think its much at all.
But I guess if your looking to buy a home there you could probably get it very cheap! Then again right now its a buyers market....so i would suggest looking elsewhere.
Oh and they are getting a superwalmart.......wow.......sure wouldn't convience me to ever live there.

Schmoo · 05-10-2007, 05:30 PM

I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone would knowingly WANT to move to Streator. Unless you are a recluse and just want 100 acres of farmland, never want to step foot off it, and want to be left alone? Or you raise soybeans?

The reality is that it's just another small farming community in the middle of nowhere. Be prepared to commute to work, up to 1.5 hours away, to get to cilvilization. Be prepared to drive half an hour to get to a grocery store. Many small towns in this area and a bit close minded and way behind in times. No nightlife or entertainment, and VERY limited dining options. This is an area of Illinois that has parades when a new Walmart opens...

Of course, if you are that recluse and don't need employment, you can get a bunch of land for dirt cheap.

shadow91 · 05-14-2007, 11:23 AM

I grew up in Streator and lived there for 40 years, moving a little north to Ottawa. Being a small child many years ago it was a "safe" community. But as I grew, things changed. The mayors were all "retired" from their jobs, and ran the town like that. Many factories closed down and nothing was being done to bring industry in. I have always said and will continue to say, that when you have a form of government that doesn't "need a paycheck", then your community will be run like that. Their homes were paid for, they collected pensions, so why worry about industry? They weren't hurting, so why worry about it. Heck, they don't even have a community swimming pool anymore, but they have "community golf course." Streator is not ready for change as seen by the last mayoral election and city counsel election. In fact, they have a city manager that they fired years ago, only to rehire him back. Does that make sense?
Real estate? You are right, I had to sell my mom's home which had been completely remodeled, we got hardly anything for it.
Ottawa, 16 miles north, however is doing much better and driving through the town you will see it from the south side to the north side. But for employment, it too lacks high paying positions. Ottawa is the county seat and unless you are a lawyer, doctor, or judge, you will not make alot of money there. But the environment is different there. It is growing. Pet Smart added a distribution center there, but most employees are hired through a temp agency for less than $10 an hour, forced to work 10-12 hours a shift, 5 days a week--atleast that's how it was when I lived there 2 years ago.
Streator has alot of "old" alcoholics. Many years ago there were so many bars and taverns and that is what everyone did. Police do not monitor drinking and driving much there. The old alcoholic who has been driving drunk for years doesn't get caught, the kid that goes to a wedding reception and has a "few" gets pulled over and charged with DUI. Makes one wonder.
Heck, if judges can drive drunk, get caught, and not go to jail, why should anyone else?
I would suggest doing a newpaper search on articles before making a decision to move there. There is much controversy there, unsolved murders, stagnant growth, no choices there. By that I mean, we use to have 3 catholics schools to choose from, now they have only one. Or better yet, I would honestly take a trip there, spend a week, try to find a good job and spend some time at the library. Then make your decision.
Good luck to you. Streator was my home for many years, but do I miss it? No!!!

MST · 06-07-2007, 12:54 PM

My Husband and myself along with 4 kids just moved to Streator 10 months ago from Alabama we loved it here so much that we bought a house even if it means my husband has to drive 45 min to Joliet 5 to 7 times a week its worth it to us since we got a 2600 sq ft house for only $110,000 as for the schools there good my oldest 2 children have both excelled beautifully also streator has a great small town fill to it people are friendly and we are in close proximity to Ottawa and Peru about 1 hour 58 mins from Chicago well hope this helps

Jodylyn60 · 06-15-2007, 02:31 PM

No, No, No. I'm from LaSalle County. Check out government web sites for child molestors, I guarantee you'll find lots of those in Streator as well as drugs violence and bad schools oh and did I mention prostitutes. Norman Rockwell it is NOT. Not a good place to live.

mizme · 07-27-2007, 01:24 PM

I would think long and hard before I would move my family back to Streator,Illinois. There is nothing there. No jobs, no shopping, NOTHING!!! The town is in denial, they hide everything that goes on there. There are gangs and drugs in the town, but the PD keeps a closed eye on all of that. I would move to Morris or Ottawa. There is just too much yuck that has taken over Streator.

mizme · 07-27-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow91

I grew up in Streator and lived there for 40 years, moving a little north to Ottawa. Being a small child many years ago it was a "safe" community. But as I grew, things changed. The mayors were all "retired" from their jobs, and ran the town like that. Many factories closed down and nothing was being done to bring industry in. I have always said and will continue to say, that when you have a form of government that doesn't "need a paycheck", then your community will be run like that. Their homes were paid for, they collected pensions, so why worry about industry? They weren't hurting, so why worry about it. Heck, they don't even have a community swimming pool anymore, but they have "community golf course." Streator is not ready for change as seen by the last mayoral election and city counsel election. In fact, they have a city manager that they fired years ago, only to rehire him back. Does that make sense?
Real estate? You are right, I had to sell my mom's home which had been completely remodeled, we got hardly anything for it.
Ottawa, 16 miles north, however is doing much better and driving through the town you will see it from the south side to the north side. But for employment, it too lacks high paying positions. Ottawa is the county seat and unless you are a lawyer, doctor, or judge, you will not make alot of money there. But the environment is different there. It is growing. Pet Smart added a distribution center there, but most employees are hired through a temp agency for less than $10 an hour, forced to work 10-12 hours a shift, 5 days a week--atleast that's how it was when I lived there 2 years ago.
Streator has alot of "old" alcoholics. Many years ago there were so many bars and taverns and that is what everyone did. Police do not monitor drinking and driving much there. The old alcoholic who has been driving drunk for years doesn't get caught, the kid that goes to a wedding reception and has a "few" gets pulled over and charged with DUI. Makes one wonder.
Heck, if judges can drive drunk, get caught, and not go to jail, why should anyone else?
I would suggest doing a newpaper search on articles before making a decision to move there. There is much controversy there, unsolved murders, stagnant growth, no choices there. By that I mean, we use to have 3 catholics schools to choose from, now they have only one. Or better yet, I would honestly take a trip there, spend a week, try to find a good job and spend some time at the library. Then make your decision.
Good luck to you. Streator was my home for many years, but do I miss it? No!!!

You summed it up very well!!!

Scribbler · 07-30-2007, 11:13 AM

There are actually a great many towns in LaSalle County, and in northern IL as a whole that could accurately be described as "Norman Rockwell," but, no offense to Drover, Streator would definitely not be one that springs to mind. It's really pretty disproportionately seedy, especially in comparison to other similarly sized communities in the county. Nope, not even a LITTLE Norman Rockwell. I think any resident or former resident of there or the surrounding area would look you like you had three heads if you described it that way, or else just assume you hadn't spent significant time there.