Should I move to Shamokin? (live in, car, retire)

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by ivanhoe1966

How unfortunate. I presume there will be ample car rentals about, and I shall use ride sharing services to access everything as I do currently in Sheffield.

Additionally, I do wonder are there any British-style pubs in the downtown area of Shamokin? Where does the city go to view a football match?

I'm not sure if your daughter is having you on, or if you are having us on with your childlike optimism about Shamokin. You say that after she dropped out of Temple your daughter moved to Shamokin where she took up with a guy, and now you are sending them a "sizeable sum" every month because of the high cost of living there? Shamokin is a dump, and my wife sold her late brother's house there three years ago for $15,500.00. It was the only offer and we took it before the buyer sobered up. At one point they had to send the National Guard in to board up abandoned buildings to stop drug addicts setting them on fire. You may think every city has its bad sections, but Shamokin has only 6,000 people. Do the math.

For God's sake, there are no Shakespeare companies there and nobody has ever heard of Chomsky or Aurelius. You cannot rent a car there. There are no hotels. It's the only town I've ever seen that looks worse when it's covered in snow. The best thing for that town would be for Dunkin Donuts to burn down, and the residents are so dim they'd think it was the worst thing.

Maybe I'm being too gloomy. I know Sheffield is "oop North" and maybe it would seem normal for buildings to be falling down and shops to be empty all over the city. It's your business to live wherever you want.

https://digg.com/video/shamokin-dunkin-donuts

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/lo...5-aa366c70f28e

https://www.city-data.com/poverty/po...nsylvania.html

[RetireinPA]

I knew a girl from there. And she was Shamokin....


ps: has anyone besides me ever been there?

[quiet life]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I'm not sure if your daughter is having you on, or if you are having us on with your childlike optimism about Shamokin. You say that after she dropped out of Temple your daughter moved to Shamokin where she took up with a guy, and now you are sending them a "sizeable sum" every month because of the high cost of living there? Shamokin is a dump, and my wife sold her late brother's house there three years ago for $15,500.00. It was the only offer and we took it before the buyer sobered up. At one point they had to send the National Guard in to board up abandoned buildings to stop drug addicts setting them on fire. You may think every city has its bad sections, but Shamokin has only 6,000 people. Do the math.

For God's sake, there are no Shakespeare companies there and nobody has ever heard of Chomsky or Aurelius. You cannot rent a car there. There are no hotels. It's the only town I've ever seen that looks worse when it's covered in snow. The best thing for that town would be for Dunkin Donuts to burn down, and the residents are so dim they'd think it was the worst thing.

Maybe I'm being too gloomy. I know Sheffield is "oop North" and maybe it would seem normal for buildings to be falling down and shops to be empty all over the city. It's your business to live wherever you want.

https://digg.com/video/shamokin-dunkin-donuts

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/lo...5-aa366c70f28e

https://www.city-data.com/poverty/po...nsylvania.html

Hilarious! Sizeable sum, eh? The underground economy is thriving thanks to your contributions.

[JustMike77]

It's sad to hear the condition of Shamokin, my Dad was born there. They had a big house and the Police barracks were in their basement back in the 30's - 40's. We visited once about 60 years ago and it wasn't that hot even then.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by JustMike77

It's sad to hear the condition of Shamokin, my Dad was born there. They had a big house and the Police barracks were in their basement back in the 30's - 40's. We visited once about 60 years ago and it wasn't that hot even then.

My wife was born there too, and she doesn't like to be reminded of it. Her brother lived there his entire adult life, ran a business and everything. He was the absolute salt of the earth and would give you the shirt off his back, and even insisted on giving us extra food he got from the food bank. Almost everyone in Shamokin is the same way. But boy, the smart ones read the writing on the wall and get out in a hurry.

My first visit to Shamokin in 1993 had me quickly locking the car doors like I was in Newark. Then I looked around and realized that everyone was white. That was this suburban New Jersey boy's first close encounter with Appalachia, and I'll never forget it.

[ivanhoe1966]

It is nice that the government there sealed up the buildings to prevent them from catching on fire. I'm failing to see how that is a bad thing? Concerning home prices, I'm failing to see how a good deal is a bad thing as well. I paid under $25,000 for a home in the southeast district of the city. Why would I wish to pay more? Regarding your criticism of the people, I myself am from a city whose inhabitants are oft critiqued. I trust my daughter's opinion and according to her theatre and lit are tops in the area, and I look forward to joining in.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by ivanhoe1966

It is nice that the government there sealed up the buildings to prevent them from catching on fire. I'm failing to see how that is a bad thing? Concerning home prices, I'm failing to see how a good deal is a bad thing as well. I paid under $25,000 for a home in the southeast district of the city. Why would I wish to pay more? Regarding your criticism of the people, I myself am from a city whose inhabitants are oft critiqued. I trust my daughter's opinion and according to her theatre and lit are tops in the area, and I look forward to joining in.

I'll confess I've never been to the North of England but I know it's always been considered gritty, and the people suffer from chronic unemployment. In fact I am a particular fan of the "kitchen sink movement" in cinema so I know how working-class life can be romanticized. Yet I'd be surprised if Sheffield has really sunk so low as to have reached a par with tiny Shamokin. $25,000 for a house is not a lot of money but it may or may not be a "good deal". At least you've saved money so you can continue to fund your daughter and her beau in their Shamokin lifestyles.

One thing -- If theatre and lit in Shamokin are considered tops in the area, that begs the question: What constitutes The Area?

[Higherho]

If this isn’t a troll thread, then I feel really sorry for the individual.


I lived in Mt Carmel / Kulpmont area my entire childhood and left around 22. Shamokin and all those areas are economically distressed, a lot of poor individuals. The last theater we had that was good was the Victorian and they replaced that with a Rite aide. Your quality of life would be drastically better if you moved to Selinsgrove if you want to stay around that area. There is nothing happening in Shamokin.

In regards to the question if you paid under 25,000 for a home, that means that area is hugely economically distressed. Horrible home values has a dramatic impact on the local economy. Low incomes are collectively in the area which means the velocity of money is low. All of that equals to bad or lack of services compared to other areas (schools, roads, bridges, restaurants, food quality in general, and the list goes on, and on). 35% of the population is in poverty, the per capital income is 20,000! You will live a way better quality of life elsewhere. Williamsport, Lewistburg, Selinsgrove are vastly better.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Higherho

If this isn’t a troll thread, then I feel really sorry for the individual.

I first thought this thread was started by someone fiddling with ChatGPT, but the OP has remained in character and has even started a companion thread. At this point I'd like to see how long he can keep it up. It has been fairly entertaining so far.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

My first visit to Shamokin in 1993 had me quickly locking the car doors like I was in Newark. Then I looked around and realized that everyone was white. That was this suburban New Jersey boy's first close encounter with Appalachia, and I'll never forget it.

fwiw, I had my car broken into exactly twice lifetime. Both times in PA, and both times by white guys...