looking for info on Rock springs/Green River (Riverton, Pinedale: houses, neighborhoods)

[Earniefan]

Okiebound,

According to greatschools.net test scores the schools in Rock Springs are doing better than the ones in Green River. It's amazing to me the rivalry and attitude of a lot of the people in Green River, they think they are so much better than the people and such in Rock Springs, it's kind of funny to me. We've lived in both and there are family oriented people and lifers in both.

Also, 9 months of winter? I've described Laramie in that manner but not Rock Springs. It must be from coming from Houston, maybe you just don't realize that spring and fall have cold days too. Anyway, there is definately not 9 months of winter here, we're in the Red Desert for crying out loud.

[RJt01]

Honest hockey mom I hated, stress the hated, Rock Springs and Green River. I lived there 20 years wearing the golden handcuffs that the mineral industry so generously provides. The schools can give your kids a good education but I ended up moving becuase of the number of bomb threats that occured. My kid was pulled out of school at least once a week for this. To be fair they finally caught the kid that was doing it and it was only a threat so that she would not have to take tests.

Also when I was in school there one girl in my class was murdered at the high school. I think there were 300 in my class, and besides the murder I beleive three kids died of drunken car accidents. One kid in our class committed a murder of an older man after sneaking into one of bars and getting drunk. No the bars dont really care who gets in as long as they have money to drink or will draw in men who do.

Is Green River better than Rock Springs - dont know. Green River says its for families, but many people from there shop in RS. It's only fifteen miles, but that stretch of road is not to good in the winter.

BTW drugs are bad there - I was offered coke for a lunch ticket in junior high. Domestic abuse and crime is also higher than the rest of the state. Especially now with a boom on.

When I moved there we were considered lucky to get a spot to park a mobile home in - many people were living in the desert. I dont think that is the case now, but it should give you an idea about the transient population.

The weather - two seasons Hot and cold - Dont count on growing a garden, the season is short, and at least until recently there were heavy water restrictions. A few years ago they built a new water treatment plant so that may have changed. Very dusty Very windy.

not so affectionately named the armpit of Wyoming

On the up side - there are some really nice people there. They are also generous when you are in trouble.

Think hard before you come to that part of the state - best of luck.

[jgbb307]

I'm always sad to hear of experiences like RJt01. Are these experiences typical? I do not believe so. They could happen anywhere.

Many people will say Green River has more of a family focus--even I will at times--but as Earniefan as pointed out, this is simply not true. You can find plenty of family focused people in Rock Springs. Rock Springs does have more "dudes" running around than Green River--as my brother calls them. This is to be expected in a boom town. Many of these "dudes" like to hang out at the local bars. Some like to regularly prove how tough they are. (What else is a single man to do in this area?, especially when the Cage Fights are only held once a month.)

Test scores can be misleading at times. I don't think any of the public schools in Wyoming excel. The best thing a parent can do is stay involved and supplement and improve upon what the public schools are doing. If you want to home school, Wyoming is a great state to do so. The laws are very lax.

The rivalry between Rock Springs and Green River can best be appreciated after you attend a couple of RS/GR football and basketball games. It is unfortunate that this rivalry filters into county politics and makes it difficult to come together on certain issues. Maybe we are just a bunch of Sneetches.

[dwilke]

Well, I'm here to say that schools do excel in Wyoming. Just from personal experience, you understand. I lived in Rock Springs from 1973 until 1990 when I moved to Afton, WY. (I'm now retired and live in Texas.) But would like to say that my daughter attended schools in Wyoming up until her junior year in high school, and at that time she went to spend a year with my sister in Sacramento, CA. My sister enrolled her in a private, Christian School, and my daughter said the books they received were the same books she had the year before in Wyoming. She was bored!

Wyoming is most definitely a year ahead of California on learning. Is that saying much? I don't know. Just thought I'd pass that on.

Also, while remembering, my daughter started school in Wyoming during Christmas of the 1st grade. She didn't know how to read - we'd come from California where they were still playing games and counting beans! Her teacher in Wyoming would pass out the written assignment and she couldn't read it, not because she was dumb, but because she hadn't yet been taught to read. But, they were reading in Wyoming! Yes, she did catch up, with extra help from me.

Wyoming does excel in learning!

[rjl81]

Rock Springs/Green River is the worst place I have ever lived. I have lived in several different places. In my opinion Green River is a better place to live than Rock Springs, but all you really do is sleep there anyway. Almost all shopping and work is in Rock Springs, unless you are employed at the mines. At least there are nice lawns and trees in Green River. It seems that the only reason GR and RS exist is because of some poorly located energy and trona. Otherwise nobody would ever build a town here. To be fair some people say that they do like living here, but I have only met locals who have been here all or most of their lives who say that. Nobody who has recently moved here for employment, and that is most people I know, enjoy living in the area. At first I thought I was just being negative and had a bad attitude. I don't whine about living here to other people, because you just sound negative, and blend in with all the other people whining about living here. This place really is the worst place in the US to live. I am sure there are plenty of places worse in other countries but not in this one.

[imbobbbb]

well different people like different things.i know people who''ve lived there for years and like it a lot.it all depends on what you like to do and if you dont like outdoor stuff and desert areas then sw wyoming isnt for you.i will agree though that people either love it or really,really hate it,there isnt much in between.part of the problem is a lot of people come there for jobs thinking all of wyoming looks like it does in robert redford movies and find themselves in an area more suitable for filming the 'hills have eyes 3'

[dwilke]

Some of Wyoming does look like a Robert Redford movie.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/dwilke333/ne97.jpg (broken link)

[dwilke]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/dwilke333/ne95.jpg (broken link)

[dwilke]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/dwilke333/ne98.jpg (broken link)

[dwilke]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/dwilke333/ne96.jpg (broken link)