Returned to Central Pennsylvania for a day, forgot how stunning.
- Thread starter GON
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Lots of interesting things for railroad fans to see. Horseshoe Curve, Nicholson Viaduct, Starucca Viaduct, Erie line along the Delaware River, and Steam Town National Historic Park in Scranton.
I like the really back water towns. Such as Renovo, a severely shrunken population town after the Pennsylvania Railroad closed its repair shops there over 50 years ago.
I like the really back water towns. Such as Renovo, a severely shrunken population town after the Pennsylvania Railroad closed its repair shops there over 50 years ago.
I just hear the Tales from the Darkside theme
Seriously, it sounds amazing. Everyone should move there and stop coming to CO. CO sucks. PA = awesome
Lewisburg PA is one of my favorite areas. I’ve visited my Aunt and Uncle there for years.
I take my Seven road bike for exercise. The country farm roads are incredibly picturesque.
I take my Seven road bike for exercise. The country farm roads are incredibly picturesque.
GON: you have to see Biglerville and Amish Country. Plenty of festivals going on now. The Round Barn is a must see too. I love the Boiling Springs, Hershey and Camp Hill areas
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Western Pa, where every car is condemned to a slow death from salt cancer. Sitting in marienville pa right now visiting relatives. It’s the idealic small town except the only industry left years ago and the only food store is a family dollar. A prison now provides some decent jobs. People find ways to survive and soldier on. But it sure is green and pretty. And humid. Lived nearby here for 48 years then escaped to Arizona in 2005 and discovered a different world. Rural Pa looks pretty good from a nostalgic drive by snapshot view but not many people come here to retire for reasons. We come visit then happily head back to the southwest. Wife says she’ll live under a bridge in Arizona before moving back here. To each their own.
BTW don’t hate it here at all just found someplace we like a whole lot more.
Very typical view. Hope you like trees
BTW don’t hate it here at all just found someplace we like a whole lot more.
Very typical view. Hope you like trees
I'm from west central PA, Cambria County, and find the hills and valleys very pretty. But the economy of that area is not good: it was based on coal mining. Back in the 60s and 70s the towns were doing well but the mines closed, money left and my home town is shrinking away. I realize not all of PA is doing as poorly as that and things are better both farther east and west. You know what's been said: Pennsylvania is Philadelphia on one end, Pittsburgh on the other and Alabama in between. That's why we call it Pennsyltucky.
GON
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That would be Pennsylbama....
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interesting, our homes are in the $450k range, property and school taxes around $6500. The next town over has 8 figure homes, better schools, and taxes are lower.
What I've learned in PA is that towns with less resources seem to charge more in taxes, and even have terrible schools.
Also, "towns" are nothing more than zip codes. The name of the game in PA is the "township," which drives the school. It's so overly complicated, I know. For example, Wayne PA, a prestigious town or zip code, can be in maybe 3 different townships.
Maybe there is another house 1 mile away for $208k, different school, and $4,000 in taxes. Hard to figure it out
p.s. I'm in Delaware Co. There are t shirts and stickers, "Delco." I asked someone born here 50+ years ago, what is "Delco?" He said, "I dunno, I think it's made up." So I thought, oh, I see, made up sorta like the Boston accent (my cousins born and raised there they have no accent).
Heavy sigh. You are not picking up what I'm putting down.Western Pa, where every car is condemned to a slow death from salt cancer. Sitting in marienville pa right now visiting relatives. It’s the idealic small town except the only industry left years ago and the only food store is a family dollar. A prison now provides some decent jobs. People find ways to survive and soldier on. But it sure is green and pretty. And humid. Lived nearby here for 48 years then escaped to Arizona in 2005 and discovered a different world. Rural Pa looks pretty good from a nostalgic drive by snapshot view but not many people come here to retire for reasons. We come visit then happily head back to the southwest. Wife says she’ll live under a bridge in Arizona before moving back here. To each their own.
BTW don’t hate it here at all just found someplace we like a whole lot more.
Very typical view. Hope you like trees
View attachment 224840
Arizona = terrible. PA = awesome.
Everyone flock to PA!! You read it here first: PA is the hidden gem best place to live.
edit: plus you could retire in sweats and a hoodie and be in charge of the whole place! Great retirement gig!
Heavy sigh. You are not picking up what I'm putting down.
Arizona = terrible. PA = awesome.
Everyone flock to PA!! You read it here first: PA is the hidden gem best place to live.
edit: plus you could retire in sweats and a hoodie and be in charge of the whole place! Great retirement gig!
Nooooo, nuh-uh, we like our small towns around here!
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Likely you won't have to worry about people from Colorado moving to rural Pennsylvania.
Rural Pennsylvania significantly lacks the desirable density of Starbucks, and not sure people from Colorado know how to write out a check in person for goods and services, which is a normal way of life which the people of rural Pennsylvania pay in person for goods and services.
My Daughter, Son in Law, and two Grandsons live in Colorado. They have upsized their Colorado three times in the past 15 years. My Daughter who, like her Mom is very disciplined, focused, and a straight shooter. Her criteria for every home she buys in Colorado includes proximity to Starbucks, proximity to TJ Maxx, and proximately to an Interstate on/ off ramp. She can find dozens upon dozens of communities in Colorado that meet these requirements. I don't know if she can find many communities in rural Pennsylvania to meet these requirements.
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No Idea where you are coming from????
Property Tax:
County $743, School
School $ 2,918
$3,661 Total
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Heavy sigh. You are not picking up what I'm putting down.
Arizona = terrible. PA = awesome.
Everyone flock to PA!! You read it here first: PA is the hidden gem best place to live.
edit: plus you could retire in sweats and a hoodie and be in charge of the whole place! Great retirement gig!
Sorry, got it now. COME LIVE OR RETIRE IN RURAL PENNSYLVANIA WHERE IF YOU GET DIVORCED SHE'S STILL YOUR SISTER!! And besides arizona is full up.
Went for a bike ride with my nephews this morning and came across this 52" timber rattlesnake crossing the road. A local came along with snake gaiters on and wrangled it up and took it home, said he way out hunting for a good rattlesnake and this one is outstanding.
Thick as your forearm..
Pa. exempts Social Security and most pensions from state income tax. Most food, clothing and home heating fuel is not subject to sales tax. Any sort of sports clothing is taxed.
In my area, which is perhaps the fringe of southeastern Pa., the property taxes are very high. I'm in the second highest tax rate in my county and the school taxes alone are at 34.5 mills. County and municipal property taxes are high as well. In many areas, especially in the northern counties, the property taxes are much lower. All efforts to eliminate or lower school property taxes have politically failed. A long time friend who lives in coastal resort NC for decades was complaining about his $3500/yr. property taxes. Knowing what his fine home is valued at, I informed him that the tab would likely be 6 or 7 times as much in my school district.
Much of Pa. is still as beautiful as ever. Many other areas have become heavily crime and narcotics infested with no law on the streets or stores.
In my area, which is perhaps the fringe of southeastern Pa., the property taxes are very high. I'm in the second highest tax rate in my county and the school taxes alone are at 34.5 mills. County and municipal property taxes are high as well. In many areas, especially in the northern counties, the property taxes are much lower. All efforts to eliminate or lower school property taxes have politically failed. A long time friend who lives in coastal resort NC for decades was complaining about his $3500/yr. property taxes. Knowing what his fine home is valued at, I informed him that the tab would likely be 6 or 7 times as much in my school district.
Much of Pa. is still as beautiful as ever. Many other areas have become heavily crime and narcotics infested with no law on the streets or stores.
Pa resident my entire life, but have some homes other places as well. There are areas of Pa that are stunning, add the Laurel mountains, Ligonier, Bedford to the list for example. However, there are some horrendous, ugly and truly depressing areas mainly near Philly and Pittsburgh that do not look like the photos posted here. There are a lot of small towns, limited education, little opportunity, and all the negatives that come with that. And, as mentioned by others, taxes can be a killer and not proportional to the services received.
So if you stay in the right places, it is stunning, but venture to the wrong place, it can be rough.
So if you stay in the right places, it is stunning, but venture to the wrong place, it can be rough.
Heh, I actually moved off the mountain a couple years ago into Franklin County. Moved closer to work, I was putting too many miles on vehicles going to work and shopping.
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