Just heard some sad news of a neighbor passing away. Lived his whole life on the same land and house. I was wondering in this fast paced world have you or do you know someone who has lived their entire lives on the same land, town or house. I know where I presenlty live their are families that have on the same farm. To think we have moved 7 times already in our marriage and will probably make at least one more too !! If you have... would you move..and what would make you move ?? Just curious !!!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), March 27, 2002

Answers

I've lived here since I was 6. That was almost 32 years ago. I might have to move if the city gets too close. I liked being near a big city but IN it will likely prove too much. No idea where I'd go, kinda depends on what the farm would sell for.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), March 27, 2002.

34 years in same town with 10 year sabbatical to see the world , however , retained residence here during the adventure.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 27, 2002.

i WAS BORN IN THIS TOWN IN 1951. I have lived on 3 different country properties all within a10 mile radius. Indiana

-- Bonnie in indiana (queqid@att.net), March 27, 2002.

I've lived on this small farm all of my life (30 years) except for the two years I spent in college. It's been in the family for at least 4 generations. I can't think of anything that would make me move. I love this land and it has become a part of who I am.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), March 27, 2002.

I am living in the house that my folks bought from my grandparents in 1969! After hubby and I were married we lived in a couple of different places due to him being in the Airforce. We came back to "home" and bought the place from Mom in 1986. My Grandparents had purchased this house and farm in 1943 after the goverment condemned their farm for the Manhatten Project. Not sure how long we will stay here as the farm is now just 3 acres and too much growth around us. We like the area but sure has changed over the years. Denise

-- Denise K. (Rabbitmom2@webbworks.com), March 27, 2002.

With the exception of being away for college and grad school, I've been here forever. I like it here (Fort Wayne, IN) and it was a great place to be a kid and to raise a family. The cost of living is amazingly low here and it's still a pretty nice place to be. At this point in my life (late forties) I'm likely to be here for a while longer. I have a couple businesses here and some property which would make moving tough. Even if I didn't have those ties, I'd want to be near for my Mom who's in her early eighties and not in the best health.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

My grandparents lived next door to where I grew up. My uncle was born in the sunroom. He still lives there. My grandfather built the house and my uncle has lived there 75 years.....never anywhere else ;-)

-- Peace and Carrots Farm, Vermont (wsm311@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

I live in the farmhouse my great grandmother built in 1886. She bought up two farm that the owners had defaulted on, moved the barns together, (the original barn that burned in 73 was 60 ft. wide and 200 ft long, high hip roof) and built a new house. She then moved her son in here, my parents bought the farm from her estate in 43. I was born in the bedroom I sleep in and have lived here all but 15 of my 55 yrs. (Husband and I owned a small house in town). My dad died in 75 and mom was here alone, my family moved here in 83 and have been here since. I've told my girls the only way I will leave this farm is on my back, so they get to clean out all the "special stuff" the last several generations has left here. Very sad though, I doubt my kids will live here, and it has been hard to keep a cash flow going. The farm is 200 acres and we put it in the Conservation Reserve Program to have an income since I can't farm, my husband is a printer and wants no part of farming and the fellows who are farming around this area are really not interested in renting more land. I think this is pretty typical of many of the long time farms in this country.

-- Betsy in Mich (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), March 27, 2002.

I've lived on this farm my whole life (45 yrs) except for the time I was away at college. I've tried to even imagine living somewhere else, and can't do that! How could I ever learn new land like I know this farm? But it goes way beyond that: how could I ever learn the histories of the people around me if I moved somewhere else? I mean, I drive into town past farms and houses and I can tell you what family owned them for generations, who they were related to, etc, many of them related to me. How could I move away from this house, knowing that my great-great-great grandfather walked the road in front on his 7 mile walk (one way)to mass every Sunday? How can you move away from the cemeteries that are filled with your people? How can you replace that kind of history and connection to a place? I've been reading this forum for about a year and I am constantly amazed that people seem to think nothing of moving several thousand miles to a different place. It's something I could never do.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), March 27, 2002.

How I wish I could have lived in one place all my life! But I married a career military man and moved 20 times in 27 years. Even tho he retired in 1999 we are facing another move as my mother is seriously ill and we are moving back to where I grew up to be near her. My daughter is living in the small village that I grew up in on land that belonged to my great grandmother. Been in the family almost 100 years. I don't want to move any more but my family comes first.

-- Billie in CO (bbsowell@earthlink.net), March 27, 2002.

It is really fun reading all these stories. I have lived in the same county since I was 3 years old. I am 50, and have lived 31 years on the same farm with my husband, who has lived in this house since he was 5, and he is 57. My FIL developed this farm and my husband has farmed it since he was a teenager. Our children will not be taking over and our grandchildren are still little, so like so many others, we don't know what the future holds for our dear farm. Sometimes I envy those that can move around, but the land you own for many years does become a part of who you are. There is a really strong tie between a farmer and his land. If I had to move, I would like to move closer to the mountains. Our farm is one hour away from them and I would like to be even closer. Marilyn in Colorado

-- Marilyn in CO (www.tomeatbeef@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

Well, I have lived in this small town in Maine for 33yrs. Not quite forever as I was raised in Cambridge, Mass. But, I had no choice living in Mass but couldn't live in the big city again. Even growing up I longed for the countrylife.

-- Irene Burt (renienorm@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

Great Thread! I've never lived more than 8 miles of where I was born. I've had the same phone number for 25 years. Works well at class reunions "I had no idea how to reach you!.........(yeah right!)"

It's cool to have this kind of history with a place. "The Smith House?" sure I know where that is.....(never mind that the Jacobs have lived there for 30 years!)

Your're looking for the house on the corner of Maple and Elm? There is no house on that corner-Surprise! A builder put a McMansion there a month ago-where were you?

I never intended to 'stay put', but I'm glad now that I did.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), March 27, 2002.

I have lived on my thirty acres for my first 17 years and then off to college and then married and living nearby by for a year. Now we have been living here since 1975. My dad passed away and my mom is in a nursing home, but my two boys live in my parents' house next door. I can't feature living anywhere but here, and hope nothing ever happens to force me into leaving. My husband teasingly calls me Scarlett sometimes, because he says I feel the same way about my land as she did about Tara. He's pretty smart for a Yankee, huh?

-- Debbie in S IL (dc1253@hcis.net), March 27, 2002.

Born in rual green county Wis. Lived on four farms there before moving to Rock Co Wis at age of five. Lived on that farm untill age 12. Lived on next farm two years. Next four months. next untill growed and time in service. Lived on three diferent plces over next four years. Bought place from folks and lived there 20 years. Moved to place I leaned my beekeeping at when my teacher died and place come up for sale. Sold it after thirteen year and moved to KY this Jan first for retirment. I know that there is a lot of conecting that goes mit staying in one place forever, but there can also be sense of closterphobia too. Every body knows your busness and is always telling you how to run it. Also conceder thet if nobody ever moved we'd all still be cerfs in Euorpe somewhere.

-- Butch (beefarm@scrtc.com), March 27, 2002.

My husband has always lived in the same place. When we married 9 years ago he built a house 1/4 mile away from the home place. Says the only way he will leave here is in a pine box. This year will be 54 years in the same location. I unfortunately was not as blessed as he was. I had to move a few times, but I guess I am more blessed than many who have to move regularly - job etc. Blessings, Jan

-- Jan Sears (jcsears@magma.ca), March 27, 2002.

I'm 3rd generation on this property. I have almost lived my whole life on here except for the first 5 years and 2 years in technical college.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), March 27, 2002.

Ok county folks I have't lived in the same house but live 2 blocks away.Have live in this town from after I was born in 19377777 Makes me feel young. The schools I went to my kids have gone to and now my grandkids. Were in the city but this town is considered small as its an island in the bay of SAN FRAN One problem tho is everyone loves to tell everyone else about our small town so it keeps getting more and more people. I do have a hideaway in the gold country of Sierra foothills . Rich No.Cal Been Married 41years & have only lived in 6 places in this same town. Rich

-- Rich No. California (goodeillkr@aol.com), March 28, 2002.

Can't imagine what it would be like to 'stay put.' I've never lived in a home more than 5 years and have lived in several states.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 28, 2002.

I lived in town for four years once (12 whole miles away!), couldn't get back home fast enough! The rest of the time I've spent right here on the homeplace, that my parents bought when they we expecting me. I hope to someday pass this house down to my daughter when she has a family, then move back into the woods and build a tiny little house for Hubs and I. Clicking my ruby slippers "There's no place like home.."

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), March 28, 2002.

I have moved 3 times my whole life(28 years), but I have never been more than 6 miles from where I am now. I love this area and the wonderful people. I will live in this area until I die. I don't want to leave and I want to raise my son here.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), March 28, 2002.

I have lived here in good old Sandy Lake for all of my 47 years, I like it and do not see any reason to leave.

-- Don Amon (peacelane@certainty.net), March 30, 2002.

At 69 years old, I moved back to my hometown just this week after being gone since 1947. But an old timer here said when he moved to this town the sun was only the size of an orange, and there wasn'any moon yet.

-- Tom in OK (tombasin@alltel.net), March 30, 2002.

I sure haven't lived in the same place forever, but now that I'm here, would consider staying in the same general area for years.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 01, 2002.

As a young child (til the age of 12), my family moved countless number of times. When I married, hubby and I decided that once our son started school, that's where we would remain!! We've lived in this town in Maine for 25 yrs.,couldn't imagine living anywhere else...and hope to die here!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 01, 2002.