In reply to Brad...
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2/8/2009
I am a native of Cowpens. I lived elsewhere for several years but moved back here by choice, and don't intend to leave again. Some counterpoints to Brad's review: "lack of restaurants" - Within a 15 minute drive of Cowpens there are Chinese, Thai, and Indian restaurants, plus the usual Applebees, Ruby Tuesday's and Outback's, etc. Also within that radius are outlet malls, movie theaters, and other shopping/recreation. Hunting and fishing are good.
- Second, the term "hillbilly" (used by Brad) is offensive here, they're called "rednecks" and most of them are hard-working, blue-collar salt-of-the-earth types...other than some of them do drink to excess, but PUBLIC drunkeness isn't tolerated. Low cost of living also means most people don't have large incomes...thus a third of the population makes do with mobile homes. Many people are no more than a generation or two off the farm, and the concept of "neat suburban yards of manicured grass" isn't so widespread yet. IF you want to live in a place where someone tells you what you can do with your property and not have to look at someone else's junk in the yard, there are subdivisions with HOAs...otherwise we are inclined to mind our own business and let others do with THEIR property what they please.
An elderly relative of mine left her purse at the grocery store by mistake...the grocery store offered to have an employee drive three miles to bring it to her at home, because they knew it was hard for her to get around. You could drop your wallet on the street and the odds are that within an hour someone would call you and say "I found your wallet".
"Stranger crime" and home invasions are very rare, in part because of a cultural respect for the persons and property of others, also in part because most SC households are armed and many law-abiding citizens have carry permits. SC is "the buckle on the Bible-belt" and while it isn't perfect, you will travel far to find folk who are more courteous and helpful to their neighbors. I question myself why I am writing this review since I would rather folks from other parts of the country NOT move here in droves and ruin a good thing!;)
Goshin | Cowpens, SC