COMMENT BY
steve from Goldendale, WA
COMMENT ABOUT PLACE
Goldendale, WA
COMMENT
glodendale: nice place to move to?
Read the two reviews before I made this commentary. The reviews submitted so far are from locals who have survived some economic hard times in the area. Both of these reviews make it appear Goldendale is a great community if it were not for the druggies, hillbillies, and Trailer trash" that the locals have to co-habitate with. Of course these are labels and once you label someone, or something, you cease know who that person, or thing, truly is because the "label" says it all so what else is there to know. With this in mind here is my experience with Goldendale. Approximately 13 years ago I bought property within the urban growth area of the city limits. I had (key word had) great expectations of renovating a building into a woodworking shop and offering instruction to anyone, (local, hillbilly, trailer trash), and a place to show their work. Friends in Hood River and The Dalles (50 and 30 miles respectively west) advised me of the reputation Goldendale has created for itself. Well I didn't listen and they were so right. I was met with hostility and lies from all of the neighbors, whom are considered to be upstanding community citizens. After purchasing the property I returned one day to find a fence had been erected 40 feet to their favor. I respond by having the property surveyed which confirmed my suspicions. Both the surveyor and myself were told , by the nieghor, in no uncertain terms, quote " I don't give a damn what you found, I'm not going to let some outsiders come in here and tell me what to do - I'll see you in court". This was my welcome to the community I received from the first day I arrived. We did go to court and with his local attorney and friend judge, was awarded 25 % of the best portion of the property in front of a commercial building despite what state law demands to uphold "adverse possession". In fact (and I have supporting documentation) all of the hostile witnesses who testified against me actually supported my position that the neighbors did not prove there case. There is a whole lot more to this than I can go into now, but the bottom line to Goldendale is: if you are a respected local with connections within the local government they will invent and make up the law as they go ( in this case they broke state law) to accommodate their own interests. So is it any mystery why the population is dwindling, there is no diversity of races here, the economy is wasting away (hence you need to travel 30 miles to The Dalles to shop, and vitally no one wants to move here despite cheap real estate. It makes anyone speculate that most of Goldendale's problems are self created. Recently the Sheriff posted signs warning drug dealers and druggies to get out of town rather than to offer help in the form of rehab.
In conclusion: is Goldendale a good place to move to ? I will let you determine that.
If you listen to what the local say, it's quite different from what they do. I cannot blame them for wanting to keep the community small and quaint, but it's the manner in which it is promoted. Recently the city received strong criticism in the Goldendale Sentinal for allowing the Confederate flag (two) to be shown during the parade celebrating the County Fair. If you are considered a local this is a great place. If, for any reason(s), they don't accept you, hell will rain down on you as it has me for the past 13+years.
I have had a long career in the medical field and am accostomed to helping and being a part of the solution, but the treatment I recieved from this community is cause to wonder if helping people was a mistake.
I want to gratiously and humbly thank this website and the internet for this opportunity to voice my opinion. I hope they publish it.
Thank you for showing interest