Reviews & Comments
Williamston, MI
It takes a while for them to warm up to you, but i -
10/23/2009Williamston is a town where people move, and tend to stay for generation after generation. I'm a transplant from California who has been here for nearly 30 years. In California, people move in next door, they're your best friend in week, and when they move away three years later you never hear from them again. After moving to Williamston, it took two years before I had developed many friends, people still leave one another alone, but now after 30 years I know I have friends for life, regardless of whether one of us moves away. Even after 30 years in the same place, the old timers refer to my home by the people who used to live there. When I leave or die, then I'll get the honor of it being referred to with my name.
Most folks in town live live very comfortably, and the surrounding countryside contains several very affluent neighborhoods. The schools are excellent, the town is filled with antique shops and several great restaurants, the grocery store in town is first class, you can practice kayaking on the river in the middle of town, it has one traffic light, and great service organizations. There is also the benefit of a major mall 10 minutes down the road, Michigan State University and its tremendous educational and cultural benefits is 15 minutes away, and the state capital is only about 25 minutes away. There is no rush hour.
The town politics are rugged, and the city recently went through a financial crisis, but it's doing better now. The downtown is filled with 1900's-era buildings, most of which are nicely fixed up. Watch your speed in town, since the police are sticklers with the speed limits, but normally let people off with warnings.
I'd say that if you are patient, you'll find it to be a wonderful place to live, raise a family, and retire.