MSN Real Estate answers this question for us today here. But I think Crawfordsville, Indiana should have made the list. I guess it all depends on what matters to you most.
For me, Crawfordsville's family atmosphere, fitness amenities (the Park and Rec Center, the Aquatic Center, and Rails to Trails among them), the state parks and lakes nearby, the charm of downtown, the invested teachers, committed civil servants, and the community leadership shown by so many of our citizens make it pretty great. Add the lectures, concerts, and theater available at Wabash College, a beautiful public library, and all our museums (Rotary Jail, Lew Wallace, and Carnegie Museums, to say nothing of the wonderful exhibitions at Wabash College's Eric Dean Gallery), and the availability of truly local food for a much lower cost than in any of the cities on this list, our festivals, our religious communities, our free clinic, sports at Wabash, and probably one hundred other things I'm not remembering, and we're pretty high up there, at least on my list. Add being 45 minutes from the downtown of the country's 12th largest city, itself a treasure chest of amenities, many of them world class (as we proved even to Jimmy Fallon when we hosted the Super Bowl), as well that we're 40 minutes from Lafayette, West Lafayette, and Purdue University, and living in a rural area doesn't seem confining at all. And when we really need a BIG big city fix, Chicago is only three hours away. And then we can come home to peace, quiet, and an amazing view of the night sky.
It's easy to forget in this nightmare of a winter. But soon the violets will be blooming, the morel mushrooms will be ready to pick, the blackberries will ripen, and as everything starts to grow again, we'll all remember that the word "green" really means many different hues, from the leaves of the maple tree, to the grass, to the pine and cedar trees and beyond. It's always wonderful to live here, but in the spring, it's as close to heaven as I've ever found. And even winter has its charms.
Very well put! A great place to grow up as a kid in the 70's and 80's. Endless places to ride a Bike and or to Skate and or Skate Board! I think Roller Skating and Roller Rinks should make a big come back! Its just something I feel todays youth would enjoy, like I did.
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