just got my first job placement in the borger refinery. I have very little knowledge of this area and thought I would pick texags brain.

Looking for advice on places to live (borger, pampa, amarillo, etc.) buying vs. renting places. It seems the dollar goes a lot further up in there than it does even here in college station. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to my time up there

I "transplanted" up here about 12 years ago from SE Texas. Do yourself a favor and actually commit to becoming part of the community. The people out here are some of the finest that you will come across.

Depending on your interests, and priorities, that could easily change where you want to live. Post a few things that are important to you personally and the group on this board will be able to guide you with some recommendations.

Ha, well i'm a pretty avid outdoorsman, which is something I'm really excited about with the move. I will be close to a lot of different things that I otherwise would have the opportunity of experiencing.

church is something that is important to me, as well as a great avenue to get to know some people so I'm very interested in hearing opinions on places to go.

I'm more than willing to get involved in the community. I've looked at real estate up there over the past several days and i've seen different areas of interest. One thing that will probably play a factor in here is my fiance needing to find a elementary school teaching job within the next year or so. I know there may be the attraction of having a short commute to work (for me) but it may force her to make the extra commute if positions are unavailable in whatever town I choose to live in.

More than anything, I'm just happy i'm not going to be sitting in traffic for 2-3 hours a day like I would've been had I ended up in Houston. (don't mind the driving as long as I'm driving).

You could probably live in Amarillo, and not be much more than a 1-hour drive one-way to Borger. Or you could pick one of the smaller towns closer to Borger. My limited understanding is that Borger is an oilfield town, Panhandle a farming town, and Pampa, a little of both.

Don't know if you saw this thread a few below yours. But it talks about a lot of different communities.

If you are wanting a smaller town, I would second Panhandle. It is close to Borger and close the Panhandle. And they have really good schools.

And your fiance when she gets there could seek teaching positions in Panhandle, Claude, White Deer or even Amarillo and Borger. The commute would not be too bad.

For teaching jobs, don't forget the Highland Park school district. It's on the NE corner of the old Amarillo AFB, very close for Panhandle.

Thanks for the responses, I appreciate it.

its going to be a big adjustment but i'm looking forward to it

Good luck with the move. I'm in the panhandle (about 3 yrs) as well and if you need any help moving or want to go watch the Aggie football somewhere and grill, let me know.

Panhandle, TX or White Deer will be your best bet. Lived in Claude for several years. Some folks are very nice but the older farmers are a-holes.

I might resemble that remark.

Seriously, that;s the opposite of my experience. Why do you say that?

Nobody has mentioned Skellytown yet?

I forgot Skellytown.

Posh restaurants, great abodes to lease or purchase, and an unbelievable cultural mecca from things of great interests. I think I forgot about it because I did not want many people to know about the hidden gem in Carson County.

quote:

---

I forgot Skellytown.

Posh restaurants, great abodes to lease or purchase, and an unbelievable cultural mecca from things of great interests. I think I forgot about it because I did not want many people to know about the hidden gem in Carson County.

---

We really need an emoticon for Sarcasm.

After having practiced up and down East Texas I can say that Skellytown is the closest we get in the Panhandle. But without the trees and water of East Texas.

And if I have offended anyone, I will apologize in advance.

So are there any Skellytownites...Skellytowners....Skellytons....whatever who can tell me what this is?

Google Maps

They had a carbon black plant at one time, so I wonder if this was it.

Just recently got back from a scouting trip. For the life of me I couldn't figure out amarillo. Getting to borger was really easy from the airport and overall the trip was pretty solid

quote:

---

For the life of me I couldn't figure out amarillo

---

You got lost in Amarillo? How is that possible? Or do you mean something else?

Yeah I know what I said, I just got turned around quite a bit coming in from fritch

Ok,

So what are your thoughts on your new surroundings??

quote:

---

Yeah I know what I said, I just got turned around quite a bit coming in from fritch

---

Okay, I see that. If you miss exiting on Loop 335 from 136, you end up on the east end of Amarillo Boulevard. Hardly the most appealing part of town.

The east end of Amarillo must have been a good place back in the early 80's.

Several of my buddies in high school liked to visit there on Fri or Sat nights.

In later years, I liked to go for the great Asian Food.

ha, it's completely different than anything I'm used to. And that's really saying a lot since I grew up in El Paso. I think I'm going to quite enjoy living out there for the next several years. Its pretty in its own way and I really enjoyed going through some of the prairie land and seeing the different wildlife (antelope).

you will never see any weather like you will see in the Panhandle. YEAR ROUND.

I have lived and worked from South Texas to West Virginia, Ohio, Chicago and North Dakota.

And I will put the diversity of our climate against anywhere.

North Dakota was much colder than anything I have ever experienced. And hopefully will never experience again.

But you will get accostomed to the weather. And after you leave you will always miss the people. They are the greatest on earth. I miss them daily.

Panhandle people are much like Aggies. Once you leave after your time up there and you meet someone who grew up there and you tell them you lived up there, you will be one of us in their eyes and you will have a good friend.

I was born and raised in Borger and will be moving back up to the panhandle in June. If you have any Borger specific questions let me know. It is a big adjustment for people that are not from the panhandle, but I love it and I'm sure you will too. Good people and a slow down from the city life. Lots of places to hunt and get outdoors also.

quote:

---

So are there any Skellytownites...Skellytowners....Skellytons....whatever who can tell me what this is?

Google Maps

They had a carbon black plant at one time, so I wonder if this was it.

---

I used to chase bobs and blues just a couple miles south of Skellytown. Excellent bird lease.

I lived in Amarillo for six years. My wife traveled extensively to the small towns for her job (Pampa, Borger, Plainview, Hereford ...). I love Amarillo and would live there instead of the smaller towns. It is the people of the city that make it a special place to live.