Free Land in the Heart Land CNN.com

[flygal]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/22/real_estate/buying_selling/thursday_freeland/index.htm

snip

In June, Kimberly and Paul Bayless sold their house in Las Vegas and moved their family to the tiny town of Ellsworth, Kansas seeking a better quality of life - a parcel of free land didn't hurt either.

The family had been looking for an escape route out of the city, where their commutes were long and quality time was scarce, but didn't know how they could manage such a move. "Each year I felt more and more claustrophobic," said Kimberly.

Then, after Paul was downsized from his job as a software engineer, Kimberly read a newspaper article about free land in Kansas.

Ellsworth, population of 2,900, is one of many communities throughout the Great Plains looking to reverse decades of population decline by offering free parcels of land. Not only that, they're also giving down payment assistance, tax rebates, breaks for small business and even the promise of high-speed Internet access.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I heard about this on NPR

back before I stopped listening to them. Wonder what sort of jobs are available for these folks?

[xchrom]

2. i wouldn't want to go

i spent half of my time growing up in peoria - bigger than what is reported here.
but it was like dying every day -- once i got past ten.
if i could live around around a bunch cultured alternative types -- maybe the country would be fine -- but these days -- forget it.

[Joy Anne]

3. None

You have to be retired or bring your own job.
Edited to answer two messages: And bring your own cultured alternative types, too, although there are, based on my limited experience, a few such people in any town of 2,900.

[flygal]

7. This is what's happening to Bozeman Mt

People selling their houses in Seattle and S.F. and having more than enough wealth to retire. Problem is the average wage earner now has to live 30-40 minutes away to afford a house.

Montana is becoming a retirement village. Lots of service jobs.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Modern Homesteading... as the clock ticks backwards...

Hey... we might even get a new Laura Ingals Wilder book outta this!;)

[AliciaKeyedUp]

5. Sounds a little strange to me

Not eager to live in a town of 2,900. What would schools be like?

[ClintonTyree]

6. You can bet your bottom dollar...................

that "creationism" is preferred over evolution and that "school prayer" is the order of the day. They're not offering this land for nothing. A herd mentality is most likely required before any such land grant is given. We wouldn't want the "wrong types" moving into town, would we?

[Historic NY]

8. I read more than a few articles on.........

the subject. The folks there realize their towns are dying and want to breath new blood into them. They really are looking for diverse people. It not so much about gaining people, as it is gaining new life and ideas. I believe National Geographic ran an article on this sometime back.

[NJCher]

9. I think the schools would be pretty good

I grew up in a town of 3500 and the schools were excellent. Since there isn't anything else to do, parents really focus on the schools.

This isn't such a bad idea. We need alternative types out there in rural America.

But it truly is BYOJ (bring your own job).


Cher

[erpowers]

10. Hoping to be Blue

Maybe some of the people behind these land giveaways are hoping that some democrats will move to their state and cause the state to go blue.