Moving to Fort Dodge

Wesley

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
70,923
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Omaha
I have two friends who graduated school there and have a friend from there. My moms neighbor by Jewell commutes there every day. So ya know a little something
Sounds like you could join a carpool to FD.

Big Bubba's Beans is another nice taco place. Lots of beans in town.
 

Bipolarcy

Well-Known Member
Oct 27, 2008
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The only thing I know about Fort Dodge is that a young Vietnamese friend of mine who spoke very little English wanted to take me there one time for some recreational activity, his treat. Through a series of gestures, verbal prompts and guttural grunts, I eventually figured out he was talking about a house of ill repute. So it's got that going for it.
 

ontheverge

Member
Sep 14, 2009
181
13
18
I grew up there.... Definitely buy a house on the north side. Feelhaver is the best elementary school... I think it's the only one with A/C and working heat. Cooper or Duncombe are ok. Stay away from Riverside and Hillcrest. My mom has been a teacher in FD for 25 years. I know a few realtors PM me if you need help with that. Other than that I think iastate fans synopsis of FD was pretty spot on. A few other local places to eat would be Lefty's and Rides(cheap good burgers) but they are restaurant/bars. Best places are the Cellar and Mineral City. Also to who posted about 3rd base, it's closed now.

Great Place. I hear its being renovated and be up again in a week or two.
 

wright4cy

Member
Jan 15, 2007
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Boone
I grew up in small town not too far from ftdodge and I wouldnt live there either . But that was a long time ago so not sure what it is like today .. Humboldt , Rockwell city , or there are tons of small towns close to there.
 

Cy4Lifer

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2010
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What happened to 3rd Base, and when? It was a great sports bar! (Even if Jon D. (Hawkeye Fan) is a co-owner!
 

el tornado

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
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Marshalltown is a tale of two sides of the tracks (literally). One side nice, one side trashy. Mtown is within 45 mins of Ames and Des Moines too... Fort Dodge is a good 1 hr 45 mins from Des Moines. Your best bet would be to live in a small town between Fort Dodge and Ames like Stratford.

Born and raised in Marshalltown, and proud to be from there... sure every town and city has its sore spots but overall towns in Iowa are a very good place to raise a family with very friendly people. There are a lot of towns in Iowa that around 30,000 that are all very similar... Fort Dodge is on that list.
 

simesclone

Member
Feb 18, 2010
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Born and raised in Marshalltown, and proud to be from there... sure every town and city has its sore spots but overall towns in Iowa are a very good place to raise a family with very friendly people. There are a lot of towns in Iowa that around 30,000 that are all very similar... Fort Dodge is on that list.
 

ontheverge

Member
Sep 14, 2009
181
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What happened to 3rd Base, and when? It was a great sports bar! (Even if Jon D. (Hawkeye Fan) is a co-owner!

I hear just going through some major renovating. Some ownership changes. More TV's and change in menu. Jon will still be there.
 

gtlars

Member
Mar 17, 2009
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Lancaster,PA
I grew up in Fort Dodge also (FDSH '82) and it seems like the people who actually lived there are spot on about it being a not a bad place to grow up. I went to Feelhaver also and like as been said, if you live on the north side you won't have any problems. I can't attest to any food joints except Tico since it's been so long since I've lived there, but the Tico was THE hang out place:yes:. When I was at FDSH, it was a full melting pot of different people and helped me learn about, and respect, people of other races/nationalities and cultures, Very diverse.
Don't beleive the negative hype without fully exploring yourself.
 

kc cybear

Member
Nov 9, 2007
68
3
8
kansas city,mo
I grew up in Fort Lauderdodge (senior high class of '90, what up?) and now live in KC. While Dodge won't win any awards for the most beautiful city in the world (it was an all-american city 2001!), i love how people are making it sound like you are moving to south central. I am sure for all the talk, the crime rate is a lot lower than if you moved to any major city in the us. You are living is a small city in Iowa, you will be fine. Go to Tico, get a couple of deluxe enchilada's and enjoy.
 

gary1989

New Member
Mar 5, 2011
3
0
1
I have lived in this area most of my life and I would like to tell you congratulations on your move. My advice would be the following: If you like a bigger town, restaurants,bars,shopping etc. I would look around FD as it is a very nice place to live. There are rough area's but alot more nice one's with really good people and schools.

If a small community is appealing to you and your family may I recommend Gowrie which is 20 miles south of FD and is 50 miles from Ames. The Prairie Valley school district is excellent, and the community is wonderful. Just a nice little town, I would encourage you and your family to check it out if you are at all interested in a small town 2-A school district type of atmosphere.

Good luck to you and your family on the move. I think you will like the area.

I might be taking a job in Fort Dodge and would like some recommendations from people who live or have lived there.

Should I live in Fort Dodge or commute?
Best/worst elementary schools?
Best real estate agency?
Any decent houses to rent (can't find much on Craigslist)?
Any good restaurants?
Decent day care centers?
Things for a wife and kids to do?

Thanks in advance
 

jamesfnb

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2006
1,231
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Come on guys. Anyone who says Fort Dump is a good place to live and raise kids is being biased or just not honest. It's the only town I've lived in where I've had my car broken into multiple times. I was also approached by 4 wanna-be gangsters while sitting in my car at the Crossroads Mall, they wanted me to put their CD in my stereo so they could listen to my stereo and speakers, obviously looking to steal them later which someone did! Also, I had a friend stabbed and another shot! And I never came within 1 mile of the Flats, this was in the so-called "good part" of Fort Dump.
 

HOTDON

Well-Known Member
Mar 24, 2006
3,658
1,806
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Fort Dodge, IA
I stopped reading midway through page 2, so maybe this has been posted. I've been in FD for almost four years. Same deal; while collar career in a blue collar town. I don't love Dodge, but it's been fine. If you're looking for $150k+ homes, look in the Knollcrest area, $70-150k, look around Cooper Elementary. You're across town from the problematic areas. My son goes to Cooper, and I have nephews that have been through St. Edmonds. They are fine schools. Hell, I know of a duplex that's coming up for rent in Knollcrest soon if you're interested.

I'm there because I like my job. If you have a reason to live in Dodge, it's as good or bad as you make it.
 

ontheverge

Member
Sep 14, 2009
181
13
18
Come on guys. Anyone who says Fort Dump is a good place to live and raise kids is being biased or just not honest. It's the only town I've lived in where I've had my car broken into multiple times. I was also approached by 4 wanna-be gangsters while sitting in my car at the Crossroads Mall, they wanted me to put their CD in my stereo so they could listen to my stereo and speakers, obviously looking to steal them later which someone did! Also, I had a friend stabbed and another shot! And I never came within 1 mile of the Flats, this was in the so-called "good part" of Fort Dump.

You must be quite a gangster yourself. Sounds like you run with some real fine folks who put themselves into positions of being stabbed and shot. I suppose they were shot at the public library as well. They must have wanted to steal the base blaster from your trunk you had cranked up in the mall lot. If a person wants to run wild in FD and put himselves in bad situations, there is no doubt you can find trouble in FD, as well as a lot of places.
 
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Iastfan112

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2006
3,999
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Wow people are just dumb in this thread, the biggest crime I've had committed against me in Fort Dodge was my senior year I left my car unlocked in the parking lot and someone smoked a cigarette in it and stole the 2-3 dollars of change I had sitting in it. I had friends from all around town and never felt even remotely unsafe while visiting them. The biggest complaint I had growing up is that its fairly boring, especially in the winter when its too cold to do things outside.I would have absolutely no issue settling back there after finishing my degree if a job were available. Plenty of very nice, down to earth people who I'm glad are my friends still today.
 

CyBobby

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
7,561
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Central Iowa
There are no decent size towns near enough to FD to commute so if I was you I would stick with FD. You probably can get a lot of house for the $$$. The people there will be like anywhere else in Iowa. I'm not big into slamming any town in Iowa, except Iowa City.



Slam You Iowa City Slam You...........there you go dmclone how's that ?:twitcy:
 

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