Hi Swampfoot!

I don't know if anyone else will chime in here...and all I can give you is my opinion...but I have to go with your girlfriend's comment. I'm sure her grandmother was thinking it would be nice to have her closer, but....

It seems that I-35 divides our great State in more ways than one. Oklahoma has the largest variety of terrain of any state, hence the name the "heartland". East is similar to the landscape you have. West of I-35 is pretty much flat....and dry....and not a whole lot of trees. Great for "waving fields of grain"...but pretty difficult as far as the average home gardener would have it. There are all kinds of jokes about the wind in Oklahoma as it relates to being between Texas and Kansas, but we won't got there. =) I live in rural NE Norman. My work-partner lives in rural Okarche. Both are relatively close to OKC. I traveled out her way about a month ago and the difference in the countryside blew my mind! I told her I lived in the mountains in the middle of a forrest compared to where she lives!!! LOL!

This is a great state, wonderful place to live and if you decided to transplant, we'd welcome you with open arms. We have a few transplants that are "okies" to the core! But considering where you're living now...it would be a big shock to your system. Just my opinion!

I wish you the best! I've only lived rural for a few years, but they'd have to drag me kickin' and screamin' to live in the city again!

Paula

I think they produce cattle, wheat, great melons, and pharmacists in that part of the state. You need to take a vacation and have a look. Oklahoma is a nice place to live.

Foss is out in what I call the short grass country. Its Western Oklahoma where you can see the sunsets more beautiful than in Kona, Hawaii and almost just as far. I have lived in many places but I have a special love for Western Oklahoma. Every place has its special beauty. Part of the trick in life is to find it. Western Oklahoma has its own special beauty. Pay it a visit. Stay awhile and see if you don't agree.

I grew up in western Oklahoma and I really liked it. Like p-mac, I'm in Norman now and it is quite different. I've been to Clinton several times which is close to Foss and I didn't think Clinton was very flat. It seems like there will be a lot of flat land then small hills or canyons then more flat land.

p-mac, I live in east norman around 36th and Alameda, just curious how close you are.

I live in some peoples opinion in a more desolate and remote area than Foss. I do agree with the difference a few miles makes from east to west in KS and OK. The old saying around here is if a person ever wears out a pair of shoes here chances are they will stay. There is a lot of truth in that. There is a good chance after 3 months you won't like it. After a year it will grow on you. The people in this area of the country is as good as they are anywhere. I remember my nephew who came to live with me when he was 11 from north of Topeka, KS. He always missed the trees. But he appreciated the sunrises and sunsets more than any native of this area. The only way you'll ever know is to come and take a look. And really the only way is to stay at least a year. After that you will know if it is for you or not. Jay

I live in the panhandle of OK, which is the windiest and driest part of the state. Our sunsets and sunrises are beautiful like western OK. I agree with Jay, come visit and stay a while and see what you think. Don't judge on just a few days visit. I am a Colorado native and lived in the mountains of Colorado for over 30 years. I still love the Rocky Mountains and try to visit at least once a year. However, I prefer living in OK. The main reason is the people. The people are some of the nicest you will ever meet. Warmer winters and a much longer growing season are two more advantages.
My son attended college in Weatherford and worked at Foss lake. He enjoyed the area. It is a ranching and farming area with wheat, milo, and corn being the main crops. Oil and gas production are also important in the area.

I think western Oklahoma is beautiful, but it is definitely a challenging environment because it tends to be hot and dry so much of the time. At least Washita County has great soil, so that's a plus!

The only time I'd ever heard of Foss (but I've only been in OK a dozen years) before this thread is that it was mentioned in that book about ghost towns (and near ghost towns) in Oklahoma. Is that the same Foss y'all are talking about? The ghost town book is pretty old...maybe Foss has been revitalized since then? I googled in an effort to find out if Foss is a ghost town or near ghost town, and found the following article, which I thought was pretty interesting.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Foss, OK

You know, I've lived in Oklahoma for almost all my 50+ years and never realized we had a reputation for gorgeous sunsets until one year when my girls accompanied their grandparents to some church convention in another state. They came back telling me that the other kids they met, when they found out the girls were from Oklahoma, started going on about how Oklahoma has such amazing sunsets.

From Tennessee to western Oklahoma, you will definitely miss the hills and mountains, the trees, and all the green of Tennessee, but, in addition to beautiful sunrises and sunsets, you'll also get stunning night skies. With a nearly 360° view of the horizon you'll quickly understand why ancient peoples thought the sky was an upturned bowl over the earth. You'll see stars you didn't even know existed! In fact, there are so many that it can be difficult to identify some of the ones you know, and you don't even have to look up to see them!

Debra

I came to Oklahoma (northern part) straight from Germany when I was 18. I was sooo impressed. LOL

Later, I hoped to live near a bigger city, and eventually I lived in OKC, and in Tulsa. Now I am just north of Oklahoma City.

I have been through Foss on my bicycle, on the Oklahoma FreeWheel.

If you use google maps to look at Foss, you can see, there aren't many trees.

That was the part that I liked best about eastern Oklahoma/Tulsa. Trees. Lots of them.

Small town living isn't for everyone, but it is sure nice.

Moni

I live about 20 miles from Foss. There is almost nothing left of that little town. You would be living in "the middle of nowhere" for sure. I found this picture of the post office in Foss (see link below). It is one of the few things left there. I really enjoy small town/rural living but if you are used to restaurants and shopping it might not be for you. There aren't many trees and it can be awful hot, dry and windy at times.

Here is a link that might be useful: Foss post office

This is too funny. I'll bet this is more attention and publicity than Foss has had in 50 years.

Debra,

I grew up in Texas, and guess I took the 'big sky' and gorgeous sunsets and sunrises for granted. When all my future in-laws came to Texas for the wedding, they kept talking about the sky and sunsets and I didn't get it because I'd always been a flatlander. Then I visited Pennsylvania one summer and noticed why our sky seemed big to them....with all the mountains and huge trees around their town, the only sky you see is the little piece that's right over your head, and the mountains and huge trees block the views of the sunrise and sunset too. I had no idea! I think the sunrises and sunsets here in Oklahoma are every bit as beautiful as the ones I grew up with in Texas, and to me they look better nowadays than the ones in the D-FW metro area because their smog (sad, but true) somewhat obscures theirs sometimes.

Moni, I guess Oklahoma was quite a change from Germany?

Lynn, I was waiting to see if you'd see this thread since I knew it was in your neck of the woods.

So, if Foss still has an operating post office, at least there is some semblance of a town there.

Carol, That is so true. I wonder if they know we're talking about them?

Dawn

Wow, Hey thanks for all the input. I can tell you're all proud of your state, and from what I've read, you should be. I grew up in the 'middle of nowhere' in the backwoods of SC, but I think that term means something else altogether out west. I'm kind of intrigued by the idea of ghost towns and all though!

Seems like there would be all kinds of practical problems with running any kind of operation out there, but I sure hope we get a chance to visit someday. I feel sure that we'd meet some pretty nice folks.

Again thanks for indulging my daydream and not being too harsh with the truth. Happy Gardening!

I guess we could have just said, "Western Oklahoma isn't the end of the world, but you can see it from there." Of course you can see everything from there if you can find a bucket to stand on, or the back of a truck bed. LOL

This thread is great. When this flatlander moved from the Texas Panhandle to NE Oklahoma in 1989, for the first year I was claustrophobic (sp?). There are no big, open spaces. At dusk, I would look toward the horizon and think there was a big bank of thunderstorms moving in until I realized I was looking at a tree line! And no 'bar' ditches on the highways! Those WalMart trucks scared the bejesus out of me. I had never been so up close and personal with an 18-wheeler. And what a hoot I got when I listened to the Tulsa weather reports as they predicted "wind" at 10-15 mph.

But would I move back home? Not on your life. I wouldn't give up the trees and NO WIND. And I still love all the rain. Oh, that smell. It takes a lot of years to get caught up on the lack of rain. And as for gardening? Shoot, you just stick something in the ground and it grows.

Marcy

I moved from Foss about 6 years ago having lived there for 30 years, working in the deep gas fields of West Oklahoma.
When that died out I went to Long Haul Trucking and every time I came home, some neighbor had stolen something else of mine.
The winter wind is a demon from hell. Below zero is not uncommon with 25 mile winds. All the tornadoes seem to go just North or South and hit Clinton.
I think the only people that live there do so out of quiet desperation, are guilty of something, or inherited the house and can't get what they need from it.
The Washita County Sheriff is at the other end of the County, read between the lines. Paul Harvey said if you were going to kill someone, do it in Washita County, Ok. You'd probably get away with it.
There is a Army Corps of Engineers lake about 6 miles north, couple of square miles of water. Can't camp on the shore just in the rental area.
Moved over to East Oklahoma on beautiful Lake Eufaula. Sure glad I did. Better winters, less wind, can camp on the lake. BIG lake. 640 miles of shoreline.
Sure glad I left Foss.

I am not too far from Foss and love it here. Mostly small towns and fewer people. I can grow anything in the soil I have improved and the pastures are lush without any help at all. The wind blows and the winters are harsh but don't last long. If you aren't interested in your place at Foss...sell it to me. I would love it forever.

jo

Sorry to get off topic, but hey Poet! I am at Eufaula too! You got your garden in yet?

Cathi