Page 3: Why Your City Sucks: Edmond (http://www.thelostogle.com/2010/02/11/page-3-why-your-city-sucks-edmond/)

That is f'in funny! Reading the comments too was a big laugh!!

LOL that is pretty funny.

You know what, I happen to love living in Edmond. I just moved here from Orlando, Florida and it is TONS better than there!

I really don't understand the purpose behind writing such a piece...what does it accomplish? If it is not for you, then find the city that floats your boat, move there and be happy...no reason to publically trash a place that actually provides a great place in the heartland for thousands of people to call home. We have found this city to be full of great amenities, solid public services, friendly people, and natural beauty. Way more to offer than where we just came from.

Trust me, there are lots of worse places to live; Edmond does NOT suck.

(The above reply was composed in it's entirety on an iPhone while Celebrator was waiting on the light at 2nd and Bryant.)

You know what, I happen to love living in Edmond. I just moved here from Orlando, Florida and it is TONS better than there!

I really don't understand the purpose behind writing such a piece...what does it accomplish? If it is not for you, then find the city that floats your boat, move there and be happy...no reason to publically trash a place that actually provides a great place in the heartland for thousands of people to call home. We have found this city to be full of great amenities, solid public services, friendly people, and natural beauty. Way more to offer than where we just came from.

Trust me, there are lots of worse places to live; Edmond does NOT suck.

hehe, I was wondering who the first one would be.

(The above reply was composed in it's entirety on an iPhone while Celebrator was waiting on the light at 2nd and Bryant.)

:LolLolLol Damned near spewed my coffee on that one!

I grew up in Edmond. It's a great place until you get to be 16.

From there on, it seems as if the police and everything else in the town are out to get you because they have nothing better to do.

Maybe when some more section 8 apartments are built (next to $300-$400K homes), things'll be different. 'Til then, until and unless I have min-Midtowners, there ain't no way I'm living in Edmond.

Yeah, I live in Coffee Creek - which is about as snobby as you can get besides Oak Tree. Don't get me wrong - people are nice here. But even for us 30 somethings the whole town dies at 8 pm.

I have decided I simply adore Edmond

I don't have to live there, almost never visit there, scarcely even drive past there, but there is still good reason to be happy for Edmond. Shoot, if it weren't for Edmond, most of them folks might of moved south and parked themselves down in Norman.
:poke:

Yeah, I live in Coffee Creek - which is about as snobby as you can get besides Oak Tree. Don't get me wrong - people are nice here. But even for us 30 somethings the whole town dies at 8 pm.

What suburb doesn't die at 8 PM?

What suburb doesn't die at 8 PM?

Only one... Norman.

Its a little different. It's a college town. I lived there over a couple of summers and it pretty much died off at 8PM then, too.

What suburb doesn't die at 8 PM?

Well here in Oklahoma - none.

Minneapolis on the other hand...

Minneapolis is a much more densely populated city and many of those suburbs are close-in. I would think if Edmond and its 100,000 relatively affluent citizens sat where Nichols Hills does, Edmond would have more nightlife.

I didn't know some Oklahoma towns, such as Edmond, had sunset laws. Now I know why some towns, such as Stillwater, came to have a black section of town while other towns never established a black section. Blacks had to settle some place.

(The above reply was composed in it's entirety on an iPhone while Celebrator was waiting on the light at 2nd and Bryant.)

Yes, you're right...but you forgot to mention that my chauffeur was driving.

Yes, you're right...but you forgot to mention that my chauffeur was driving.

Nah. If you're being chauffeured, you can type while on-the-go, and then the joke doesn't work. What I did forget to mention, though, was that your iPhone is diamond-encrusted.

...and platinum plated....

I don't understand the hate for Edmond.

One of the best school systems in the nation.

The traffic is not that bad. 2nd street and Broadway are no worse than the area near OU, or NW Expressway (from Penn Square Mall to Rockwell), Western/63rd is FAR worse than 2nd/Bryant.

Why the hate for "cookie-cutter" neighborhoods? Jealousy? There are cookie-cutter neighborhoods in Mustang/Yukon/Norman/NW OKC/SW OKC/W OKC.

Listen to traffice reports on the radio in the morning....75% of accidents are from I-240, and Northbound I-35 (south of I-40).

Edmond is not the ghetto like many other parts of the metro....like south of I-40, minus the cookie-cutter neighborhoods.

You know what, I happen to love living in Edmond. I just moved here from Orlando, Florida and it is TONS better than there!

I really don't understand the purpose behind writing such a piece...what does it accomplish? If it is not for you, then find the city that floats your boat, move there and be happy...no reason to publically trash a place that actually provides a great place in the heartland for thousands of people to call home. We have found this city to be full of great amenities, solid public services, friendly people, and natural beauty. Way more to offer than where we just came from.

Trust me, there are lots of worse places to live; Edmond does NOT suck.



People write these articles because they feel insecure with where they currently reside, so they attack the nicer places.

simple really. Insecure idiots. :)

Only one... Norman.

Try norman in the summer. Dead.

People write these articles because they feel insecure with where they currently reside, so they attack the nicer places.


maybe they should have titled the article "Why Your City Has No Sense Of Humor: Edmond"

People write these articles because they feel insecure with where they currently reside, so they attack the nicer places.

simple really. Insecure idiots. :)

Preach on, brother. These people are simply jealous of Edmond's crazy nightlife and smooth-flowing traffic.

People write these articles because they feel insecure with where they currently reside, so they attack the nicer places.

simple really. Insecure idiots. :)

I second that. Sour grapes.

No...they write them so people will spend hours arguing about them on message boards :-P

Preach on, brother. These people are simply jealous of Edmond's crazy nightlife and smooth-flowing traffic.

Traffic...I'll give ya that! It does blow.

Crazy night life...not something of value for a bedroom community. This is actually one of the values of Edmond, the fact that is has none!

I used to live in Dallas so the traffic here isn't that bad; yes, there are some very bad areas, but it could be much worse. At least in Edmond, the growth hasn't overwhelmed the infrastructure like the suburbs of Dallas.

As for the nightlife, you can keep it elsewhere. We live in Uptown Dallas for 10 weeks of the year near the "nightlife" areas and I can tell you for those that have kids and need to sleep, it sucks. Sirens from police cars and ambulances blaring in the night and drunks yelling profanities and getting into fights. So glad my kids are heavy sleepers and I can use earplugs.

If you want nightlife, do the due diligence and find where it is, move there and enjoy the scene. Don't come to a place like Edmond and expect to have a nightlife.

hehe! Who accused Edmond of being too sensitive?

Issue 4 Mar/April 2010 Spring Fashion (http://www.edmondactive.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=107)

That woman is ugly....at least from the shoulders up.

She works out at the gym where I have my membership. She's drop-dead-gorgeous.

Granted, Edmond's traffic is awful, the timing on the traffic lights was done by a sadist, there is a degree of phoney-ness, but it is generally a peaceful and wholesome place. Many of the residents locate there because of the schools. Although they have the same problems as any school system, the really bad stuff is not as bad. The town was far smaller when I moved there in about 1970 and the residents haven't allowed the infrastructure to keep up with the growth. Years ago there was an opportunity to provide a traffic loop around town, but now it is too densely populated to do that.

Granted, Edmond's traffic is awful, the timing on the traffic lights was done by a sadist, there is a degree of phoney-ness, but it is generally a peaceful and wholesome place. Many of the residents locate there because of the schools. Although they have the same problems as any school system, the really bad stuff is not as bad. The town was far smaller when I moved there in about 1970 and the residents haven't allowed the infrastructure to keep up with the growth. Years ago there was an opportunity to provide a traffic loop around town, but now it is too densely populated to do that.

I'd buy that if the city wasn't so busy putting up traffic lights at 20-yard intervals along every major street.

There's absolutely no need for many of them. Biggest example I can think of is the new southern light on Broadway. It serves no purpose at all, goes red for 60-180 seconds at 2am with zero cross traffic and wasn't built in 1970.

Years ago there was an opportunity to provide a traffic loop around town, but now it is too densely populated to do that.

I'd like to know more about this. It'd be great if the Hefner Parkway was extended north to, say, Covell or Waterloo, and then looped around to I-35.

And what's the deal with the lack of right turn lanes? I'm guessing there's gotta be some good reason they haven't put those in at some of the busier, older intersections around town, right?

Thumbs up for the recent "left turn on green" improvements.

Lack of right turn lanes - people blocking right turns on red - new stoplights every 20 ft. & the furthest south stoplight on Broadway - sheesh.

Used to be i could make a left turn out of my addition with minimal wait time - they put up a stoplight and the wait time tripled. When i complained i was told of the number of traffic accidents the light had prevented. I had assumed it was a traffic flow issue - but evidently they save lives???

She works out at the gym where I have my membership. She's drop-dead-gorgeous.

Might need to recalibrate my monitor then.... I'm still going with the ugly above the shoulders statement.

I'd buy that if the city wasn't so busy putting up traffic lights at 20-yard intervals along every major street.

There's absolutely no need for many of them. Biggest example I can think of is the new southern light on Broadway. It serves no purpose at all, goes red for 60-180 seconds at 2am with zero cross traffic and wasn't built in 1970.

Edmond is no worse than any "major" part of the metro with traffic. People just like to bash Edmond for no reason. It's the same way with Dane Cook. And Coach K.

What will be nice when Edmond completes it's intelligent traffic system across the whole city. Will make traffic issues much much better.

By the way I typed this from my iPad while having a sherry.

Thumbs up for the recent "left turn on green" improvements.

Lack of right turn lanes - people blocking right turns on red - new stoplights every 20 ft. & the furthest south stoplight on Broadway - sheesh.



What's up with that? I've never lived anywhere where people do that like they do it here. There will be no one in the left lane, and ten cars in the right lane, and only one poor guy 9 cars back trying to turn right. Why don't some of those people move into the left lane? It's like " I'm gonna have to make a right turn in 2 miles, so I better get over now" Geez, this is Oklahoma people, someone will let you over when you need to turn, it's not necessary to drive in the right lane the entire time. This is the same place where people will just stop while driving down the street, to let someone come out of a shopping center.

Sorry, I've needed to get that said for years!

You want a real taste of Edmond and the attitude, try working in retail there. 20 years in retail and I've never had such rude customers. But I have to say I have 2 older Edmond residents and they are often embarrassed at how these people act.

I love seeining my life flash before my eyes everyday when my lane merges going west just after sante fe on danforth... its always some rich mid 50s guy in a little toy mazda that he thinks he looks cool in LAWL! btw... take off your windshield sunglasses stay at home moms... its cloudy sheesh

I was just talking to my wife earlier about the right turn lanes. I know in some spots it would be difficult - but I think they could easily put right lanes in at some intersections. One thing they did RIGHT a few years back was replace the arrow left turn lights in the city with the yield on green.

You want a real taste of Edmond and the attitude, try working in retail there. 20 years in retail and I've never had such rude customers. But I have to say I have 2 older Edmond residents and they are often embarrassed at how these people act.

Just curious ... how so.

What's up with that? I've never lived anywhere where people do that like they do it here. There will be no one in the left lane, and ten cars in the right lane, and only one poor guy 9 cars back trying to turn right. Why don't some of those people move into the left lane? It's like " I'm gonna have to make a right turn in 2 miles, so I better get over now" Geez, this is Oklahoma people, someone will let you over when you need to turn, it's not necessary to drive in the right lane the entire time. This is the same place where people will just stop while driving down the street, to let someone come out of a shopping center.

Sorry, I've needed to get that said for years!

Actually, that happens all over, saw it in Chicago burbs, Chicago proper, Seattle burbs, Seattle proper, for years...

Personally, if I'm in the right lane at a stoplight, that's just the lane I ended up in for some reason and will probably stay in it for most of the time on that street since there are no left-turn-only lanes on most of the streets I drive (122nd, 33rd and 15th and Boulevard in Edmond, MacArthur, May, Penn, ad nauseum), and there are a huge amount of left-turners that I don't want to get stuck behind because I'll probably miss the next light since timing and coherence in traffic signals in OKC metro area is almost non-existent. Yeah, that could be construed as being rude to the poor right-turner a few cars back, but that's just the way it is. Hell, most drivers won't know he's turning right because he won't be using his turn signal. :doh:

It is true, though, in most cities drivers will tend to even the lanes up at lights, they won't leave one lane almost empty while piling up in the other.

And even though drivers think they're being courteous by letting someone out onto a major street or letting someone turn left in front of them, they're not, they're screwing up lots of other traffic... :numchucks

Edmond traffic is terrible, but you get to know the times to avoid certain areas.

BTW, avoid Kelly between 15th and 2nd street! They're tearing it up and it's down to one lane both ways. Grrrr!

Ha.. .that was pretty funny. The downtown seems to be changing though, this article is a few years old.

Typical TLO article. If they weren't bitching about something, what would they have to write....

Was born in Edmond (tiny house on Rankin north of UCO) and moved to OKC when I was about 11. Spend the next 32 years trying to get back to Edmond.

We lived in a nice home in Windsor Hills, a really nice home in Bush Hills and then I moved out.... Lived in nice to very nice condos downtown and lived in ghetto duplexes and apartments all over OKC after I moved out of my parents home. Even lived in some crappy apartments in Norman while at OU.

Got married and lived in another ghetto neighborhood for a dozen years in SE OKC near 44th and Sunnylane.

Saved and saved and saved just to move back to Edmond and I'm very happy we did. No McMansions for us, just a nice 1960's house on 2.5 wooded acres literally surrounded by our best friends (all our houses back up to each other).

There's nothing to love or hate about Edmond that doesn't exist in OKC, Moore, Norman, etc. There is uppity parts of town and there are poor parts of town. I've personally lived in both and I like somewhere right in the middle. There is traffic in some parts of Edmond, just like everywhere else.

I've personally never understood the distain others have for Edmond and think it actually reflects much more about the people spewing it than it does about Edmond itself.

...
I've personally never understood the distain others have for Edmond and think it actually reflects much more about the people spewing it than it does about Edmond itself.

My family moved to Edmond in the middle of my senior year in high school, I kept going to my OKC school (Northeast) while my brother transferred to Edmond schools since he was just in the 9th grade then. I believe at that point (1982-3), there were less than a dozen black people in the entire Edmond high school he went to (bussing (busing, bus-ing?) started when I was in elementary school and I liked the diversity all through my school years) and I think my dad wanted to move to Edmond because he was racist. That's why I didn't and don't like it, just not diverse or interesting enough for me.

My family moved to Edmond in the middle of my senior year in high school, I kept going to my OKC school (Northeast) while my brother transferred to Edmond schools since he was just in the 9th grade then. I believe at that point (1982-3), there were less than a dozen black people in the entire Edmond high school he went to (bussing (busing, bus-ing?) started when I was in elementary school and I liked the diversity all through my school years) and I think my dad wanted to move to Edmond because he was racist. That's why I didn't and don't like it, just not diverse or interesting enough for me.

That was the 80's right? Lots of things change in 30+ years...... Also, things weren't so different in OKC back then.

I went to Cassidy for a couple of years in the 80's - hated it and begged my parents to let me go to public school - kids were way too snobby for me and I already had a job and they didn't have a clue what a job was. I also only recall one black student. Hardly any of my classmates lived in Edmond. They were OKC area snobs through and through.

However, when I went to PC Original it wasn't diverse at all. I only recall a handful of black students. I didn't see it as racist, that's just how it was. Its far more diversified now - things change.

We stay in our little area of Edmond, so I can't speak for the rest of it.... but I go to WalMart at East 15th and I-35 and its pretty darn 'diverse' in there - black, white, brown, rich, poor, red neck, preppy, you name it and I'm guessing they pretty much all live in Edmond.

I've got millionaire neighbors and neighbors that are blue collar working stiffs.

'Interesting' means different things to different people at different phases in their life. In my 40's I find Edmond as interesting as anywhere else I've been. But I don't look to be entertained, I can keep myself plenty busy as it is.

The Edmond argument reminds me of the downtown OKC vs. rural or suburb living..... different strokes for different folks.

OKC may have had its share of racism, but I think Edmond was pretty much white, white, white, and intolerant for a lot of its history:

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sundowntownsshow.php?id=1342

Basically, for me, it's too rich, too white, too dull, too intolerant (I've heard stories about Edmond cops from someone on the citizens committee (or whatever it's called) and they (some cops and citizens) would like to keep it rich, white, and dull, hence the intolerance). Used to be worse, from what it sounds like, but I just have absolutely no reason to be in Edmond unless I'm visiting my brother, mother or veterinarian (hate that she's there, but she's one of the few cat-only vets we've found). Yeah, lots of generalizations in there, so bust me on those, but I believe it's still somewhat the way I describe it and therefore, we just don't really need to go there to do anything, we can just drive south in OKC instead of east into Edmond and get the same retail/meals/whatever, if not better...

BBatesOKC...I really don't want to start an argument with you, because in reading your posts I find myself agreeing with much of what you have to say. There are snobby people everywhere and people without means everywhere. And as someone who grew up in Edmond, it's a nice place, better-than-average (at least for OKC) and I grow tired of the disdain for Edmond that seems to be prevalent.

But that logic also follows for the private school that you referenced attending in the 80s. From a fair-minded poster such as yourself, I was taken aback that you somehow didn't even know how to spell it. Casady. My class had white kids, black kids, rich kids, kids on scholarship, sons and daughters of corporate titans, sons and daughters of immigrants. I had classmates from Nichols Hills, classmates from NE OKC, and my brother and I were not the only students from Edmond. Not by a long shot. We were considerably more diverse than Edmond Memorial High School, and I know that because I had friends at Edmond and actually researched that very issue when in school.

I'm sorry you were unhappy at Casady. But as someone who was there at the same time (I'm a bit younger, it seems), I gently disagree with your assessment. Your arguments serve you well when referencing Edmond. Please be consistent with your arguments.

OKC may have had its share of racism, but I think Edmond was pretty much white, white, white, and intolerant for a lot of its history:

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sundowntownsshow.php?id=1342

Basically, for me, it's too rich, too white, too dull, too intolerant (I've heard stories about Edmond cops from someone on the citizens committee (or whatever it's called) and they (some cops and citizens) would like to keep it rich, white, and dull, hence the intolerance). Used to be worse, from what it sounds like, but I just have absolutely no reason to be in Edmond unless I'm visiting my brother, mother or veterinarian (hate that she's there, but she's one of the few cat-only vets we've found). Yeah, lots of generalizations in there, so bust me on those, but I believe it's still somewhat the way I describe it and therefore, we just don't really need to go there to do anything, we can just drive south in OKC instead of east into Edmond and get the same retail/meals/whatever, if not better...If I recall right, it wasn't that long ago where blacks had to be in by a certain hour in Edmond.

If I recall right, it wasn't that long ago where blacks had to be in by a certain hour in Edmond.

Where do you get this crap from.

I've lived in Edmond and the crap some people spew of complete nonsense is amazing. Today Edmond is huge in land area and very diverse in most areas.

BBatesOKC...I really don't want to start an argument with you, because in reading your posts I find myself agreeing with much of what you have to say. There are snobby people everywhere and people without means everywhere. And as someone who grew up in Edmond, it's a nice place, better-than-average (at least for OKC) and I grow tired of the disdain for Edmond that seems to be prevalent.

But that logic also follows for the private school that you referenced attending in the 80s. From a fair-minded poster such as yourself, I was taken aback that you somehow didn't even know how to spell it. Casady. My class had white kids, black kids, rich kids, kids on scholarship, sons and daughters of corporate titans, sons and daughters of immigrants. I had classmates from Nichols Hills, classmates from NE OKC, and my brother and I were not the only students from Edmond. Not by a long shot. We were considerably more diverse than Edmond Memorial High School, and I know that because I had friends at Edmond and actually researched that very issue when in school.

I'm sorry you were unhappy at Casady. But as someone who was there at the same time (I'm a bit younger, it seems), I gently disagree with your assessment. Your arguments serve you well when referencing Edmond. Please be consistent with your arguments.

FYI - Don't be so 'taken aback' - My computer doesn't recognize 'Casady' as a word and autocorrects to 'Cassidy.' I've since told my computer to 'learn the word.'

Regardless, Your experience and mine at Casady were apparently different. Since you were not in my same year I don't really see how you can disagree with me - buts that's of little concern.

When I was there we had virtually no black students that I recall in my class and very few non-snobbs. So much so I did everything I could to get out of that school. My best friend there was one of those 'scholarship kids' and is a local defense lawyer in OKC now. I remember quite vividly being teased and called 'poor' (despite living in a very nice home in OKC) because at a very young age I had a job.

I can't speak for Edmond Memorial HS because I never went there.

I recall going back to PCO only a few years after I graduated and the landscape there was already quite a bit different.

But this isn't a Casady thread or PCO so I'll leave it at that.

Where do you get this crap from.

I've lived in Edmond and the crap some people spew of complete nonsense is amazing. Today Edmond is huge in land area and very diverse in most areas.heard it from quite a few people including previous councilman. You have anything to disprove it?

In all fairness, on the scale of time, 50 to 100 years ago could be considered to be "[not] that long ago" . . .

Where do you get this crap from.

I've lived in Edmond and the crap some people spew of complete nonsense is amazing. Today Edmond is huge in land area and very diverse in most areas.

The link in my post above PluPan's mentions laws in place until the late 1960/early 1970s about Edmond being a sundown town. No links or proof, says the laws were on the books until then, but not enforced by then. Not sure when they stopped enforcing them.

From my link:

"When I moved to Edmond, Oklahoma in 1969, there
still was a city ordinance forbidding black people to be
in town after sundown. I do not know if it applied to
Native Americans, but I would not be surprised... My
husband had spent most of his youth in Edmond. I had
grown up in Arkansas and was very familiar with
segregation, but most of the cities I knew had black
families living there. When I married and we moved to
Edmond, I was surprised to see that there were no
black families in town. [My husband] and his family
told me about the city ordinance and said that it was
called a 'sundown' law. As I remember it the first black
family moved to Edmond in the late '70s... I cannot
attest to actually seeing the ordinance, but I always
believed it had existed at one time because Oklahoma
City (Edmond is a suburb of OKC) had a very large
black population and Edmond became the 'white flight'
capitol of the area when the OKC schools were
desegregated."
-posted to the web, 2004

"Oklahoma has a history of poor race relations...
Edmond is a suburb of Oklahoma City, and when the
Oklahoma City schools began serious desegregation in
1972, the population of Edmond exploded with
parents fleeing the city... Edmond has traditionally be
majority white (currently over 86%), wealthy,
Republican, and racially intolerant. Indeed, Edmond
had 'sundown laws', prohibiting blacks from spending
the night within the town limits, on the books until
1974... They were not in force at that late date but no
one had bothered to remove them from the books."
-anonymous post on the Slacker Friday weblog, 12
September 2005

"I have seen a real estate pamphlet from the 1940s that proclaims on it\'s list of desirable attributes \"No Negroes!\". This was the premier white flight suburb of Oklahoma City."
-Email from Oklahoma resident 9/9/2008

"In the Edmond Historical Society museum there is an old post card from the Royce Cafe that reads something like "15,000 people, no Negros."
-Email from Oklahoma resident 8/20/09

Where do you get this crap from.

I've lived in Edmond and the crap some people spew of complete nonsense is amazing. Today Edmond is huge in land area and very diverse in most areas.

Its a well known fact both Edmond and Norman were sundown towns.

Kinda surprised this thread has been revived. That TLO article had been out for some time.

Kinda surprised this thread has been revived. That TLO article had been out for some time.

Not really surprising to me.... the stereotypes are obviously still very prevalent.

I'm well aware that Edmond had sundown laws, what irks me is when it's brought up routinely as almost some sorta wierd badge of honor about how 'elite' the area was.

That's why I mentioned now days the city is huge and very diverse compared to decades ago.

Im not saying that anyone in this thread has done it but it's like a person bringing up the highschool they went to had 1 minority student, or that their grand parents were really racist, or that their family owned slaves.Or that 40 years ago their town was a result of white flight and minorities werent even allowed there after dark.

What does it really help or accomplish by bringing it into a conversation.

When i lived there I had a 2 people mention it when we were talking about completely unrelated topics, and each time I really got close to saying - so do you want to form some group and go scare off all these others who decided to move to our fair town.