The world's first train robbery of a moving train was conducted in Seymour. It happened just outside of town in 1866 and was attempted by the Reno Gang, who were caught and thrown in prison for it.
It's almost no surprise that this robbery happened in Seymour, given its importance as a railroad crossing
The world's first train robbery of a moving train was conducted in Seymour. It happened just outside of town in 1866 and was attempted by the Reno Gang, who were caught and thrown in prison for it.
It's almost no surprise that this robbery happened in Seymour, given its importance as a railroad crossing. In fact, the city is known as the 'Crossroads of America' because the east/west and north/south railroads cross each other in downtown. The city is about 50 miles from Cincinnati to the east and a similar distance to Indianapolis to the north and Louisville in the south, with each city commutable for those willing to travel a few hours a day to get to work and back. The climate in Seymour is classified as humid subtropical, meaning that it sees warm, often humid, summers and mild winters. Seymour is the 49th-largest community in the state, and as of the 2010 census, had 17,503 residents split between nearly 7,000 households.
It's not expensive to rent in Seymour, but if you work locally, you're unlikely to earn a big buck either. You can certainly get paid more if you are willing to commute to one of the major cities around it, which is just what some people do. The commute may be a slog, but you'll take home more money and spend less of it on housing expenses, so it might be well worth it in the end.
Start Searching Early
If you're not planning on moving for a little while, it doesn't hurt to start your search early. Remember, there are plenty of people who are looking for those cheaper rental prices in Seymour, so the market can get pretty competitive throughout the year. Don't expect to find all-bills-paid apartments just waiting to be snapped up. If there are any, they'll go fast. Vacancy rates are below average for the country, at under 9%, so get moving fast. On the good news side of things, however, there's a good proportion of renter's housing, with over 40% of the places in town occupied by people renting.
What will you need?
If you want to snap up a decent place quickly, you need to bring your A game. If you've already got a job lined up or are relocating, that's really going to work in your favor. If your credit is good, you're onto a winner, but still make sure you get all your references together to make yourself seem as attractive as possible as a possible renter.
What sort of housing is there?
As with most small cities, you're going to mainly find detached housing with three to five bedrooms on the outskirts of the center of the city, which is cool for anyone wanting a house to rent in Seymour. However, fear not, apartment seekers, because apartment buildings account for a good 25% of the market share. One-bedroom apartments are available, although not in huge numbers, and there are plenty of two beds around, so whether you're moving alone or with someone else, you should be OK. Just get on it quick!
Neighborhood scouting is always sensible before you get dragged around by a bunch of realtors telling you what you should be looking for. Frankly, they may know the town, but they don't know you, so it's a good idea to have a look around and do your own research before you commit to a viewing in the middle of nowhere.
City Center: Always the place to start if you're after an apartment. As you'd expect, the neighborhood is small, but it's densely packed with amenities like the local hospital, restaurants and bars -- Bubba's Place and On the Rox are good -- and local shops.
W Tipton Street / Buckeye Street: There's a nice park here -- Gaiser Park -- with a baseball field and basketball and tennis courts. It's a nice spot during the warm summer.
E Tipton Street / S Obrien Street: Along E Tipton Street, you'll find all the fast-food chain restaurants. McDonald's, Wendy's. Papa John's -- you name it, it's here. Oh, and there's a fitness center, Anytime Fitness, right across the road, in case you're feeling guilty after chowing down. Although maybe give it a couple of hours before you exercise!
N Ewing Street / E 16th Street: Enjoy a spot of golf on a relaxing summer Sunday afternoon? Well, you owe it to yourself to check this neighborhood out, because it's home to Seymour Golf Course.
Redington / Chestnut Ridge: This area literally surrounds all the smaller, inner neighborhoods and is a good place if you want to step back from the city a little bit and find a nice house rental. Down in the southeast, you'll find the wonderful Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, which is well worth your time on weekends.
Freetown: Stretches all the way off the west and is largely taken up by another wonderful outdoor refuge: Brown County State Park.
Nobody moves to Seymour for the high life or the fast pace of big-city living. It's a small town with small-town values and a great 'local' feel to it, which is just what you want, right? The place is brilliantly connected both by rail and road, so there's nothing to say that you can't enjoy the best of both worlds -- work in the bigger city by day and trot out to the country in the evening.
The city runs a couple of annual events that you're sure to get involved in as you get settled -- the Victory over Japan Day parade and Oktoberfest -- while there are plenty of nightspots and restaurants all over town to enjoy and explore. Chatterbox Bar and Grill, Poplar Street Tavern and Restaurant and Miller's Tavern are just a few to mention. Just don't expect banging clubs that stay open until the early hours.
There's a definite outdoorsy vibe to the place, and plenty of great sights and sounds to be seen and heard in the nearby area. The city is surrounded by parks and refuges, with Brown State Park to the west, Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge to the east and Jackson-Washington State Forest to the south. And that's saying nothing of Muscatatuck Wildlife Refuge just on the city's doorstep. If you're not the outdoor type, it might be best for you to stick to city living.
