Small Town, USA

Small Town, USA, population 14,000. Nestled ten miles out from the interstate, forty miles from the nearest major city, and the last stop on the commuter train. Fields of green pastures, corn and cows will guide you toward the big smiling “Welcome to Small Town” sign.

Small Town is picturesque Americana- clean, quiet, tree-lined streets, sidewalks, Victorian-style homes, historic downtown with church bells ringing at the stroke of noon and at the six o’clock hour. The community is close-knit and family-friendly. The schools are great. Crime is low. Traffic is mild. Not much ever happens here, but that is a part of its charm.

Main Street runs through the center of town, leading into the historic downtown area. The buildings downtown are over a century old but have been well maintained. Small, independently owned, mom ’n’ pops businesses fill the downtown storefronts. A plethora of antique and collectible shops can be found throughout the town square.

There is a single-screen movie theatre with balcony seating to enjoy. And a block from there, is a playhouse, with live theatre performances. Behind the row of downtown buildings, is a bandshell that serves to hold community concerts, talent shows, and more. The library, the bowling alley, and the local diner serve as other meetup hubs for the community.

Main Street is regularly closed off for seasonal parades. The whole town comes out! They line either side of the street to wave at the floats, fire trucks, and marching band as they pass by, tossing out candy and good cheer. You don’t miss a parade in Small Town!

Team spirit is also a must in Small Town. Ya gotta love the athletics at the local high school. Even if you, nor your family, are high school students, you still tend to hear about what is going on with the local sports teams. Go Tigers!

Ample opportunities for outdoor recreation are readily available. From spring through fall, hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and horseback riding are some favorite pastimes. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and sledding are popular ways to embrace the winter season.

Familiarity is the way of life here in Small Town. Many residents were born and raised here. Everyone knows just about everyone. Most folks know the area like the back of their hand and could easily navigate their way through town with their eyes closed. The area is quaint. It feels safe, comfortable, and predictable.

Residents take pride in their homes, as well as their community here. Houses and yards are well kept. People look after each other. Folks are polite and friendly. Many will wave kindly to cars driving past. Children play outside in their yards and ride bicycles down the sidewalks. There are many nice parks to enjoy. Life is rather simple and pleasant. And this is the way they like it.

In fact, folks here are adamantly dedicated to preserving their quaint little village. They have just enough of the things they need- a grocery store, a few churches, a couple of restaurants, a barber, doctor, dentist, lawyer, realtor, etc. They fervently vote out proposals for any new construction of large corporate chains, plazas, and industrial complexes. They don’t want their little town to blow up and get “too big”. They don’t want the hassle, the traffic, and the taxes that come with all that. They thrive on the safety and simplicity of their little town.

Small Town is not suburbia, in the sprawling metropolitan sense. Nor is it completely rural.

Small Town is somewhere in between the McDonalds and shopping mall culture that is iconic of metro suburbia, and the remote farm country landscapes of rural America.

Its strong communal roots are in its history and the intentions brought forth by those who settled here. People who migrated from either the city or from rural farm life, came to settle in Small Town, seeking opportunities for a better way of life than the one they’d known. They arrived in Small Town with hopes and dreams. They built their lives here. They raised their children here. They invested physically, financially, mentally, and emotionally in this place where they laid roots for their families to grow. Small Town is home; it is a part of them and their story.

There is a living heartbeat in this quaint little town. There is a desire to thrive, to connect, to preserve, and to protect their little village for many generations to come. The people of Small Town take delight and great pride in being a part of this small wholesome community. If home is where the heart is, then Small Town has got it made. These folks love their small town, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.