Can We Beat The Doomsayers?

This article was originally published by the Dorchester Times in October 2007.  Some of the reader comments are from that year.

The Economist magazine recently published an article on small town revival. 

In an article entitled "America the Creative," a bleak picture is painted for many small rural towns across America:

"Most small towns are still struggling, as a tour of boarded-up main streets and closed John Deere dealerships in the rural heartland will show. Out-migration has drained their populations over the past century. Agri-businesses have replaced small farms -- and shopping malls an hour away (not to mention Wal-Mart and the Internet) have undercut local shops. In many small towns only old people are for the most part left, as there is little to attract the young. Just 17% of America's population today lives outside metropolitan areas."

But the article goes on to document a handful of communities "deep in the boondocks" that are determined to beat off the doomsayers with creative ideas, including:

• Hidalgo, Texas decided to capitalize on its site in the migration path of the dreaded African killer bees. The town boldly erected a 20-foot (6 meters) long statue of a bee, made from fiberglass and steel, and was promptly dubbed the "Killer Bee Capital of the World." Soon, the tourists flocked.


• Colquitt,Georgia, population 1,900 and in one of the poorest parts of America, was revived by a storytelling festival known as "Swamp Gravy." In the early 1990s, someone had the bright idea of performing local folk-tales as musicals. Today, some 40,000 people come each year to the festivities, which are held in a converted cotton mill. Many new businesses have opened on the town square, and retail and restaurant sales triple when the Swamp Gravy show is on.


• Nelsonville, Ohio, has become an “artists Mecca” in recent years.


• Culbertson, Montana, whose population dropped to 714 in 2005, recently replaced its old oil-seed factory with a biodiesel plant that employs several dozen workers.

The National Trust Main Street Center, an organization that has helped with small town revival, is lead by Doug Loescher. He says that many towns have been trying for years to revive themselves, with little success. “There's usually a lot of skepticism that another approach can really make a difference,” Loescher said. He adds that local officials also have to realize that downtowns have changed for ever. Clothing and hardware stores may never return to main street. Rather, says Mr. Loescher, restaurants and bars, government offices and even private houses should be given a place near Main Street.

Another channel is philanthropy. Small towns can and should look for help from people with money. (Example: Dorchester area natives who have made it in Chicago, New York or even Omaha and Lincoln, as well as area farmers who've been blessed by the recent boon in commodities). In particular, the well-off should be encouraged to give not just to churches and libraries, but also to economic development.

The Times is interested in your economic development ideas for Dorchester. 

What special events or attractions could we bring to our community? What other "outside-the-box" proposals should village leaders be exploring? 

How can we to beat the doomsayers with our own creativity?