What opinion do you have of small towns? Your answer will probably be based on the experiences you have had in your own life. There aren't many options to stop and talk to someone when you visit our community as it is now. As Christians I believe that we have fallen short in making people feel welcome in our town. The local chapter of the FFA put up a sign on the highway into town. It reads "Small, but friendly". I find the words "but friendly" to be telling when it comes to how welcome strangers must feel in a small town. It would be more appropriate if the sign read "Small, and friendly" perhaps.
We would love to have more families here in Branson. However, three families have moved away since our arrival last July. It is hard for anyone to learn about our town and tell others if there is nowhere for them to visit. Fortunately we have a member of the community who has spent his own money to buy a building with plans to renovate it into a museum / coffee shop. Many of us hope that this will give travelers a place to stop and visit. A place where they can see a friendly face, and learn about our town. When it is finished I will be sure to post about it. In the meantime if you feel like visiting Branson, CO let us know. Just like in the Montgomery Gentry song, several of us would be happy to show you around our town.
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My opinion of small towns is pretty much the same as Chuck's. They beat the stress and hassle of big cities. I have been to Branson and it is quaint little town rich with history.
ReplyDeleteOne question for Branson might be; what gives someone a reason to stop in Branson? If one can get gas, a snack, or a drink, then it might be more likely people may stop and get a chance to visit. I hope more people will stop and viit Branson when the museum/coffee shop is completed.
Small towns come in many shapes and varities just like big cities. We lived in Woodland Park, Colo., which is a bedroom community of about 6,000 people. About 80 percent of the population commuted to and worked in Colorado Springs. The town had two main highways, one to fly fishing on the Platte River, the other to Colorado Springs or mountain recreation and ski resorts. This crossroads provided opportunities for people to stop, get gas, buy a drink, etc.
We currently live in Sedona which is a small town in Northern Ariz. Sedona doesn't feel small because it is a premier resort destination. Sometimes it seems the whole world wants to see Sedona. About 12,000 people live here, but it is estimated that the town has about 35,000 visitors in it virtually every day. In our current economy that is a good thing.
My wife grew up in Rutland, Vermont. This was a small town whose economy centered on a General Electric plant. The fortunes of the town have waxed and waned with the G.E., plant. Unlike Woodland Park and Sedona where most everyone is from someplace else, Rutland is populated by generations of families. My wife was considered somewhat of a rebel when she ventured out of Rutland and moved to Colo.