Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey Into Heart Of America

Backstory:  I found this book in a Little Free Library on one of my neighbourhood walks last fall.  After quickly reading the back cover info, I thought this would be a great book to take on my upcoming trip to Victoria. I started reading it on the plane and loved it, but accidently left it on the plane.  (Kudos to West Jet, who found it and made arrangements for me to pick it up when I checked in for my flight back to Calgary home.)

Fascinating Read

“Our Towns” is a fascinating read on many different levels.  Yes, it is a travelogue for those interested in off-the-beaten path road trip in the USA, post COVID.  For urban planners and economic development professionals it has 25+ case studies of how towns and cities of all sizes in decline have (or are working) on rebuilding. It is also a primer on the importance of immigrants in reshaping our cities and towns.  For artists and art professionals, there are many  examples of how the arts are contributing to city and community building.   

What I personally loved the most was how co-authors James and Deborah Fallows told stories about city building and economic development in a very compelling and reader-friendly manner, without any photos, graphs or charts.  At the end of the book, they say “the challenge of journalism is always to make what’s important interesting.”  They have succeeded.  Here are some of their stories.  

Sioux Falls, South Dakota (population 183,793)

In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, we learn how the creation of public spaces along its river for cycling, walking and events have made the city attractive to young entrepreneurs.  Deb’s urban design law is “the mark of a successful city is having a river walk, whether or not there is a river.” We also learn how the city attracted three major tech businesses that have helped revitalize the city. The role of start-ups and the tech industry as a key element of city building is a recurring theme in the book.

We also learn how Sioux Falls is well known for its strong support system for refugee and migrant communities - over 60 languages are spoken in the community today.  

A reoccurring theme was successful cities are those that welcome new immigrants and provide support for them to get established in the community.

Holland, Michigan (population 33,216)

The Fallows note that though at first glance Holland’s downtown may look kitschy with its attempt to imitate a Dutch city, they quickly realized one of the common denominators of cities and towns on the rise is a downtown with new residential buildings and hotels, multiple restaurants, craft brewery, corporate headquarters and a college or university nearby. They also observed over and over again that when all of the downtown shop fronts occupied and almost none of them lawyers or doctors’ offices, financial firms or other “dead” professional spaces that does nothing to attract casual foot traffic, main streets were vibrant places.  

We learn how Holland uses hot water from the cooling system of their giant downtown coal-powered electric plant to heat their sidewalks to keep them snow-free in the winter.   As well, we find out as how the city has a “culture of creating, a place that makes things.” Holland and area is home to three of the world’s largest office furniture manufacturing plants – Steelcase, Herman Miller and Haworth.  The story of how this came to happen is fascinating.

When a local leader was asked “What makes the city what it is?” he answered “It’s because of the local entrepreneurs who started companies here, kept them here, and remained active in the community.”  

Another of the reoccurring theme is how important local entrepreneurship is to rebuilding towns and cities. 

Burlington, Vermont (population 42,819)

In Burlington we learn how IBM’s move to the city in the late 50s was a “watershed” event. The Fallows correctly identify that “tech companies want to locate in places that are great places to live and when people like living in a place, they find ways to stay there.”  

We also learn about the importance of dishwashers as the foundation of the restaurant industry which is why refugees and immigrants are critical to a successful city as they are willing to take these jobs as their entry into the local community.  

The Fallows explain too how Burlington’s Sustainable Academy a unique elementary school that not only caters to the needs of the refugees and immigrants, but also links to the farming community helping it adapt to the new economy.  

One of the common themes in the case studies in Our Towns is the importance of schools and schools as the catalyst for urban renewal.  

Eastport, Maine (1,268)  

Once the center of the Atlantic Seaboard’s sardine-canning industry, its population has fallen from 5,000 in 1900s to 1,200 today, with a median age of 55 years old. However, this town is home to an “audacious and creative recovery attempt.”

The town’s biggest advantages are that it has the deepest natural harbour in the lower 48-states and it is the easternmost point in America. By identifying special opportunities, it has become a shipping port to Europe - even without a railway link!  One of those specialties is container ships full of live pregnant cows, bound for Turkey to repopulate European beef and dairy herds reduced by mad cow disease. Why pregnant cows?  Because their calves can be born on European soil and then have the advantages of being treated as native-born.  Furthermore, they have partnered with Sexing Technologies, based in Navasota, Texas to ensure that nearly all of the calves will be females. 

Another success story is how the former pulp and paper industry shipments having declined with the decline in the newspaper industry, led to Torrefaction developing a process to convert pulp and wood-by products (including stumps), into briquette-like pellets. European utility companies substitute these for coal in electric-power plants, which allow for reduced coal consumption.  Consultants who said they would be lucky to do 50,000 tons a year, are now eating their words as they are now doing 450,000/year. 

And then there is the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, created by two Eastport natives who moved back to the town in 2002, bought the old Eastport Savings Bank and transformed it into a museum. Then, in 2011 they purchased two more buildings for artists’ studios and today the institute has expanded into half-dozen 19th century buildings around town, including churches, a Civil War veterans hall and private residence, where visiting artists live. 

The Fallows note 30+ buildings in Eastport Historic District have been transformed and everyone in Eastport seems to be a multi-tasker and an artist. The Fallows conducted 50 interviews with Eastport locals asking if they thought the town was still in decline and if they felt things were improving.  Everyone said “No” to declining and “YES” to improving, but they all also knew it will take 20+ years to recover and they are only halfway there.  

Last Word 

The stories the Fallows uncover are both fascinating and uplifting. I loved the comment “But if willed optimism sometimes deludes people, it can also empower them.”

In my opinion, “optimism is not only key to urban renewal, it is key to human life.”   

Note: This is the first of a series of blogs about the adventures of James and Deborah Fallows. 

If you like this blog you might like these links:

Caglary: Could we become a clean energy hub?

Calgary In Crisis: Rethink our future!

Calgary’s Sweet Spot: The Family Friendly City

So everyone, let’s stay optimistic!