What are some small, vibrant US towns?

[Flaxbee]

I lived in a small town in NC for 5 years in the 2000s and it felt like a cultural wasteland taken over by WalMart.

Spectacularly gorgeous environment/surroundings, hardly a single person to talk to that wasn't concerned about the devil coming out of their computer b/c the preacher said the Internet was evil.

I'd love to know of thriving small towns that aren't necessarily bedroom communities for big cities - towns with their own identity, economy, etc. Do we have any left?

[backwoodsbob]

1. Summerville SC

Love it here

[Flaxbee]

6. Does it feel like a community distinct from Charleston?

My husband is from Columbia.

Glad you're happy there. Hot hot hot hot hot and humid.

[backwoodsbob]

11. VERY distict from charleston

It's ...different here.We have live theater and every third Thursday downtown is shut down for a themed festival.Lots of small shops and cafe's.

Summerville definately stands on its own.

[Chan790]

2. Torrington, CT.

It's conservative by New England standards but that only means that Republicans can win local office if they talk about their love of social welfare and municipal services as often as they talk about low taxes (Mind you, they fail to explain how they intend to pay for their robust law enforcement and shiny new firetrucks and new schools if they're cutting property taxes by 60%.) and they publicly disclaim the religious idiocy of the national party.

[Flaxbee]

7. What's their economy?

Sounds like an interesting little place, if you don't mind winter

[Chan790]

13. Like most of CT, it's slightly-sluggish but stable.

Hiring has picked up but the state has been losing population for a decade because population consistently outpaces entry-level employment statewide. Most of Torrington's economy is manufacturing and fabricating; it used to be a major US mill town. They're currently in the middle of a redevelopment effort to draw populations and business to the city.

[madinmaryland]

31. I lived in Watertown, CT for several years. Not a bad place and unlike Waterbury who gave us

such wonderful Repukes as Phil Giordano and John Rowland.

I met Toby Moffett in a bar in Waterbury when he was working his way up the totem pole in the mid 80's. He was pretty much a douchebag, and was more interested in making money. That why he has been a lobbyist for the 20 years since being humiliated in his attempts at a higher office.

[elleng]

3. What's a 'town?'

My cousin just moved her family from Kill Devil Hills, NC, to a 'town' near Asheville, for the things you mention plus good schools. Don't know the name of the town.

[Flaxbee]

8. I'd be interested to know where they are...

our place was about an hour from Asheville. Backwards as hell, but beautiful.

By 'town', I guess I mean an area with a distinct identity, unique businesses (not overrun by chain stores and restaurants).

[elleng]

14. Weaverville, 10 minutes from Asheville.

Hope to visit some time.

Looks thrilling!
http://www.visitweaverville.com/

[Flaxbee]

54. Weaverville's cute ... but Asheville itself is a lot more fun, and

close enough to Weaverville that it's an easy place to go for dinner or museums or whatever...

[dawg]

18. Personally, I really like Asheville.

It's kind of a small town.

AND THEY HAVE A ZOMBIE WALK!!!!

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

It's got a little of everything-- New Agers, artists, old hippies, limestone caves, two big lakes nearby, Ozark Mountains, and a huge statue that some people say resembles Jesus

[Flaxbee]

9. I've read about Eureka Springs before.

What's the economy? How's the health care?

[Art_from_Ark]

40. The Eureka Springs economy is tourist-oriented

A large number of people are employed in the hospitality, restaurant and other tourist-service industries. There are a few galleries as well, and of course there are also the kinds of jobs one would expect in a town of 2,000+. Here's a link to some of the health care providers:

http://www.vitals.com/specialists/emergency-physicians/arkansas/eureka-springs

Rogers and Bentonville, both about 30-35 miles away, have far more employment opportunities, but it can be a pretty tiring commute (although some people do it), and health care in those cities can be pretty expensive. Also, Rogers and Bentonville are very red areas, and bu$h and McCain both made campaign stops in that area (not to meet the riff-raff, of course, just to meet those who could afford the $1000/plate dinners).

[Kaleva]

5. Marquette, Michigan

http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/25/small-cities-family-lifestyle-real-estate-quality-of-life_slide_14.html

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/real_estate/1109/gallery.best_places_retire.moneymag/index.html

[Flaxbee]

10. Interesting - that Forbes list is all northern cities

Though the CNN list has a few warmer areas ...

[geardaddy]

20. And the photo for Casper, WY

is a younger Cheney and family.

[dawg]

12. Athens, Georgia

It's not perfect, but it's a nice little island of blue in the middle of a red, red sea.

[emilyg]

29. Yes.

[RebelOne]

52. No, Woodstock, Georgia, where I live.

Great town. Lots of shopping, access t many great historic sites, such as Kennesaw Mountain, and away from the big city of Atlanta.

[Flaxbee]

55. we used to live right over the NC border from Clayton, Georgia

Our veterinarian was in Clayton...

Plus a good little Mexican restaurant.

Yet a very religious, very racist, but extremely naturally beautiful area. With a tough economy (unless you were up in the $$$$$$ Highlands area).

[Tom Ripley]

59. Not any longer

high poverty and unemployment
crumbling infrastructure
arts scene is dying
Wal Mart coming downtown

It's a goddamn shame

[charlie and algernon]

15. Annapolis, MD

Maryland State Capital - Oldest State House still in use, place where Washington resigned from the army. You can see his actual letter. You might catch Governor O'Malley walking to one of the bars in town to watch a Ravens game.

Bustling downtown with tons of quaint shops and excellent restaurants

Naval Academy

TONS and TONS of history all over the town

Thriving sailing scene - Always a hundred or more boats out in the harbor, sailboats galore.

[Chan790]

25. With the completion of the expansion of 50, A-polis is starting to become a satellite suburb of DC.

Albeit one with a vast wasteland of rural AAC between its' downtown and DC...with the right traffic, it's a 20 minute drive and because of the pretty city and reasonable cost-of-living it's a highly-attractive place to live for DC commuters. At the same time, its' individuality and unique charm is disappearing. Think Old Town Alexandria, just on the MD side rather than the VA side.

[madinmaryland]

33. Howard County, if you are interested in a quality school system.

Unfortunately, that's about it for HoCo, except for Ellicott City and parts of Laurel.

[Chan790]

35. I used to live in Columbia near the Ellicott City border.

Nearly a decade ago. Right near the Mall.

I don't know about the schools but my roommate and I found the best NY-style pizza I've found this far south...which still sucks compared to New Haven-style...and it was $5/pie. We used to go weekly: me, him, his now-wife, her best friend, his brother and my on-and-off girlfriend. Me and the gf are the only ones on the low side of 300#. 5 or 6 people, 4 pizzas, factor in sodas and it was under $30. It was in the same plaza as the Giant near Fairway Hills next to a Blockbuster. I wonder if it's still there. The guy that owned it was a Italian guy, just off the plane and he was the only one there who spoke English. He was an incorrigible flirt.

[madinmaryland]

44. Too funny!!

Yeah, I know where that is. We looked at apartments across from Fairway Hills when we moved down here in 04.

I assume you are referring to Dorsey Hall Village Center. The is a pizza joint there called "Trattoria - Pizza, Pasta & More" Not sure if that is the one, but if it is, we'll definitely give it a try.

The only blockbuster I know of in Columbia is on Dobbin Road on the back side of the skankee Wal-Mart there. Across the street from the Express Motor Vehicle (Now that really is an oxymoron!!)

Our physician and eye doctor are a block down from the Giant there.

[Chan790]

57. I don't remember the name of the place...

but that sounds like the plaza. It wasn't every night on the $5 pizza special, it was one night a week. Mondays, I think. I can ask my roommate the name of the pizza place, he's been more recently than I because I don't drive.

[elleng]

42. Yes but Annapolis is in Anne Arundel County, ya know!

I've heard that about Howard County schools, too, from my daughter, who's in RURAL P.G., and may use Howard for schools if/when. Compared with Montgomery???

[madinmaryland]

49. I was just suggesting HoCo schools rather than AACo schools.

Montgomery County has good schools also. Just partial to the HoCo schools.

[elleng]

50. Thanks and good to hear,

as grandkids, who don't exist at the moment, may go there.
AACo schools not so much??? High school classmate taught there for years, just retired and fled to Manhattan. (We grew up in/near NYC.)
Friends went to and did well in MontCo schools.

[JonLP24]

16. Flagstaff, AZ

It has a Wal*Mart but it is its own town. College town as well--NAU.

Beautiful land, located in a forest. San Francisco Peaks are visible in most places around the city.

To me--I eventually was bored and it isn't much of a walkable town though the buses pretty much can get you anywhere.

[Flaxbee]

37. Family lived there for about 15 years; it is beautiful but they eventually

left - state continually voted against a raise in teacher's salaries for something like 5+ years running so they left for greener pastures.

Definitely not walkable.

I had a great time visiting when I was younger, though. Loved Sedona, too

[geardaddy]

17. Stillwater, MN

http://ourantiquesllc.com/OurTown.php

[GeorgeGist]

19. The May issue of Smithsonian had a list.

Great Barrington, Mass.,Taos, N.M.Red Bank, N.J.; Mill Valley, Calif.; Gig Harbor, Wash.; Durango, Colo.; Butler, Pa.; Marfa, Texas; Naples, Fla.; Staunton, Va.; Brattleboro, Vt.; Princeton, N.J.; Brunswick, Maine; Siloam Springs, Ark.; Menomonie, Wis.; Key West, Fla.; Laguna Beach, Calif.; Ashland, Ore.; Beckley City, W.Va., and Oxford, Miss.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/The-20-Best-Small-Towns-in-America.html

[Flaxbee]

38. thanks; looks interesting.

will bookmark it.

[DFW]

21. Provincetown, Massachusetts

Although a gay Mecca, especially in the summer, it is also a town with a permanent cultural life, and quite an environmental center as well. It probably won't even be there in 300 years, maybe less. A combination of global warming and erosion will eat it up and put it underwater. But for now, it's one of the coolest, whackiest, fun tiny towns I know (and my wife and I are straight as can be).

Added bonus--you might even run into Rachel Maddow there on occasion! I did, anyway.

[madinmaryland]

34. PTown is really fun! My wife loves the arts and crafts and all that stuff.

Went there on our honeymoon in JANUARY!!

It was still fun!

[DFW]

36. Definitely one of the coolest tiny towns in North America!

I love the informality, too. I live in Europe, but I just walk into the local community radio station and play live music and hang out on the air with one of the program hosts every year. Where can you do that?

[cbayer]

22. San Luis Obispo, CA

http://www.visitslo.com/


Beautiful location and thriving community.

[NV Whino]

28. Shhhh.

Don't tell everyone about SLO. or my favorite, Los Osos right next door.

[cbayer]

30. I know how you feel.

That's why I didn't put the area I am in, lol!

[Flaxbee]

39. I'm from SoCal; lots of high school friends went to cal poly slo

Yes, it is beautiful.

Hmm. Los Osos, you say... never visited there.

[NV Whino]

53. Between Moro Bay and SLO

Small town. Beautiful coast line.

[mnhtnbb]

63. I have L.A. friends who retired to SLO about 15 years ago. They love it.

But housing prices are through the roof.

[cbayer]

65. All of SoCal is through the roof, but

some live very simply and manage to make it.

[Arugula Latte]

23. Bend, Ore., Boulder, Colo. (and plenty of college towns)

[greatauntoftriplets]

24. Delavan, Wisconsin

Woodstock, Illinois -- where "Groundhog Day" was filmed.

On edit, Culpeper, Virginia.

[rug]

26. Milford, PA

http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/10-coolest-small-towns-pa,1754/

[dimbear]

27. We're right next to a geothermal field. We vibrate a lot.

Makes it hard to keep glassware.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

32. Wilmington, NC

beach, college folk, thriving arts and they're filming "Iron Man 3" as well as a bunch of other movies.

[mnhtnbb]

64. Eh. Repukes.

[riderinthestorm]

41. Saugatuck MI. Art galleries, the Oxbow summer camp, theater, Lake Michigan

Dunes, charming town. Really fun little town. Another gay friendly town as well but my family and I love it and we're straight.

[TBF]

43. Charlottesville, VA

college town - University of Virginia

There is a bit of industry in the area - it is out in the western part of Virginia about 2.5 hrs from Wash DC and an hour from Richmond.

Housing is a little high with the University, but you also have some small quaint towns surrounding it and lots of culture.

[Flaxbee]

45. one of the Smithsonian's list of top 20 small towns is Staunton, about 45 miles from C'ville

I live in Virginia now and know those areas...

I'd love to live someplace warm and colorful like Key West or Taos, but for now, might just try to find some land near Staunton/C'ville...

[TBF]

46. I was in the area for 15 years -

mostly in Northern Virginia and then 3 years in Charlottesville

I'm more of a beach person and agree Key West is fantastic. I've visited there but I haven't seen Taos yet - that's one to add to my list.

[Flaxbee]

47. did you prefer Charlottesville or noVa?

I'm a beach person, too - spent much of my life pre-NY and DC area in San Juan Capistrano, San Diego and Santa Monica. *sigh* But California is so crowded and $$$, I miss what I remember it used to be.

Never been to Key West. Need to change that soon.

Also spent a large part of my life in/near deserts (Palm Springs) and love the desert, would love Taos or Sedona or ___________

[TBF]

51. I was young and still active so I preferred Washington -

I worked there and loved the museums. At that point I was still running so I had my running groups and it is a great place to be when you are in your 20s - lots of other new grads there to hang out with. Now that I am older and have kids I'd rather visit C-ville to be honest. It's beautiful in the mountains.

I dream of living in California! It is one place my husband's company has offices and I'd love to have a chance to transfer there for awhile. I've heard the housing is astronomical. Of course with my arthritis I'd probably be better off in the desert.

[panader0]

48. Silver City, New Mexico---Prescott, Arizona

Both cool small towns with small colleges. Great scenery, old buildings, music scene. I could add Bisbee,Az.

[mrmpa]

56. Keyser, West Virginia..........

the industry is a paper mill, which on a bad day you can smell. Great fishing. A couple of colleges, Potomac State College ( a 2 year branch of WVU) and Frostburg State in MD (7 miles away).

A nice Main Street. Good architecture. Didn't see a lot of churches, so I didn't get the feel it was a bible thumping town.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

58. Corvallis, Oregon and Ithaca, New York, are two fine college towns I have lived in

[NickB79]

60. Northfield, MN isn't bad

Couple of private colleges, a cute downtown with lots of small shops, lots of wilderness and farmland around it, still only a half-hr drive from the Twin Cities. If you can get a job at Malt-O-Meal, you're set for life ($20+/hr with good benefits and all the cereal you can eat).

Oh, and it's where they shot up the Jesse James gang!

[mike_c]

61. I love Arcata, California....

eom

[crunch60]

67. Love it to, going there in a few weeks, motorbike 300 miles down the coast.

[mnhtnbb]

62. How could you not know about Carrboro or Chapel Hill, NC?

[MorningGlow]

66. Mt. Morris, NY

Interesting story about the rejuvenation of their once-dead Main Street.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/nyregion/12morris.html?pagewanted=all

http://mtmorrisny.com/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

68. Stockholm, WI, pop. 97.

Very small, cute, scenic town along Lake Pepin.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

69. ~

[Aristus]

70. Puyallup, Washington!

Home of the Western Washington State Fair.

I suppose one could argue that it is a bedroom community for Tacoma and Seattle. But I love this place. If you stay away from South Hill, which is just a huge strip mall, with chain restaurants, gas stations, and tire shops all the way out to Graham, you'll love it, too.

Down in the Puyallup Valley, the "original" Puyallup, you have Main and Meridian, a hub of small, family-owned restaurants, sandwich shops, and coffee houses. You have wonderful, lively street art comprised of lovely sculptures on every street corner. The Puyallup Public Library in town square, with a clock tower, and a bell that chimes the quarter-hour. Town square itself, with its moving memorial statue commemorating the sons of Puyallup who died in America's wars. Town square boasts a grassy park that hosts great concerts by local musicans every weekend over the summer, and a farmer's market every third Saturday from May to September. Meeker Mansion, the preserved Victorian-era home, now a museum, of Puyallup's frontier founder, Ezra Meeker. The Powerhouse, a brew-pub housed in an old, turn-of-the-century brick power station for the railroad.

And of course, the Western Washington State Fair, the fourth-largest state fair in the country, where you can "Do The Puyallup" for a week every Spring, and two weeks every Fall.

I love this place!