Friday Favorites: Small Town America

Small towns are important in my life. Growing up in an atmosphere where you go to school and church with your neighbors is a nurturing environment. They also figure into my writing, as all of my stories are set in one (except Anchor in a Whirlwind,  where some of the action takes place in the medium sized city of Savannah, GA).

True to my nature, I can’t tell you what my favorite small town is. But, I can share a list of five. After reading my list, I hope you will comment to let me know about your favorite small towns, and why you love them.

1. 1. 1. Yukon, Oklahoma           Our son, daughter-in-law and three of our grands live just a few blocks off the most iconic highway in America, Route 66.  Proud of their Czech heritage, and also their favorite son, Garth Brooks, the community seems always ready for a celebration. We love visiting and adventuring there, and since it’s only five hours away, we manage to make it happen often. BTW- I think they have the best official state song ever!
      2. Perryville, Arkansas.           Even closer to our front door, this little town takes pride in its school and emphasizes sports and music every bit as much as larger schools. We attended band and choir performances at the school and even on the historic courthouse square, where the homecoming parade is a popular community activity. Perryville is also known for the annual Goat Festival. Visitors come from miles around for the highlight, the goat fashion show. We’re honored to count our grand-son and grand-daughter as proud Perryville Mustang graduates.

3. Hurst/Bedford, Texas.        We’ve been to our daughter and son-in-law’s home town just outside of Fort Worth often enough that we can get around fairly well without using the freeway very much. That makes me happy. Plenty of restaurants, shopping, churches and an elementary school within walking distance made our three grandsons feel right at home. At Christmas  time, the parks are decked out with beautiful lights and decorations. Photo ops abound.

4.  Benton, Arkansas         Located just southwest of our Capital, Little Rock, my husband and I have lived in his home county for all fifty years of our married life. We both graduated from nearby Bryant, as did all three of our kids,  but Benton has been home since we built our house in 2004. They have their own historic downtown area that pulls out all the stops for Christmas, the county fair, and annual Old Fashioned Day festival, and even a once a month gathering called Third Thursday. We also love all the shopping, restaurants and our church, which keeps our trips to the “big city” at a minimum. Nearby parks located on lakes and rivers take advantage of the beauty of the central part of my favorite state.

5. Skagway, Alaska.             During a recent once in a lifetime vacation, I discovered another gem of a town. Once a base for Gold Rush expeditions, this little hamlet still hosts The White Pass Scenic Railway. Visitors are invited to ride the narrow gauge rail line that climbs 3,000 feet into the beautiful wilderness, even crossing the international border with Canada. The historic downtown is home to gift shops, bars and restaurants in buildings that have lined the Main Street for over one hundred years. Tourism is now the one and only industry, and most residents leave for warmer climates after the cruise season ends in October. Quirky, charming and welcoming, I was trying to plan a return trip before we even got back on the ship.

Five is a very small number when we are talking about small towns. I could do another list of five at a moment’s notice. Instead, it’s time for you to share. Use the comment section to let me know about your favorite towns. Or- tell me what you liked best about my fictional town of Crossroads, Arkansas.  Do you remember what the name of the other make- believe town I mentioned in Rejoicing with Joy, the novella included in A Gift for All Time?

If you comment, I will send you a special unpublished short story.