When Erik Tungate, city manager, began brainstorming placemaking ideas for the city of Oak Park, Mich., he wanted to prove that one could still make a big impact on a small budget. Growing up in the city of Plainwell, located … Continue reading →
Bardstown, Ky., rests among the “best” in a number of different lists. Expedia selected Bardstown as one of the “18 Most Interesting U.S. Destinations”; Fodor picked it as one of “America’s Best Small Towns”; and AARP named it one of … Continue reading →
Edina, Minn., has an especially good reason to be patting itself on the back this year. The Hennepin County city — population of 49,376 in 2013 — placed 22nd in the 2016 third annual Top 100 Best Places to Live, … Continue reading →
Charleston, W.Va., turns urban flight problem around The city of Charleston, capital of West Virginia and hub for government, education, banking, health care and commerce, hugs the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers. A valley town that prospered from … Continue reading →
Franklin, Tenn., experienced phenomenal population growth 25 years ago. The city doubled in size from 1990 to 2000, and grew half again as large over the next 10 years. Between 1990 and 2010, it tripled its population from 20,000 to … Continue reading →
For a city with a population of 73,002, Southfield has a lot going for it. According to its website, www.cityofsouthfield.com, it is Michigan’s undeniable business center, boasting “… more office space than the central business districts of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, … Continue reading →
It takes many hands to raise a village, but even more are needed to raise and maintain a city. Milledgeville, Ga., has a rich history of civic pride, flowing with figures of note and decades of family ancestry. It has … Continue reading →
Waynesville, N.C., population 9,739, is an idyllic little burg nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and steeped in warm Southern hospitality. Its tree-lined Main Street is generously dotted with charming shops, galleries, cafes, restaurants and breweries. According to … Continue reading →
The city of Rockford, Ill., with a population of 150,251, is the third largest city in Illinois. Referred to as the “Forest City,” it’s known for various venues of cultural or historical significance. The settlement was incorporated as a village … Continue reading →
Gibsonton, Fla., an unincorporated town in Hillsborough County, became famous as a circus sideshow wintering town. Twenty miles south of Tampa, it looks like any other small town: It has a library, a post office and a truck stop. But … Continue reading →
You may have heard the news: Collierville, Tenn., was honored by Parade Magazine in 2014 for having “America’s Best Main Street.” The White House and an assembly of federal departments and organizations have taken notice of the town, too. The … Continue reading →
