Confronted with railroad layoffs that all but demolished the local economy, Erwin, Tennessee, took a sordid event from its past and created a new selling point for the town. Once the site of unspeakable cruelty, Erwin now brings in tourists and raises money for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Also in the episode, viewers will… Continue Reading Season Six, Episode Four
Season Five, Episode Two
In Lewisburg, West Virginia, all signs show that appearances count. Marion, Virginia, preserves its heritage while looking toward a vibrant future. And Mayor David Horton talks about making Radford a well-known gem in the region.
Season Five, Episode One
Glen Lyn’s one-of-a-kind mayor explains his modus operandi, and Save Our Towns mentor Andrew Davis offers his best-yet advice to towns.
Season Five Preview
This one-minute preview provides a snapshot of what to expect in Save Our Towns, Season 5, which will follow the town of Marion and provide great aerial views of the mountain valley pipeline construction in southwest Virginia county.
Season 4, Episode 8
We close out season four of Save Our Towns with a visit to Huntington, West Virginia, the subject of an Oscar-nominated documentary about the opioid epidemic in Appalachia, to see what the city has done to combat the crisis. Our monthly visit to Pennington Gap highlights the hard work of its community volunteers, while in… Continue Reading Season 4, Episode 8
Season 4, Episode 5
The latest episode of Save Our Towns takes us to Jonesborough, Tennessee. While known as the “oldest town in Tennessee,” Jonesborough town leaders discovered that its real claim to fame was its rich tradition of storytelling. The expert tip comes from former mayor Jimmy Neil Smith, who began the first National Storytelling Festival in 1973… Continue Reading Season 4, Episode 5
Season 4, Episode 1
Save Our Towns returns for its fourth season and hits the ground running with a visit to Damascus, Virginia, where town leaders are seeking to nurture a year-round tourism-based economy. We introduce Pennington Gap, the small town located in far Southwest Virginia, that will be followed over the course of the entire season. After a… Continue Reading Season 4, Episode 1
Season 3, Episode 7
Princeton, West Virginia, sets an example for other small towns by embracing artists, while we meet the new mayor of Cleveland, Virginia. Graduate Maxwell Vandervliet schools us on the prevalence of women farmers in Southwest Virginia, while Anthony Flaccavento encourages town leaders to think about what work their towns need. In addition, we are introduced… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 7
Season 3, Episode 4
This month, our Example of Awesome takes us to Fries, where town leaders used its physical assets to bring the town back to prosperity. We skip our Cleveland update to take you to Roanoke, Virginia, where we asked attendees at the CityWorks Xpo about the essence of small towns, and in Maxwell’s Number, graduate student… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 4
Season 3, Episode 3
In this month’s Example of Awesome, we discover how leaders in Rocky Mount made their town a destination for music lovers by investing in a performance venue. Our Cleveland update details the big money that has been rolling into town–more than $2 million in grant dollars. We introduce a new segment, “Maxwell’s Number,” featuring graduate student… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 3