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
Tag Archives: citizen involvement
Season Six, Episode Two
Fincastle, Virginia, hadn’t changed its boundaries since 1772. But when elected leaders first attempted to expand acreage and population a few years ago, the effort stumbled. Can they create enough unity to bring growth to the town of about 300 people?
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 6
In this month’s Example of Awesome, we take a look at Pikeville, Kentucky. Envisioning a future beyond strip mining, city officials took a risk on building a new industrial park — and filled it within just 10 months. The Pennington Gap update delves further into the study performed by researchers from Virginia Tech’s Institute for… Continue Reading Season 4, Episode 6
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 4
The latest episode of Save Our Towns takes us to Williamson, West Virginia, where the Sustainable Williamson project has focused on positioning the town for life after coal. Meanwhile, we see how the renovation of the Lee Theatre in Pennington Gap, Virginia, has been the key to the town’s revitalization. Maxwell’s Number highlights the “Local… Continue Reading Season 4, Episode 4
Season 3, Episode 8
In the season finale, we visit Harrisonburg, Virginia, one of the fastest-growing cities in the Commonwealth, which has welcomed its immigrant population with open arms, and in Cleveland, we check in on the progress of the town’s major projects. Our final Maxwell’s Number segment of the season focuses on a new grant that is targeted… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 8
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 2, Special Edition: The Flint Crisis
We take a brief departure from Appalachia with this special episode from Flint, Michigan, where its water crisis could provide important lessons for leaders in small towns.
Season Two, Episode 7
The town of Haysi is featured in this month’s Example of Awesome, as the community came together to market its envious natural landscape, while our Pearisburg update shows how the town turned trash from the New River into artwork. Belinda Sheridan of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center provides an expert tip on how town leaders… Continue Reading Season Two, Episode 7
