Vacant lots are a problem for towns throughout Appalachia, but in Radford, Virginia, city leaders have brought life back to two empty pockets of the community. The Carson’s Drug Store building stood in the heart of downtown Radford for nearly a century. A fire in 1992 turned the site into a heap of burned-out debris.… Continue Reading Season Six, Episode Six
Tag Archives: Virginia Cooperative Extension
Season Six, Episode Five
Ann Taylor Wright realized that spending a few hours each week selling meat products to farmer’s market customers wouldn’t keep her sixth-generation family farm afloat. She approached leaders in the nearby town of South Hill, Virginia, with the idea of creating a food hub – a place where meats and produce could be processed and… Continue Reading Season Six, Episode Five
Season Six, Episode Four
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 Six, Episode Three
A new idea for an old mountain road is lighting an economic fire in Tazewell, Virginia. The town, whose fortunes had fallen with the coal industry, now is a destination for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts from around the world. Speaking of roads, the Small Town Big Number segment takes a jog down memory lane,… Continue Reading Season Six, Episode Three
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 Six, Episode One
Up-and-comers in Wytheville, Virginia – in search of bold ideas – weren’t happy with how things were playing out at Town Hall. See how a younger generation of leaders made their voices heard and began to change the face of downtown.
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 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 3, Episode 5
In Bramwell, West Virginia, town leaders have cashed in on the Hatfield-McCoy ATV trail, while Cleveland turned to demolition in order to build the town back up. Graduate student Maxwell Vandervliet highlights a pending government grant that will help rehab former coal mining sites in his monthly segment, and T. Allan Comp champions the VISTA/Americorps… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 5
