Anyone who thinks that the future of mid-size towns is bleak should take a trip across northern Oregon--from Pendleton to Astoria with a stop along the way at Hood River.
Andrew Nelson's article tells a story about cities that are finding new life and a resurgence of energy and excitement. (National Geographic Traveler, September 2006, p. 79)
Pendleton--population 17,000
"Traditional Pendleton products are getting a fresh look and Pendleton Mill's signature blankets are find new buyers."
Why not move?
"We stay in Pendleton because our roots are here."
Hood River--population 6500
"...Hood River used to be just a fruit-growing center and windsurfing spot...Now it has become its own lifestyle ...it has become a capital of extreme sports..."
Astoria--population 10,000
"...the first permanent U.S. settlement on the western coast. Named for John Jacob Astor whose fur trading company built Fort Astoria here in 1811...Its mainstay industry, fishing, experienced serious setbacks in the 1990s...Instead of blowing away, it recycled itself..."
Why?
"People restore in Astoria partly because their Scandanavian heritage makes them thrifty," says historic-building consultant John Goodenberger. "We also restore because more and more of us have realized our older structures are one of the city's greatest assets. It is recycling on a large scale."
What was said about Astoria seems to be true about all three of those towns--and many four- and five-figure cities across America.
They are "rebooting by transforming their townscapes."
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