Osage, IA
Turn back the clock about a decade ago and Osage, IA had many groups with several needs. The local pool was in dire need of repair, community members wanted an auditorium for theatre and musical events, and the local ag society desired a building to host events on the fairgrounds. This community was able to rally together to raise over $12 million to build a facility that met those needs.
The Disney Land of Quilting - Hamilton, MO
Hamilton, Missouri is known as the hometown of JC Penney. However, the rural economic downturn that began in the 1980s left many of Hamilton's storefronts vacant. That's not the case today as one unique "industry" has all of the buildings full and is bringing busloads of visitors to town.
Saving Storefronts, Revitalizing Towns - Allerton, IA
The old drug store in Allerton, Iowa, dates to the late 1800's. This couple had visited the store many times over the years and got a chance to purchase it in it's second century of operation.
How a Town of 400 Raised $8M - Shickley, NE
This is a story that should inspire all of us in rural America. Learn how the small town of Shickley, Nebraska, began to share their story and what they hoped to do in the future. In the process they’ve raised $8 million!
Base Camp - Water Valley, MS
Water Valley, Mississippi, was facing the same problem many other small towns face - bright, young minds were leaving the area because there were not opportunities in the region. Kagan Coughlin had an idea that would provide an alternative to college education, use old buildings in town and meet a need for skilled individuals in the community.
Two-Story Outhouse - Gays, IL
One person can make a difference in a town. See the story of one lady who wanted to preserve a unique piece of history and how her efforts now have bus tours stopping to see it.
Dick's Five and Ten
Can a small, family-owned store compete and even thrive against competition from the big box stores? Yes! Meet Dick's Five & Ten, a quirky little store that shows you how to win in business and win a lot of friends and visitors in the process.
Rusty's Car Museum - Jackson, TN
Rusty simply enjoyed working on replica cars in his spare time. He never set out to display them, but then he had an opportunity to create his own museum and people began coming to Jackson, Tennessee, to see an impressive, one-of-kind collection.
One Last Business - Calico Rock, AR
Calico Rock was down to its last business on Main Street. Learn about the amazing turn around for one small town that has now filled all but two storefronts and is attracting visitors from far and wide!
World's Largest Things - Casey, IL
Jim Bolin saw his small town slowly slipping away. He had an interesting idea though that involved his grandmother's wind chimes, his own pipeline company, and an inventive spirit. Now Casey, Illinois, draws thousand of visitors and has opened many new stores thanks to a man who decided to build some very large items.
Listen to a unique way one rural Kansas county found to bring new residents to the area - offering free land! How did it work and what were the results? Listen here...
Becky McCray is a rancher in northwestern Oklahoma. She is one of the founders of SaveYour.Town, a website and movement to help others in rural and agricultural America save their town and help it thrive. Learn the keys she shares to help revitalize the place you live.
I had heard about something called “100 Plus for Perry.” So I made a trip to Perry, Iowa to check it out. What I found was an idea being used in some towns in which local citizens commit to writing checks to help a number of causes close to home. It’s a great way to raise big dollars quickly and
When you drive into White Cloud, Kansas, along the banks of the Missouri sRiver, some people will see a ghost town. Others will see a town that is springing back to life. Perhaps both are true at the same time and if you ask Deb Bryan about what’s taking place here, she’ll tell you a story...
Learn how this well-known ranch identified the biggest need in their community and set about raising the dollars to turn the fortunes of their small town.
The perception is that small rural towns are shrinking. In many cases that is true. However, research shows that towns can be very successful whether they are growing or shrinking. Learn what one multi-year study says are the most important things small towns must do in order to survive and thrive.
Of course the idea is to do the opposite, but here's our podcast with Doug Giffiths who literally wrote the book on what we can do to help build up the places we live and work.
Ron Drake wrote a book by the same name. In this interview we discuss how successful small towns flip the script to create a place that prospers.
This is a story that should inspire all of us in rural America. Learn how the small town of Shickley, Nebraska, began to share their story and what they hoped to do in the future. In the process they’ve raised $8 million!
Copyright © 2023 Total Town Makeover - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.