As tempting as it would be to think that somehow we collectively could have done something to stop the demise of Cedar Vale, I'd like to offer another perspective. Take a look at the map of Chautauqua County in 1899. What happened to all those towns? Where are Osro, Wauneta, Lowe, and Rogers, all on the trail from CV to Sedan? We all know if we think about it. The automobile and the U. S. highway system made it much easier and more convenient to travel to CV and Sedan to trade and these places dried up, even though they were on the railroad. In our time, we were seeing the next step in that process. The automobile and a better highway system made it easier to shop in Ark City and other larger surrounding towns. Now, in the case of CV, when highway 166 bypassed the town entirely the death knell was sounded. When people, collectively, choose to drive a few miles farther to shop, business districts die. I have written about the biggest casualty in the CV business district, the closing of L. C. Adam Mercantile and that happened in our time in CV. These are forces that are beyond the control of any individual or group of individuals. Do you really think that a Williams Garage could compete with the larger car dealers in nearby towns? I doubt it. Could it withstand the onslaught of TV advertising luring people away for a better deal in Wichita or Tulsa?The only small towns that have survived and grown have made themselves into local tourist destinations. I recently moved from Boulder, Colorado, where there are some good examples of that "repurposing" of small towns. Just outside of Boulder is the small town of Niwot, which is now the home of a lot of small specialty shops, restaurants and the like. Since the town is very close to Boulder and Longmont (both towns with great job opportunities), it draws people out from both towns just to look at and shop in the antique shops, the local Grange building that is billed as an historical monument, and to eat in one or another of the local restaurants. There is no real business district there, only antique shops, quilting shops, and cute little boutiques, all housed in the ancient buildings that have been painstakingly restored to look "just like the olden days."
Niwot, Colorado looks very little like it did when it was the next town on the railroad east and north of Boulder. The people who now live there are the shop owners and service staff who work in this mini tourist town. In recent years new people have begun to move back in to have their homes near the quaint village, while they commute into Boulder for their jobs and a "bedroom community" is evolving. And, of course, there is a mini mall to serve the needs of that bedroom community, but it isn't on Main Street.
Change is inevitable in a society that is changing as rapidly as ours. Now watch the fate of towns that are not near major airports. I know that I wouldn't choose to live in a town where I would have to travel 100 miles or so to get to a commercial airport. Look at the population map of the U.S. and you will see a pattern of more and more clumping around major transportation hubs. That is unlikely to change until another major force comes along that I can't predict. Perhaps the masses of "old folks" like us will redraw the maps again as we look for places that are inexpensive with great climates and are quiet and far from the problems of the big cities. I think I see that one coming down the pike.
The fairly rapid growth in the population of Santa Fe is mostly people who have made a lot of money elsewhere and want an artsy town to live in that is a bit off the beaten track and quaint. We have older Hollywood stars (think Shirley MacLane), ex-political figures (think Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband), and retired artists. I love living here. Just today we spent a wonderful two or three hours up on Museum Hill looking at an exhibit of quilts and other "found object" art that are the work of a small group of African American families in an isolated part of Alabama. There were four wonderful videos of these folk and their creations and the local fiber arts guild attached a fun exhibit of the fiber art that is being created here. And that exhibit is one of five or six exhibits at the International Folk Art Museum, and there are four other museums on Museum Hill, not to speak of those in downtown Santa Fe. We are very rich in the arts here.
Yes, don't blame the town of Cedar Vale, but also, don't blame us. We were all caught in forces that were outside our control. We were shaped for better or for worse by the small community of Cedar Vale that was crumbling around us while we were growing up in it. I, for one, am happy to have grown up there, even though I didn't like some of the kids I grew up with. The adults that I mostly associated with were wonderful teachers, both formally and informally. The evenings I spent in Bill Leonard's projection booth are a priceless memory for me and I could multiply that many times. My own family, with very distinctive views that were not the views of those around them, were my primary shaping forces and I'm happy to have had that background.
Just another perspective. I'm sure there will be responses to this one!
6 comments:
Well put, Gary! Isn't it amazing to stop and view a map with the many towns in the somewhat isolated county of Chautauqua? It would be so interesting to be able to see the activity of small-town Kansas during those times.
As with Wayne's excellent article; it would be unfair to place undue blame concerning the demise of an area or community. At the same time, it perhaps could be pointed out that the reason that Cedar Vale existed and was viable in the 50's was perhaps not entirely accidental.
It seems to me that some of the communities (like) Farmersburg, Monett, Jonesburg, Hewins, and Elgin had (possibly) opportunites as great as our town. Cedar Vale and other hamlets of vitality most likely could trace it's existence to something other than pure luck?
My point is that the success or failure of a community (or an individual) may not always be entirely the result of factors beyond individual or collective control.
Yes, Phil, success or failure of a community is an interesting subject to pursue. In the present case, I notice that CV was at the junction of two railroads, the MOPAC and ATSF. That would have given the place some advantage. Now how CV became that junction is another question. In the case of Sedan, it was already the county seat town, which would have given it a great advantage, since people would have to come there to do their legal business and it would make sense to shop for what they needed while they were there. Again, how did Sedan become the county seat? Well, you would have to look back a bit to find out how Chautauqua County was divided off from the previous Howard County and who was involved. I do know that the county was named after Chautauqua in New York.
My basic point was that in a era of tremendous increase in the speed of transportation there will inevitably be a few winners and many losers as far as towns go. Which ones lose and which ones gain is a combination of the luck (or foresight) of positioning and the work of the citizens to keep a town viable. CVs destiny was pretty well set long before we entered the picture, in my opinion.
The Cedar Vale in which we grew up will not be back. That said, it may well be that a different Cedar Vale is evolving.
At this moment C.V. is "exurban", but several citizens are earning good wages in the nearby towns like Winfield, Ark City and Independence. They carpool to these worksites. The employers are Cessna Aircraft, Rubber Maid, and G.E. etal. The town is awash with hunters, they come from several states, and they bring their luxury buses, Winnebagos, and Fifth Wheelers, as well as plenty of money. Two decent homes have been purchased by hunters to be a permanent base here. We have a brand new "lodging" place and it is super. An upscale bunkhouse style for families or groups. Six beds, bath/shower, laundry room, cable TV, kitchette with microwave, and really nice furnishings. It has been full or near full since opening three weeks ago. The owner has promised a new grocery store adjoining it.
Now these things won't make C.V. what it used to be, it will be something quite different--but viable--IF (and I do expect this to happen) we get the former hospital sold to the group who wants to put a juvenile psychiatric facility. They say they are coming and they will have a payroll of 40 to 50 and several will be professional types. The former nursing home is being considered by others--people with a successful track record--as an assisted living facility. Pie in the sky?? Maybe or maybe not. When some of this happens these folks will need services and this may mean a few entrepeneurs to provide them. Tax base, housing boom, retail outlets---WOW.
That's great news, Don. It is exactly in keeping with what I describe in the article as "repurposing" of communities. Now, if CV population can support and encourage all this you'll have a viable community, albeit, not the CV of our youth, which as you so eloquently detail, is long gone. Wonderful news.
With a few exceptions, it is my belief that communities that wish to survive ... will survive. Sounds like Cedar Vale has some life and no doubt some of that comes from you, Don.
Each individual in a community is part of a team not unlike sports units. Everyone pulling together makes it more likely that the community will have viability.
Just as you say, Don ... Cedar Vale will not again be what it was years ago. But then, neither will Wichita or Caldwell or Hewins. Change is inevitable and can be a positive force.
Our country wasn't settled by defeatists but by activists. As Gary sagely made brief mention; even such things as being the county seat and being served by a highway and railroad wasn't always accidental.
Why did Cedar Vale have an advanced hospital? One man from Cedar Vale decided to stay at home and offer his town more than most any other small community. It would have most likely been more to his advantage to use his genius where he could have had greater economic opportunities. Those continuing types of decisions by members of a community are the determining factors for success. Dr. L. C. Hays is a good example of tremendous community leadership.
Though perhaps time and defeatism has to some extent bypassed Cedar Vale ... Don's comments and vision show that it is never too late for a community to change momentum and achieve some modicum of victory. As the successful basketball coach Jimmy V. stated with passion as he was battling cancer ...
"Never give up, Never give up!"
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