Which is your favorite American small town?

[mentalsolstice]

Copy-cat thread here. For me, Eureka Springs, Ark. comes to mind. It's small and historic, with a very funky vibe! And of course, any small town on the New England coast will do for me!

[AngryAmish]

1. Mt. Sodomy, WI

[mentalsolstice]

2. So many thoughts

running through my head, and so little time!

[rug]

3. Its back alleys are legendary.

[Arkham House]

4. Hillsboro, NH

...it's changed a lot in recent years, like everyplace else in southern NH...:-(...but it still has gorgeous hills around, Lower Village, Upper Village, and a sense of peace walking thru it...I love gettin' up there...

[mentalsolstice]

30. I've been to NH twice

It was gorgeous! We went to Mt. Washington both times, and I was astounded both times. And there is nothing like white birch trees in autumn!

[mentalsolstice]

5. New Hope, PA

...in Bucks County was also nice...it has canals instead of alleys like Mt. Sodomy!

[Redstone]

92. New Hope is WAY too precious. Not to mention expensive.

Redstone

[GalleryGod]

159. We've loved New Hope for over 30 years. Just avoid Sundays.

Too many touristas...busloads:crazy:

[Blue-Jay]

6. Yellow Springs, OH

I love that little town. Good food, good bike trails, good shops, good folks, very liberal.

[Magrittes Pipe]

18. Good food?

Okay, Young's Jersey Dairy has the best damn ice cream in the WORLD, but Ha Ha Pizza? That place makes me want to vomit.

What was the place that had the world's best build-your-own sandwich bar? Right there on Xenia Ave.

And as far as good shops... I dunno about you, but I hardly find The Import House to be on the cutting edge of anything. Unless you're particularly looking for a circa-1978 Graffix bong.

(I bought dolo's "promise ring" at Ohio Silver, though)

[Blue-Jay]

28. Next time you're home, visit The Winds Cafe.

Good stuff!

Peach's Grill also has good grub. I also like Ye Olde Trail Tavern, not because the food is outstanding, but because I simply like the place. At the tavern, I either run into an old friend or meet a new one.

[mentalsolstice]

33. Nearly all of the friends we have...

...right now are from sidling up to bar in local restaurants instead of asking for a regular table. We even have people remember us in favorite out-of-town spots from the bar. It's not like we're big drinkers (well, we do imbibe some), but we've found that it's a great way to meet people.

[Crabby Appleton]

20. haven't been there for awhile

had a friend that went to Antioch in the 70s and I visited often, even sat in on some lectures.

Glen Helen
http://www.yellowsprings.com/gha/gha.htm

[mentalsolstice]

36. Thnx! MapQuesting it now! n/t

[mentalsolstice]

29. Bike trails, eh?! Ears perk up!

My spouse likes to road bike and mountain bike, while I'm into the more leisurely scenic/going to market biking. We're looking for a good retirement place where we can have all of this. And liberal? Whoo-hoo, this would be so nice compared to where we are now.

[Blue-Jay]

34. Check it out!

http://www.bikemiamivalley.org/trails.htm#Greene%20County%20Trails

Plus, there's a new kickass mountain bike trail at John Bryan State Park.
http://www.dirtworld.com/trails/trail.asp?id=13224&trail_name=John%20Bryan%20State%20Park%20Mountain%20Bike%20Trail

[mentalsolstice]

37. Cool!

And it's not far from the KY state line! My parents live right outside of Lexington, so this is kinda in the neighborhood (about 2 hours from Cincinnati). We're definitely going to have to check this out! We've checked out Covington, KY a couple of years ago, and loved it. However, we may be looking for something a little smaller!

[Blue-Jay]

44. You can make it to Lex in about 3 hours or less from there.

I'd like to move back there myself one of these days.

[greatauntoftriplets]

7. Lake Geneva, WI.

Beautiful resort town on Geneva Lake, just 75 miles from Chicago, and surrounded by beautiful houses and with open access to pedestrians around the lake's 27-mile shore, despite the fact the walkway passes by many multimillion dollar estates.

[Critters2]

9. The place is crawling with FIBs. nt

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. So???

I live in suburban Chicago. I :loveya: FIBs.

[Blue-Jay]

12. What is an FIB?

[northzax]

22. F%$^#&g Illinois Bastard (nt)

[Blue-Jay]

27. Really? That's kind of weird and stupid.

Seriously... Judging people based solely upon their place of residence? I think therapy might be in someone's best interests.

[Poiuyt]

54. Not all people from Illinois are FIBs

But a lot of people from the Chicago suburbs come up here in their big Escalades and treat us like we're a bunch of hicks. That's not cool either.

[Blue-Jay]

59. I'll remember that when I park my Escalade on your petunia patch.

[Poiuyt]

61. I'll remember you next year when I see an Escalade peeling away from my garden

:hi:

[Blue-Jay]

64. Ha!

:yoiks:

[AngryAmish]

78. Wisconsin _ Illinois' Largest State Park.

[mark414]

79. umm...it's a joke

but it might make more sense if you lived in any of the areas that become infested with FIBs on weekends or in the summertime

settle down man

[Susang]

88. It's not a joke to mycritters

You can trust me on that one. Or ask her, either one will get you the same answer. ;-)

[HoneyBee]

124. Sadly, it's not a joke to many.

Some folks in WI ARE quite serious and angry at IL residents. I've lived in both WI and Chicago 'burbs... me and my family have been the "butt" of this "joke". It wasn't real funny.

[mark414]

129. yeah, but i can sympathize

i grew up 10 minutes from lake geneva and i guess for most people it's always the brash and snobbish few that stick in your head as opposed to the good and decent majority...LG is a traffic nightmare in the summertime though...go home FIBs! (i'm just joking of course...mostly)

and the bears still suck

[Bjornsdotter]

150. I live by the Chain

....and it's overwhelmingly crowded here in the summer. People come here to drink, boat, drink, jet ski, drink, water ski, drink and drink.

It is annoying and most of us complain about the summer people, however they are spending their money at the local businesses.

The roads do go both ways, I see a lot of Wisconsin plates (about 40%) when I go shopping local, Wisconsin checks are taken as local checks.

BTW, If you lived south of LG, you wouldn't believe the amount of construction going on.

Cheers

[Radical Activist]

140. This is why I vacation in southern Illinois.

In the Shawnee National Forest. Its cheaper and more beautiful.

[Critters2]

146. It IS beautiful!! I was there for a training once, and returned the next weekend to camp

and have been camping there a good many times since. The scenery is stunning--and GREAT birding!

[Susang]

17. Big, fucking deal

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but don't you live in Illinois? :shrug:

[Critters2]

58. I live in Illinois. Even on weekends. Even in the summer.

I don't treat another state like a colony.

And I'll be leaving Illinois when I can.

[Blue-Jay]

63. Can you show me on the doll where all the residents of Illinois touched you?

Those evil bastards!

[Critters2]

65. I didn't invent the term FIB. But someone felt the need.

Welcome to *ignore*

[Blue-Jay]

66. "Ignore": The opiate of the asses.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

167. I'm from Illinois...

and didn't learn of the term "FIB" until my administrative assistant "slipped up" and used it in front of me -- at which time I spent fifteen minutes laughing my ass off.

I grew up in a small town on the Mississippi, directly west of Chicago, and we were inundated every weekend with people from Chicago clogging up our boat launches and littering the islands in the river. I couldn't stand those people and looked forward to Sunday afternoon when they would go the hell home.

They couldn't drive a boat for shit -- we referred to them as the "land lovers"

[fudge stripe cookays]

81. Illinois will be pleased. n/t

[Critters2]

143. I'll be ignoring you. Have a good day. nt

[Susang]

87. You "can" leave anytime you want

Really, it's true. Unless of course, you're being held against your will, serving a jail/prison sentence or have been recently hobbled by Kathy Bates.

Seriously, how do you minister to your congregation when you hate living with them? Or do you only direct your angry, negative comments towards us Illinois DUers?

As for treating another state like a colony, I'd think that was a little better than treating it like a fleabag hotel that you're stuck in while your car is being repaired. Strangely enough, I know dozens of people who've migrated here from Iowa (sound familiar?), are they treating Illinois as a colony? FIB can stand for another state, you know. :hi:

[Critters2]

142. Migrating to Illinois to stay is different than running to another state every

weekend, parking in the locals' petunia patches, to paraphrase a Wisconsin DU'er, running home for a week, and doing it all over again the next weekend. Apparently a lot of people in Illinois don't really like Illinois. Or why do they spend every weekend in Wisconsin? If Illinois is such a great place, why don't people want to be here all the time?

And yes, my congregation knows I was happier in Iowa. They know there were circumstances around my coming here that made it not optimal for me, and that one day I will return to Iowa.

I try to make the best of it until then. And ignore you in the process.

[mentalsolstice]

38. We have friends with a cabin on the lake! Hope they invite sometime! n/t

[greatauntoftriplets]

89. I hope they invite you, too!!!

Just hope that you don't drive an Escalade, since they are apparently not appreciated up there. I have a six-year-old Saturn, so I could hardly be considered to drive anything as large as an Escalade. Jeez.

[Goblinmonger]

100. I live in Wisconsin

and though I have not spend considerable time in Lake Geneva, I have camped in Door County and I know of the Illinois residents of which are being spoken. They are a pain in the ass. Trust me. The attitude is clearly a "I'm better than you so get out of my way" one. My stereotypical response would be that they are freepers. It's kinda like geometry, not all Illinois residents are FIBS, but all FIBS are Illinois residents.

[greatauntoftriplets]

119. I live in Illinois.

And am happy that I vacationed in Michigan last year, thanks to the attitude of you Wisconsinsites. Jeez.

:eyes:

[Goblinmonger]

136. I think I made it clear

that it is not an attitude toward all residents of Illinois. But let me tell you that if you were the person who, when coming up to a line of 20 people to check into the state campground in Door County, just walked to the front, and when I mentioned that there was a line, he just looked at me and said "Well, certainly, I'M not going to wait in line" then please, don't come back because you were a pain in the ass.

Come one, you live in Illinois, don't tell me that you don't know the people we are talking about. There is an attitude of superiority and it drives us crazy. Just because they are rich and from Chicago they feel they are better than us "hicks." If you can't see why that attitude, which is pervasive (and I would argue that a lot of the people who go to Lake Geneva and Green Lake have this attitude because I see them constantly in Green Lake), can piss us off then you need to take a step back.

As I said before, not all Illinois residents are FIBs, but a too many are and we have to deal with them.

[Critters2]

8. Eagle Grove, Iowa It'll always be home to me. nt

[Cabcere]

11. Staunton, VA

Pronounced "Stanton." Home of the Statler Brothers, the Blackfriars Playhouse (a working replica of Shakespeare's - very fun!), Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant (NOT prounounced "Mrs. Rose") and me for most of my childhood. ;) I wasn't born in Staunton and I don't live there now, but I love to visit it - it's such a cool little town, IMO. (Not that I'm biased or anything, of course...) :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

50. Staunton is a pretty little town!

I love driving along Rt 11, from VA through PA. You miss so many small towns when you take the interstate. It's good for bypassing the strip-mall cities, though! :hi:

[Cabcere]

74. Rt. 11

is quite scenic, especially in the fall. :) And I'm always happy when somebody has heard of Staunton! :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

77. Every summer,

I coach adult amateur chamber musicians in Lexington. The downtown historic district is still quaint, especially since they've moved their power lines underground. But I can remember when there weren't a bunch of strip malls on the outskirts of town.

[deucemagnet]

13. Ellicottville, NY.

Skiing, hiking, biking, festivals, and a nice night life.

http://www.ellicottville-ny.worldweb.com/

[SunDrop23]

14. Chapel Hill, NC

[Cabcere]

16. Chapel Hill is a lovely place.

:) My mom went to college there (UNC), and when we went to tour the campus I was very impressed. It's gorgeous (although not quite gorgeous enough to pay out-of-state tuition ;)), and I wouldn't mind visiting there again.

[NewWaveChick1981]

127. What year did your mom graduate?

I started there in 1981 and graduated in 1985. :hi:

[Cabcere]

135. Ahh, you missed her by a few years then

She graduated in '77. Still, it's always cool to hear from UNC:CH alumni! :hi: (I'm not one, but about half of my extended family went there so it feels kind of like home, lol.)

[NewWaveChick1981]

126. Definitely!

:hi: I went to college there and lived there for four years afterward. :) Definitely my favorite small town! It's culturally diverse and has some very nice scenery.

[NC_Nurse]

158. I live there.

It's not as small as it used to be, but still pretty nice.

Better visit now, people are moving here in droves. I read somewhere that
more people moved to NC last year than any other state.

[rustydog]

15. Selah, Washington . Grew up there in 60's definitely small-town America

[Magrittes Pipe]

19. Urbana, OH

Actually, it kinda sucks. But I had so many good times there. At my friend Joe's house (his mom was dead sexy), at the UDF where Crazy Beehive Lady was always reading her bible, at Low Bob's Discount Tobacco. Plus, Mira lived there, and I spent the better part of high school madly (and unrequitedly) in love with her. Becca, too, though I din't quite love her -- pure lust. ;)

[Blue-Jay]

32. Bracken's Pub

No food aside from frozen pizzas, but I used to get laid a lot when I went there. That should count for something.

[mentalsolstice]

35. There's a pattern starting to form here...

You find the "good time" places! Which is good...it's necessary information as far as I'm concerned!

[Magrittes Pipe]

69. You fucked Urbana chicks?

Ewww. :scared:




(well, other than Mira and Becca :loveya:)

[GenDem]

21. Naples, NY

It sits at the southern tip of Canandaigua Lake, in the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes region. It has amazing culture, vineyards, a ski resort, fishing, boating, great bed and breakfasts, and a quaint main street.

In October they have their annual grape festival. They put on the best local festival, I dare say, in the region.

We drive down every fall for the grape pies. The pies are baked with love by the townspeople who set up stands on the side of the road. They even have a grape pie competition every year.

[mentalsolstice]

39. Yummy! My mouth is watering...n/t

[driver8]

91. I went to college in Fredonia, NY and there were a lot of vineyards in that

part of the state.

I can still remember the smell of those grapes.

I never have been to Naples, however...it sounds wonderful.

[GenDem]

96. I very much like the Fredonia area, too.

I'm trying to think of the little town that sits right on Lake Erie. I think it's called Silver Creek, and I love the area around Chautauqua Lake.:hi:

[driver8]

109. Silver Creek -- I went to college with 3 brothers from Silver Creek.

We spent a lot of time at their house on weekends.

I really miss that area. It's too bad there aren't more jobs in that region. I grew up in Potsdam but there is no way I could live there...too damn cold!! :hi:

[Dastard Stepchild]

23. Does Bloomington, IN count?

I was surprised to find how much I liked it there. Also, I like the little towns in Door County, WI.

Abroad, some of my favorite little towns are on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Gorgeousness!

[mentalsolstice]

46. Sure it counts!

I've always wanted to go to IN...it seems like it would be the center of America from what I've seen in movies and TV.

[QMPMom]

24. Owensville, Indiana.

My hometown. I love it with all my heart and want desperately to move back but I never will. It'a all about health care. We'd never get health care in the US for our daughter. So, I'll be staying in Canada.

[mentalsolstice]

43. It sux doesn't it?

The greatest nation on earth, yet, we can't take adequately take care of our own! Besides the fact that people are dying, I wish we could get out of our present situation so we could start focusing on our problems at home.

[izzybeans]

163. Very near where I grew up.

[YankeyMCC]

25. Intercourse, PA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercourse%2C_PA

[mentalsolstice]

45. Too bad it's not on the way to Mt. Sodomy, WI! n/t

[Manifestor_of_Light]

73. And not anywhere near Bald Knob, Arkansas!!!

[wildhorses]

26. dogville--

:evilgrin:

[mentalsolstice]

49. But, but....

...Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Chloe Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård and James Caan are all there!

[wildhorses]

53. and...talk about a funky vibe!!

:evilgrin::woohoo:

[Lilyhoney]

62. After you have been to Dogville be sure you follow

the journey to Manderlay, a place where time forgot.:evilgrin:

[wildhorses]

68. last night i dreamed of manderlay

;)

[Redstone]

31. Two: Northampton, MA (Where the coffee is strong, and so are the women), and

Brattleboro, VT (The People's Republic of Brattleboro).

Redstone

[speedoo]

47. Good choices, Redstone. nt

[mentalsolstice]

52. Anywhere in NE!

I loved Woodstock and Montpelier, VT! And I've been to Bar Harbor, ME twice, once on my honeymoon. Frenchman's Bay and Acadia Nat'l Park is the most gorgeous place in the world!

[Rhythm]

166. i've been to Northampton once... absolutely picturesque!

i could retire there... in a nice, warm coat.

[KitchenWitch]

40. Winona Minnesota

Closely followed by LaCrosse Wisconsin.

Good times.

[pitohui]

41. hot springs, ak is another

i like arkansas, it's very cool

[mentalsolstice]

51. We went through Hot Springs

On our way to Eureka Springs. WE couldn't stop because we had our dog with us. I'd love to go back to go back and stay in one of those old resort hotels!

[SPKrazy]

154. Eureka Springs Has Some Cool Hotels

The Crescent comes to mind as the most famous. There are also a ton of B & B's there that are better to stay in than a lot of the smaller motels.

Hot Springs has a couple of old hotels, the Arlington is probably the most famous. It's nice, but it really is an OLD hotel, and you can't help but wonder what happens if it catches fire. You do get to use the pool and hot tub outdoors that are heated by hot springs.

[SPKrazy]

57. Or Hot Springs, AR is Cool Too!

One of Bill Clinton's old stomping grounds

good horse racing there too if you're into that!

:hi:

[Art_from_Ark]

94. I rode down to Hot Springs on my bicycle one year

and I thought "Where's the national park?"

After a few more visits, I'm still trying to figure out where it is. Maybe it's that one hot spring that isn't tapped by a hotel :shrug:

[SPKrazy]

97. ROFL!

good point

I couldn't tell you either

the whole town may be?

[pitohui]

151. in a way the whole town maybe but you have to hike straight up

do you know where the public hot spring is where you just put your feet in? there is a hiking path that goes pretty much directly uphill right there, as in, you can park in the public parking of downtown hot springs and hike all day on west mountain, music mountain, etc.


oh, there is also in the valley/downtown a place where you can fill your jugs, at no cost, with hot springs water

it looks like a water fountain with eagles on it, don't know how to describe it

the natural areas of hot springs national park is way too steep to be accessible by bike in my humble opinion, but i don't know anything about mountain bikes so i guess it's possible, there is a road where cars can drive to the lookout for handicapped and older people who can't do such a steep hike

i just walk!

[SPKrazy]

153. Yes, You Are Right

it's a nice little town, bath house row is being renovated to some degree, and I don't think it will be commercialized, I think it is more along the lines of renovation to make it part of a historic district.

I'm going there in March for a convention- it's only a couple of hours from where I live- but it's a nice town to have a meeting at. Lots of good restaurants, and peaceful. Good accommodations for meetings as well. (Sound like the Chamber of Commerce)

:hi:

[blonndee]

42. Cloudcroft, New Mexico

Really, the most beautiful place I think I've ever been. Lush, expansive pine forests, bordering national forest land. Strangely, it's about 15 miles from the desert of Alamogordo, near White Sands. In 15 miles you climb from desert sand badlands up to cool, cloudy, thick green forests. It's very small (about 750 population) which makes it an excellent place to take a little vacation if you just want to escape and not be crowded. Also, if you DO like crowds, shopping, and skiing, it's only about 45 minutes from Ruidoso, where there's excellent skiing.

What I enjoy most when I spend time in Cloudcroft is the strong smell of pine trees and the quiet. Most of the time all you can hear is the wind soughing through the trees, and the birds and squirrels going about their day.

Last week--my mom sent me this, taken on her daily walk



Summer



Looking out the bedroom window from my mom's house summer before last! A visitor!



Historic train trestle

[carly denise pt deux]

120. I grew up in Ruidoso, indeed beautiful country........

Cloudcroft is a quiet place to get away when Ruidoso gets too crowded during the summer.
Carly

[SPKrazy]

155. Did You

that must have been interesting such a tourist place to live.

I grew up in a tourist town in Utah, Logan, but nothing like Ruidoso.

:hi:

[carly denise pt deux]

157. Yes, it was an interesting place to live

The beauty of the area made up for the hoards of tourists that would flood the tiny town in the summer, in winter too, because of the skiing. But for a small town there was alot to do and what scenery!
Carly

[speedoo]

48. Camden, Maine. nt

[barb162]

55. Mailbu CA,, Blowing Rock NC, Fish Creek, WI and a ton of others

[Jimbo S]

128. Malibu and Fish Creek in the same sentence

How does that come about?

[SPKrazy]

56. Good Old Hippie Town!

turned to tourist town

very interesting little town, interesting cast of characters that live there and run the place too!

Fun to visit.

:thumbsup:

[VenusRising]

60. Bordentown, NJ

It is the most precious historical town. It has the old colonial style houses with the horse posts still on the streets. You can walk to everything on the main street. And the best part...it's a haunted town!! Every place has a ghost. The house we stayed in has a ghost and it was following me the whole time I was there. There is a jewelry store that has a sign that reads "Not Responsible for Flying Merchandise". According to the story, there is a "poltergeist" that haunts the store and throws things from time to time. I wish I hadn't been there for such a solemn occasion (my husband's grandmother died) because it is an amazing place. There was also a mass sighting of the Jersey Devil in Bordentown flying down the main street in the 1800s. There is also the Clara Barton school which is a teeny little place that looks like a girl's backyard dollhouse from the present. I would love to go back to see some things that I missed because of the circumstances.

[mentalsolstice]

67. Speaking of haunted towns...

St. Martinville, LA! And if you're into Longfellow, this would be nirvana. We stayed at the Old Castillo Bed and Breakfast...and while we're not ghost aficionados, we swore this place was haunted. We were the only guests on our floor the night we were there, and there were so many unexplained lights and noises...we spent the whole night huddled together in our big antique four-poster bed...which wasn't an entirely bad thing. :evilgrin:

[VenusRising]

75. Oh, that's very fun!!

The last night we stayed in my husband's grandmother's house, the ghost that lives in the attic was walking across the floor creaking the ceiling like the house was going to cave in. My husband and I pulled the covers up over our heads and started giggling like little kids. It was only after she grabbed my foot that it wasn't funny anymore.

[GalleryGod]

160. I Just Love Bordentown ! I attended Prep School there.

We return at least once a year to dine downtown and every two years for our Prep School Fall Reunion. The cool thing is that B'town is much nicer and restored than when I lived there.:bounce:

[VenusRising]

Cool!

It's a neat little town. We stayed on Prince Street while we were there. I love all the houses with the widow-walks. I'd like to go back.

[ProfessorGAC]

170. I've Been There BUNCHES Of Times

Never thought i'd see it pointed out on DU.

I know a really nice ride from Mount Holly to Bordentown all on backroads through small colonial towns. Really cool!
The Professor

[GoddessOfGuinness]

70. Lost River, WV

Not much to it; but substance is what counts, IMO.

[Unperson]

71. Mendocino, CA; Hilo, HI; Torrey, UT; Edenton NC; Key West, FL

Too many...

[KamaAina]

133. Would you believe Hilo is the second-largest "city" in the state?!

(we have county government, hence no city limits as such) Not sure whether it still qualifies as a "small town", although it certainly does have the look and feel of one.

[mopinko]

72. galena, il

funky little town, with a long, rich history. full of aging hippies, lots of them potters. great scenery, nice hills, on the mississippi. got eagles, lots of good birding. fun b&b's. art. great place.

[donco]

76. Sainte Genevieve Mo.

Sainte Genevieve

While 1735 is celebrated as Ste. Genevieve's birth date, the village of Ste. Genevieve was established somewhere between 1722 and 1749. The first permanent European settlement in what now is the state of Missouri, the community was established as a trading outpost and was later settled by lead miners, farmers and fur traders. Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the dominant architecture was French Creole with wooden homes built in several styles.

http://www.greatriverroad.com/SteGenHome.htm

[mark414]

80. Dunsmuir, CA

anyone who's hopped freight trains or has any sort of fascination with the idea knows what i mean

and the scenery is second to none

[XemaSab]

103. One word:

:yourock:

Dunsmuir makes me want to become a model railroad buff. :P

PS the sammiches at the Brown Trout are good. :9

[fudge stripe cookays]

82. McKinney, Texas

Excepting its politics (it's in a VERY red area), it is a neat town to visit on the weekends. We're just EAST of Dallas, and it is just north.

They have a wonderful old town square with a beautiful courthouse, and TONS of little shops, restaurants, etc. reprehensor and I love spending a Saturday there. We go have lunch at the new little place that we recently discovered (Poppy's I think it's called...for the flower, not the person. They have a cool outside patio). They used to have the coolest bookstore/coffeehouse-cafe in the old jail, but they closed. :cry:

I can go visit the architecural salvage places, the fu-fu girlie clothes store, the perfumerie, and the neat home decor places, then I meet up with r at the antique bookstore, we go to the rundown antique store that I love, then have a coffee and head home. I LOVE that place. Will miss it if we leave Texas. One of the few things I WILL miss.

[JCMach1]

83. St. Augusine, FL

Spent 7 years there... Flagler College graduate and then graduate school @ UNF in JAX.

Awesome old colonial town...

[HoneyBee]

125. I agree... VERY cool place!

People are fabulous and the town is very neat!!!

Home of the Gypsy Cab Company!!

[swag]

84. Silver City, New Mexico.

[northzax]

85. portland, oregon

hey, when you grow up there its a small town!

[leftofthedial]

86. Mayberry

or Bad Axe, Michigan

[TheCentepedeShoes]

90. Cedar Key, FL or Creede, CO n/t

[likesmountains 52]

144. Creede...the green there is unlike the green anywhere else...beautiful spot.

[Art_from_Ark]

93. Eurekie Springs

You're talking practically hometown to me. The first time I visited, it was with my dear uncle, who took us over to Onxy Cave and then to the giant "Christ of the Ozarks" statue. I was always amazed at how the town had more hotel rooms than residents. I still make it over there from time to time when I'm in the area.

[SPKrazy]

98. One Morning Long Ago

a friend of mine and I were wandering through the Ozarks, stoned out of our minds, crashed out and got up the next day and drove by that statue.

Freaked me out.

Now I live in Arkansas so it seems kind of funny to think back about that.

[Art_from_Ark]

101. It kind of freaked me out, too

But I was like 10 years old at the time and had never seen a big white statue before

[RushIsRot]

111. I'm kinda fond of Jasper, AR!

It reminds me of Cecily south. You do remember Cecily from Northern Exposure, don't you? Of course, this being a dry county, the Brick is missing, but we've got the Ozark Cafe.

[Art_from_Ark]

116. Ah, Jasper

Stopover point on the way to the Buffalo River.

And home to Dogpatch, USA (is it still there?)

And the starting point of Scenic 7, all the way down to the Arkansas valley.

[Heidi]

117. Alas, Dogpatch USA is closed.

:(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogpatch_USA

[Art_from_Ark]

122. Hi, Heidi

Fancy meeting you here!

So Dogpatch is closed. Bummer. Oh well, I still have fond memories of the two visits I made to Dogpatch within a week of each other-- the last weekend before entering 8th grade, and the first weekend after entering it.

[Heidi]

123. Kickapoo Joy Juice!

I think that was Dogpatch USA's re-labeled brand of Mountain Dew; it certainly tasted like Mountain Dew to me. :hi:

[Art_from_Ark]

148. Mountain Dew actually started out as a local brand, I think

It used to feature a hillbilly on its label, and the commercials (which definitely had a local flavor to them) would have the hillbilly saying "Yah-HEW! Mountain DEW! It's GOOD fer YEW!"

You're right about Kickapoo Joy Juice tasting like Mountain Dew. It definitely was a local brand, bottled in Springfield, Missouri, I think. It was available in the Springfield/Harrison (AR)/Dogpatch corridor, but I never saw it in NW Arkansas. I don't know if they still make it.

[BOSSHOG]

141. I visited Dogpatch

a couple of times in the mid 60's. Fascinating hunk of real estate.

Best little town: Fayetteville, Arkansas circa 1969. What a great town to grow up in.

[Art_from_Ark]

149. You grew up in Fayetteville in '69?

Then, Howdy, neighbor! :hi:

Remember the "Game of the Century"? The outcome really sucked, didn't it?

My Grandma used to take us kids for a ride down to "Agri Park" by the university's experimental farm. It seemed so exotic back then. And for a special treat, one time we went all the way to the other side of Winslow to Lookout Point overlooking Lake Fort Smith.

By the way, were they calling Fayetteville "Fayette-nam" back then? Or did that monicker come later?

[BOSSHOG]

165. I recall the game of the Century quite well

It was a nasty, rainy day and the sky was filled with helicopters. Which one was Nixon in?? Lookout Point overlooking some of the most beautiful geography on the planet. Since they put the interstate in between Fayetteville and Fort Smith, traffic has almost come to a halt along ole Highway 71. But there is an incredible view of Fayetteville heading north from that new Interstate, with Old Main framed by some rock formation cut out for the highway. Fayette-nam stuck for a while. I went to High School and to UA. A fantastic little town which has changed quite a bit in the past 40 years but if you look real hard the past is still in plain sight.

[Art_from_Ark]

169. I took my SAT at Fayetteville High

and my name is on one the sidewalks in front of Old Main.

I've only been on the new Interstate once. I don't remember seeing the incredible view of Fayetteville. I'll try to get a look next time I'm in the area. :hi:

[Kali]

95. Kinda partial to Bisbee.

[XemaSab]

104. Bisbee. Portal. Arivaca. Patagonia. Clifton.

Them's some good times. :D

On edit: I really have mixed feelings about Tubac, but hey, why not? :D

[Kali]

106. Tubac? eh Tumacacori - si,

Great little Greek/Mexican (yes) restaurant across from the mission - but don't piss off the owner - he will YELL at you and throw you out hee hee

Great baklava and Greek coffee. Don't ask for a cheeseburger or he will have a fit!

[XemaSab]

110. I have eaten there

I had no quarrel with the owner. :P

I don't remember what I ate. :P

[tinfoilinfor2005]

99. Key West.

The way it used to be a couple dozen years ago. But I still love it.

[jarab]

102. Washington GA. nt

...O...

[XemaSab]

105. I'm going to limit my scope to the state of California

Virtually any town in Sonoma or Marin. A lot of little funky towns in the Delta. A lot of little funky towns in the foothills. A lot of little funky towns on the coast.:D

[bridgit]

108. yep, yep & yep...

[mike_c]

113. Blue Lake, dammit....

Need I say more?

[XemaSab]

114. I haven't spent much time there

Cool place to live, I would guess. :P

[Porcupine]

118. You forgot Chico!!!

Best little town in the US. Three farmers markets a week in summer. GREAT beer ! What more could you want?

[bridgit]

107. there's a bunch, but Yountville, CA is cool too..

http://www.yountville.com

[mike_c]

112. Blue Lake, CA-- the town where I live is awesome....

Mainly because it's quiet, and peaceful, and my cats are safe. I love Blue Lake.

[freethought]

115. Chester, Vermont

It's not the town I grew up in. The town I grew up in isn't small anymore, it has become heavily urbanized and I never liked it anyway. Chester, Vermont is a town where my father and I used to do most of our deer hunting years ago. A charming little town where a diner opens up extra early for the hunting season. Everything is on single main street and the homes are well kept. From there you can see the mountain area where we used to hunt, interspersed with corn fields and a river. I could imagine that Chester could be a great place to live. I haven't been there in a few years. Will have to get back at some point.

[seemunkee]

121. Peoria Heights, Il

My mom's and grandparents home town and where I lived for my first 7 years. Its a separate township next to Peoria proper. My grandfather his home and gave land to my parents next door to build their house on. My grandfather was the first fire chief, mayor for 12 years, and sheriff (not all at the same time).

[noonwitch]

130. Traverse City, MI-if anyone still considers it to be a small town

Does any town with a Macy's and a Borders count as a small town?

[Patiod]

131. State College, PA, aka Happy Valley

Even though it rains all the time.

[GalleryGod]

161. GOOD choice! How about that NCD for "Stickies" ? YUMMMMY.

Although more "built up" it's still a great town. My daughter played ball at a small college just 24 miles East of The Valley, so her mother and I used to make it a part of most of our weekend visits.:toast:

[Patiod]

164. Susquehanna?

My friend's daughter just graduated from there - she was a lacrosee player.

I took city boy S.O. (who went to St. Joe's) up for a weekend, and he was stunned. "Nothing but cows for miles!" There was too long a line at the Creamery, so we skipped it but he got Creamery ice cream on his dessert (at The Tavern) and then stickies the next morning at a Diner breakfast.

He still refers to it as "cow college" but admits that both the ice cream and sticky buns are the best he's ever had.

[RebelOne]

132. Steamboat Springs, Colorado

I was only there once for a few days, but if I could have found a job, I would never have left.

[Sequoia]

Brevard, North Carolina

Blue Ridge Mountians

Land of Waterfalls

Pisgah National Forest

A little two-year college

Nice people

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.north-carolina-relocation.org/brevard-nc-relocation/&h=140&w=195&sz=14&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=4ssnJdMpYf10OM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrevard,%2Bnc%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

[Taverner]

134. Mill Valley, CA

Yeah yeah yeah I know its part of the "Greater Bay Area"

But it's small, liberal and nice

[ceile]

137. Durango, CO

Beautiful scenery, hippie vibe and shopping!

[jpgray]

138. Ouray, CO!

Or Choteau, MT

[AmandaRuth]

152. OH MY GOSH Ouray!

I logged on just to post this. Ouray was exactly what I thought of when I saw this thread. About 10 years ago, we took a big family driving trip to the Grand Canyon and looped around up to Dakotas on our way back (to Washington State). We drove by Ouray on that high road that runs on the mountain above the town. It was a beautiful summer day, and that tiny town just looked like paradise. We didn't have time to stop, and I have always remembered that beautiful place that looked so peaceful and happy. I have always wanted to go back, ten years later I can still remember it. I do have a picture of the whole family we took in front of the women in mining road side monument (at least I think the monument was there, it could have been Utah). Hopefully, you have been lucky enough to spend some time in that town, some day I will too.

[jpgray]

156. It's beautiful! Stayed there for weeks--climbed Sneffels and Uncompahgre

The restored Belmont is gorgeous and the Tundra restaurant has a classical guitarist who plays incidental music there who I know pretty well. Don't recommend a visit in the winter. Unless you like wading through ten feet of snow. :rofl:

[Radical Activist]

139. Asheville, NC. If that counts as small.

I'd call it a mid-sized town probably, but I love that place.

[Lautremont]

145. Woodstock, Vt.

[GalleryGod]

162. I'm going with TOWNSHEND, VeeTee.

Nothing like Christmas and New Years in Vermont.

[huskerlaw]

147. Ojai, CA

Gorgeous little "mountain" town with a thriving artist community.

No clue how the artists afford to live up there though...their housing prices make Los Angeles look downright affordable.

It smells like camp. In a good way. You know, clean air, evergreen trees...

Plus, it's off the beaten path a bit. Head up the 101 from LA (or down from Santa Barbara), hang a right just past Oxnard (Hwy 33, I believe). Drive another 13 miles or so...and there you are.

[kwassa]

168. Capitola, CA

[LSK]

171. Key West FL and Redstone,Co and Crested Butte, Co

[Cascadian]

172. Solvang, California

I like how they recreated a Danish village out of the place. It's the closest thing I have ever been to Denmark. They have nice little Danish arts and crafts shops, Danish restaurants, and all sorts of Danish centered stuff.

If you ever find yourself on the Central Coast of California, it is worth the trip! Solvang is a little ways north of Santa Barbara.




John

[CottonBear]

173. Athens, GA, Asheville, NC and Beaufort, SC. n/t