Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Searcy, Arkansas, "The city where thousands live as millions wish they could!" Searcy is the county seat of White County and is located in central Arkansas.  Searcy was located along the path of totality during the recent solar eclipse. The town developed a website for the event including some of the main attractions in the area.  The historic Rialto showed "space flicks," the Center on the Square theatre presented a production of "Ghost Hunt," and the town closed the event with a...

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Tifton, Georgia, "The Friendly City!" Tifton is located in Tift County in southern Georgia.  The town and county were named after lumber magnate Henry Harding Tift who established the mill town that ultimately became Tifton.  The Georgia Museum of Agriculture is located in the area.  It is a 95 acre site consisting of the museum, two 19th century farms, a town and and industrial site.  The museum also has the only steam-powered train in regular operation in the state. We hope you...

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Chadron, Nebraska!  The town is the seat of Dawes County and is located in the northwest corner of the state near the border with South Dakota.  A former fur trading post, the town is home to the Museum of the Fur Trade.  In addition to the items you would expect to find at a museum of fur trading, they also have an heirloom garden featuring authentic crops grow by Native Americans in the area.  Chadron is also the home of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center and Chadron...

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Ada, Oklahoma, a "Small Town with Big Opportunity!"  Ada is the county seat of Pontotoc County and is the capital of the Chickasaw Nation.  Ada was incorporated in 1901 and grew quickly with the arrival of the railroad.  Ada is home to the McSwain Theatre.  Originally built in 1920 to show silent films and host Vaudeville shows, the theatre was restored in 2009.  Blake Shelton, an Ada native, was a regular performer there before moving to Nashville.  We hope you enjoy our visit to...

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

We're back with a full episode! This week we are in Geneseo, Illinois...or are we in Genesco?  If our steadfast leader Dr. Jess tells us it is spelled Genesco, then that's the new name of the town.  This delightful small town is about 150 miles west of Chicago, and has been around for close to 200 years.  A main stop on the Grand Excursion, the birthplace of Madame X and the site of a super-cool gingerbread contest, Genesco has tons of history and charm.  We hope you enjoy our virtual romp...

We are spending one more week on the back porch.  Last week a vase full of water and a cat conspired to sabotage the laptop that houses our data.  We will be back next week with a full episode.  In the meantime, enjoy this back porch chat. Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Xenia, Ohio, "The City of Hospitality!"  Xenia is located about 15 minutes from Dayton and has a population of nearly 26,000.  The town was founded in 1803 and is the county seat of Greene County.  In 1974 Xenia was hit by an F5 tornado during the 1974 Super Outbreak causing major destruction and displacing 10,000 people.  The town was featured in a documentary on NBC and was visited by President Richard Nixon.  The staff of The Daily Gazette, our source newspaper, won the Pulitzer...

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov

Welcome to Gaffney, South Carolina, "The Peach Capital of South Carolina!"  Gaffney is located in northern SC in the Upcountry in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Originally settled in 1804 by Michael Robert Gaffney,  the town has three historic districts, the Peachoid, and is close to many hiking trails and other outdoor activities.  The town was once called home by actor Andie McDowell and is the final fake resting place of Francis J. Underwood, the fictional President in the...

Welcome to Collingswood, New Jersey, "Festival Capital of South Jersey!"  Collingswood was founded in the late 17th century by Quakers and was completely dry until 2015.  The town is located about 5 miles east of Philadelphia across the Delaware River.   Collingswood hosts an amazing number of festivals and events throughout the year.  Festivals include the Book Festival, Crafts and Fine Art Festival, Green Day, May Fair, Pride Pop-Up, and many others.  We hope your enjoy our trip to...

Welcome to Crisfield, Maryland, "The Seafood Capital of the World!"  Crisfield is Maryland's southernmost town and is located on the Chesapeake Bay.  First settled by Europeans in 1663, the town's economic engine has always been seafood.  The harvesting and processing of blue crab makes up a large part of the seafood industry in town.  Crisfield hosts the Hard Shell Crab Derby, an annual Labor Day weekend festival.  2023's main entertainer was a Neil Diamond impersonator.  We hope you enjoy...