Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Americana
In 1919, Clem Kruse started selling Oldsmobile, Maxwell, and Chalmers-Velie vehicles from the ground floor of a two-story concrete building on Mill Street, in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, just south of the Twin Cities. Upstairs, Kruse’s Hall hosted dances, plays, and high school basketball games. One hundred years later, Cannon River Winery opened a tasting room […]
In last week’s article, we looked at the growing challenge rural communities face in maintaining essential community facilities. But what if some of those same buildings—often seen as liabilities—are actually among the most valuable assets for rural economic development that a community already has? Historic Sites and Places as Community Facilities In many rural communities, […]
This has been a great year for our blog here at JCShepard.com. A lot of things to discuss regarding Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Americana, wherever you may be. Now the holidays are upon us, let’s take a look back at the posts which you, our readers, have given the most interaction over the […]
From Storytelling to Slow Craft: How Communities Build Resilience Through Authentic Rural Experiences In small towns and rural communities around the world, the most powerful stories are often the quietest ones. A grandmother teaching her grandson how to make jam from fruit grown on ancestral land. A blacksmith showing a class of fifth graders how […]
As a gateway community to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado—alongside Grand Lake on the park’s west side—faces growing concern about the outdoor economy and the effects of recent changes in federal policy. This Larimer County town of about 5,900 year-round residents mirrors challenges seen in gateway communities across the nation. Meg Carney, outdoor […]
How heritage conservation fuels tourism, strengthens identity, and supports sustainable rural economies Week 3 – September 2025 | Heritage & Tourism Series Rural Cultural Preservation is emerging as a powerful tool for building cultural resilience in rural communities. Stewardship of authentic local heritage makes heritage tourism a game changer. By protecting rural cultural landmarks, honoring […]
Week 1 – September 2025 | Heritage & Tourism Series Heritage tourism is more than a visit to a museum or a stroll through an old town—it’s an invitation to experience the authentic living story of a place. In rural communities across the world, heritage is not tucked away in exhibits. It lives in the […]
September Sneak Preview As we turn the corner into September, we’re pausing to focus on a theme that blends past, present, and future in rural places: the power of heritage tourism. In towns across America, heritage isn’t just what you find in a museum—it’s the main street brickwork, the fall festivals, the oral histories passed […]
Wednesday 26 October 1881, is said to have been a chilly day at Tombstone, at an elevation of 4,500 feet in southern Arizona Territory. The territory had been contested by the Confederacy, but was established by the US Congress in 1863. By the 1880s, Arizona had over 40,000 residents and the mining town of Tombstone […]
The Fourth of July is also known Out West as “Cowboy Christmas”, since there are so many rodeos held that the bucking horse set has a pretty good shot at filling their boot socks with a Summer Santa’s stash. Western Heritage Events Center, Inc. puts on the annual Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo each year as our […]
