April 29, 2019 | Deb and Jim Fallows Share Lessons from their Journey Across America | By: Jenna Temkin, Associate Manager of Marketing and Outreach, NMSC
Jim and Deb Fallows with NMSC President and CEO Patrice Frey at the Main Street Now Conference in Seattle. Credit: Jenna Temkin
For more than four years, Deb and Jim Fallows traveled across the country in a single-engine prop airplane, visiting small towns and larger cities from coast to coast. They were determined to see what was happening in areas that typically didn’t get national media attention, and found that many communities were much stronger than they anticipated. The Fallows documented their journey in the bestselling book Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America.
At the Main Street Now Conference in March, Deb and Jim shared stories and lessons learned from communities across the country in a discussion moderated by National Main Street Center President and CEO Patrice Frey. In Our Towns, the Fallows outline the 10 key characteristics they observed in successful towns and cities, which they refer to as “The 10 ½ Signs of Civic Success.” Below, we highlight five signs of civic success that the Fallows touched on both in conversation with Patrice and in their book.
1) Strong Anchor Institutions
The Fallows are fascinated with the evolving role of libraries and their ability to adapt and respond to critical community needs. In their travels, they found that libraries are providing a wide range of services and resources from preschool programs and technology assistance to computer classes and equipment rentals. In Our Towns, Deb and Jim also highlight the crucial role of other solid anchor institutions, like research universities and community colleges.
2) Public-Private Partnerships
During the session, Jim emphasized that while national politics have become cynical about the term “public-private partnership,” he and Deb saw that these partnerships sparked meaningful change in the towns they visited. As an example, Deb highlighted an “Elementary School of Engineering” program in Greenville, South Carolina, where local industries send engineers into public schools in underserved communities to tutor students and oversee science fairs.
3) Clear Local Leadership
The Fallows found that thriving towns have clear leaders who cared about the future of their community. Deb told conference attendees that many of these leaders aren’t just mayors or local government officials, but are local artists, musicians, professors, or small business owners. “People aren’t waiting for leaders; they are becoming leaders,” Deb said. In Our Towns, Jim describes these leaders as “local patriots,” and writes that after asking who the local patriot was, “the more quickly this question was answered, the better shape a town was in.”
4) Engaging Immigrants and Youth
The most frequent question Deb and Jim received during their travels was how to keep and attract residents, especially older and younger generations. The Fallows saw many examples of programs aimed at engaging young people in their town, including a program in the agricultural community of Winters, California, which not only teaches kids about the basics about farming, but also dives into business planning and soft skills, such as how to communicate about agriculture. Deb also highlighted a program in Eerie, Pennsylvania, that helps immigrants not just resettle, but also start businesses.
5) A Robust Downtown
Deb and Jim believe that the strength of a downtown is “the quickest single marker of the condition of a town.” The Fallows told conference-goers that most of the communities they visited recognized the importance of their downtown and were actively funneling resources and creativity there. Jim highlighted Sioux City, South Dakota, and Greenville, South Carolina, as thriving towns with strong commercial districts to match.
Join the discussion! We encourage you to learn more about the Fallows’ journey in their bestselling book and join in our virtual book club discussion on The Point. How have you seen these signs of civic success play out in your Main Street communities? Are there any signs of success you think the Fallows missed? And If you attended the Fallows session at the conference, what were your key takeaways? Tell us more or post your own question on The Point today!
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Thanks to AARP for generously sponsoring this session.