You may never have heard of Dallas City, Illinois, but to the folks who grew up there, Dallas City was idyllic. The town had a small but diverse business community. Crime was rare and mostly petty stuff. The local streams, creeks, and woods fed a child’s curiosity. And the biggest playground, the Mississippi, challenged
What are the challenges involved with managing a small rivertown? And how does a dyed-in-the-wool Northeasterner and international business consultant end up living in a small town on the Mississippi River in the middle of America? That’s the path Philip Stang has followed to Kimmswick, Missouri, where he has served multiple terms as Mayor.
Population (2010) 13,571 Introduction Otsego is one of the communities on the exurban fringe of the Twin Cities metro area; visitors will find a couple of reasons to pull off the highway, especially if you like quiet walks next to the river. Visitor Information Direct
Population (2010) 15,876 Introduction Sartell is located along what was once known as “Third Rapids”, because, well, they were the third set of rapids upriver from St. Anthony Falls. Those rapids are now obscured by a dam, and those two small towns have in recent years developed into medium-sized
Population (2010) 7,610 Introduction Brainerd's next door neighbor, Baxter, has been around over a century but developed into a bedroom community in the latter half of the 20th century. It has a couple of places that might interest visitors. Visitor Information Direct your questions to
Population (2010) 6,301 Introduction East Alton became a community primarily because of railroads and a large ammunition plant. The railroad tracks still carve up the city (which side of the tracks did you grow up on?), and that ammunition plant is still around, too. History
