I recently met a resident of Marksville who after some years in D.C. returned to his hometown. Like so many others I have met throughout my work in Louisiana, he is bringing home a different perspective on quality of life, a can-do attitude, and what seems like endless energy to improve his hometown. So what is the appeal? I asked him this when we first met for a tour of the town. His answer wasn’t unfamiliar – in short: the quiet lifestyle and potential. I knew what he meant because it confirmed what I’ve been witnessing in central Louisiana: older communities with rich histories and good bones that are eager for revitalization.
Visiting these towns, I have found roughly two types -- those that are organized around a courthouse and those that organize along a railroad. It is fascinating to think about the impact each development pattern has and continues to have on how we get around, invest, and who lives where. Towns organized along the railroad are long, and downtown may be recognizable by a railroad station. Towns organized around the courthouse tend to be more spherical in shape with the downtown well … downtown. Both types of towns usually have Main Streets, offering an “urban” feel in a rural setting -- a major appeal to those who have come back and those looking to come back.
These small town Main Streets are also experiencing some economic revitalization. Many of the once thriving downtown businesses have found new owners who bring their vision and money to catalyze new life that helps revive downtown areas. These towns also have great bones – a network of streets and roads that connect neighborhoods, downtown businesses, and other community assets within a relatively short distance, making the town more walkable and bikeable --- theoretically.
In the last decade, improvements to the walk and bike infrastructure have become a hot topic in urban planning. But bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure isn’t just for cities and urbanized areas – rural communities want to walk and bike safely too. They also want economic activity and a quality of life that offers some features of bigger cities, such as cultural events and access to jobs and services, but without all the hustle and bustle. They enjoy greater exposure to nature due to the rural setting, and a pace of life set by the community members.
Although the community-led vision and basic infrastructure is there, many of Louisiana’s small towns lack the capacity to make the changes they seek. Planners can work with both state and local partners to boost capacities and build on existing infrastructure, community assets, and social networks. As small town residents know, building up these assets is key to retaining young people and attracting new residents and investments. If we think about these small, nearly forgotten towns as the urban centers in rural settings they are and make investments accordingly, we could energize regional economies by boosting options to buy local; we could help combat climate change by reducing the hours spent driving to bigger cities to access goods and services; and we could help preserve the unique culture and way of life in rural Louisiana and great small towns everywhere.