The town you grew up in (then and now)

[John SD]

Little town of 650 when I was a kid had 2 grain full service grain elevators with rail service, Chevy dealer, White/Gehl dealer, NAPA and Pronto stores with full repair shops, 3 full service Mobil, Texaco, and Standard stations and bulk fuel delivery from all 3, drug store, 2 grocery stores, movie theater, vet clinic, people clinic and dentist, 3 cafes and a drive-in , 2 bars, 2 motels, about 6 churches, the sale barn, and K-12 school.

Today the population sign reads 489 with 1 feed store, no rail service, no auto or implement dealers, Pronto store/shop and a couple independents, Cenex and Sinclair C-stores, drug store with pharmacy tech in charge, 1 grocery store, no movies.

Still has vet clinic and people clinic, no dentist, currently one part time cafe and the summer drive-in. City bar, down to 4 churches, still has school and the sale barn. Town would probably blow away if it wasn't for the sale barn and school.

Just wondering what town you grew up in?

I guess I should explain that I did not "grow up" in any town. I have lived all my 52 years in the same house on the same ranch with my mailbox in the same place, even though my address has been changed numerous times.

The town I'm referring to in the above post is Faith located in the far NE part of my county. 40 miles away but still the closest actual town, which I assumed this thread was about. My bad

Sturgis is 70 miles in the other direction and is the county seat. Faith is the town I go to most often for medical appts, groceries, and repairs. I still prefer the small town to the big city.

My postal address as a kid was Marcus which is long gone except for the community hall and Presbyterian church. A house, large shop/machine storage, and large grain handling facilty with non-resident owner.

My mother owned/operated Plainview from 1978-1982. Was "Officer in Charge", not a full postmaster.

Plainview elementary school I attended and store/PO are also long gone. Community hall is still at Plainview and an Enning fire dept truck is stationed in the fire hall.

I attend Plainview Catholic church served from Faith along with 2 other mission churches at Red Owl and Mud Butte. Plainview church is actually located halfway between where Plainview used to be and Howes.

Now get my mail at White Owl. White Owl, Enning, and Howes are all on postal hit list, but so far hanging in there. Enning has been sold and seems to be doing well.

Howes is for sale. A few lookers, no buyers. Questionable PO future makes the situation uncertain. Doubt any of these little places can make a go of it without the PO.

I can think of many POs in my county that have closed during my lifetime. Fairpoint, Volunteer, Opal, Maurine, Mud Butte, Marcus, Plainview, Red Owl, probably a few others that aren't immediately coming to mind.

With the continued depopulation of our rural areas, I only see this trend continuing

 

[A.Lane]

John,

I guessed Faith, I just didn't want to say in case you were incognito or something. Haha. I know a few of your neighbors.

I'm east of Belle Fourche north of Orman Dam west of Newell with a Nisland address.....go figure.

Belle being the closest town I always figured that as our home town and it's growing a ton with all the ND stuff going on. Kinda wish it wouldn't bring in all the new people.

 

[John SD]

John,

I guessed Faith, I just didn't want to say in case you were incognito or something. Haha. I know a few of your neighbors.

I'm east of Belle Fourche north of Orman Dam west of Newell with a Nisland address.....go figure.

Belle being the closest town I always figured that as our home town and it's growing a ton with all the ND stuff going on. Kinda wish it wouldn't bring in all the new people.

I used to get to Belle at least once every year when I brought my wool to town. Rode with a neighbor whatever year it was when the co-op opened the new truck stop. Had only been open a couple days when we stopped and they were still putting on the finishing touches.

I sometimes help neighbor haul lambs to Newell, but didn't this year. Don't go to sale barns anymore and don't run into a lot of folks anymore that I used to.

When I had cattle I sold calves at Ft Pierre. Haven't been there for a long time either, and it's just not the same anyway since we lost Johnny Smith. Someone recently told me even the Chateau has closed. What's the world coming to? :shock: :shock:

 

[greybeard]

Noticeable......for a lot of our posts in this thread-we can't complain too much about the towns dying off, since most of us left and never went back. WE, are part of the problem.........

 

[greybeard]

Same here D&C--even tho my family has owned this land since 1966, we weren't born along this East Fork river, we are "from" a county 2 counties over, and I will never be one of the "old families" here. Outsider I am and always will be. I'm fine with that tho.

My oldest sister and her husband bought a 40 ac place from the old patriarch of one of the old families here--in the mid 70s. It was that family's original home place, but when he decided to sell it, none of the family had the $$ to buy it, even if they pooled their money. The old man's children and grandchildren still hold it against my sibling that she ended up with that place and they are now kinda pressuring her to sell it to them instead of leaving it to her own children and grandchildren in her will.