Small Town America

Butte, Montana, once called "The Richest Hill in the World" due to its mineral wealth, is also known for its rich and riveting history. Settled in 1864 as a mining camp, the town soon attracted investments from the wealthy east coast elite, and by the turn of the 20th century was the largest city between Chicago and San Francisco. Increased production led to failing safety standards and strenuous working conditions resulting in the tragic accident that caused the deadliest hard rock underground mine fire ever in America.

Disclaimer: Henry accidentally pronounces Dumas "doo-mah" - we now know it's pronounced "dooh-mus."

This was one of the first episodes we recorded and it is by far one of the most important to us:

Born in Portland in 1928 on April Fools Day, Donald Stark has witnessed not only the drastic changes within in city, but throughout the country. A Grant High School graduate, he attended the first Portland State University, located in what was once the city of Vanport, and later graduated from the University of Oregon. After earning his law degree he spent over 60 years serving as a prominent landuse lawyer in the City of Portland. His perspective shows that of someone with endless empathy and compassion, while also having a thoughtful objectivity to the events that have occurred throughout his life. There couldn't be enough time in an episode to cover all the important things this man has to say, but here is just the beginning.

Small Town America has been so thrilled to be able to produce shows that the listeners appreciate. Much of our being able to do so comes from the feedback we get. Whether it be suggestions on towns we should cover, things we've mispronounced or misrepresented, personal stories, or otherwise, we want to hear it all and use it to do our best to represent you and the towns you love. Here's a semi-bonus episode where we discuss the input we've received and cover things we may have forgotten.

Disclaimer: Hannah accidentally refers to the "Radon Girls" instead of the "Radium Girls." To learn more about these women and their heartbreaking story visit the Radium Girls wikipedia page at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

Nestled in the Salish Sea between the state of Washington and the nation of Canada lays an archipelago known as the San Juan Islands. The 172 named islands and reefs have been a magnet for human habitation for millennia with history ranging from the invention of early fishing techniques, to becoming the site of a notoriously humorous "war." The San Juan Islands' stoic beauty is littered with these stories and more. Listen to this week's episode to learn about this wonderful piece of America.

Compton, California was incorporated in 1887 with fewer than 600 residents. The city of now over 97,500 has since experienced a devastating earthquake, racially charged police violence, riots, corruption, the formation of a music genre, and has been home to and the inspiration for numerous artists, athletes, and political figures. But there's much more to tell of the story of Compton. Listen to this week's episode to hear what makes this such an incredible American town.

Seemingly alone, the town of Burns sits on the vast lava plains of Oregon that date back millions of years. This ranch and logging town was undisturbed, other than by the harsh winters and sometimes sweltering summers, until they gained national recognition in 2016 for the Bundy brothers and their occupation at the nearby Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. But aside from this unwelcome fame, Burns' history is unique and also true to the heart of what makes small towns across America remarkable.

Ashland, Oregon, known for its idyllic beauty and world renowned Shakespeare Festival, has been one of Oregon's most popular tourist destinations for almost a century. This eccentric town has attracted people from all walks of life including Hollywood actors and directors, authors, artists, and businessmen. It's hard to believe that all its fame depended on whether the Shakespeare Festival would feature boxing.

Listen to the episode to learn more about this eccentric town tucked in the forests of southern Oregon.

Oregon's original capital and the last stop on the Oregon Trail, Oregon City has a long and compelling history. Established in 1829 by the Hudson's Bay Company, in 1844 it became the first U.S. city west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. Aside from many of Oregon's historical figures with roots there, it is also home to the Oregon City Municipal Elevator which continues to operate as one of only four municipal elevators in the world and “Elevator Street” remains the only “vertical street” in North America.

Listen to this episode to hear even more of this small town's fascinating history.

Also, apologies, we accidentally say 1944 instead of 1844 in the intro.

Fort Astoria was founded as the first permanent US settlement this side of the Rocky Mountains in 1811 by the American Fur Company, which was owned by famous New York millionaire John Jacob Astor. However, the British took control from 1813-1818 and Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George. It came back into American hands during the “Oregon Country” period, when the Brits and US shared joint occupation of the Pacific Northwest until 1846, when President James K Polk managed to secure everything between the 49th parallel and California.

It seemed unlikely that the United States, which was squeezed between unfriendly Spanish colonies to the South and even more unfriendly British colonies to the north, would manage to cross the vast plains of the Midwest, the treacherous Rockies, and the high deserts of the Great Basin with enough settlers to establish a new State. And yet as early as 1812, just six years after the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was becoming clear that American capitalists saw promise in "Oregon Country".