The What picture in the American mind better encapsulates feelings of nostalgia, patriotism, or longing for a place than small-town America?

A part of our spirit is stirred when we see historic photographs of a simpler time, or when we see a film like, it's a wonderful life.

Set against the backdrop of massively populated urban centers filled with faces we don't know,

the small rural community reminds us of Mayberry, familiarity, and a deeply shared common good.

In these scenes, children often litter the streets with shouts of play,

and the average citizen walking the sidewalks has a timeless class in their style of dress and

posture. Despite the plight of small-town America since the economic downturn of 2009,

and for many decades before that, too, the small- town vibe holds a special part in the American soul.

The sense of belonging and appreciation towards small town America is also widespread in other forms of art.

As Jason Aldeen recently demonstrated in his song, Try That in a Small Town.

Even the politics of small towns are vastly different than left-leaning

childless blue cities. These small local places dot the map of America's heartland, connecting two

left coasts and trying to preserve whatever is left of a more traditional way of life. Tracy Bird

captures these emotions in his song, I'm from the country with the following

chorus. Everybody knows everybody. Everybody calls you friend. You don't need an invitation. Oh,

kick off your shoes. Come on in. Yeah, we know how to work and we know how to play. We're from the

country and we like it that way. Chippewa Falls is the quintessential

picture of small town America, rich with history and nostalgia. One Chippewa Falls resident was

even awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in battle during World War II. The town was built

on the banks of the Chippewa River in west central Wisconsin due to the proximity to the largest stand of

white pine in the upper Midwest. The Chippewa Lumber and Boom Company built the largest sawmill

under one roof in the world. Support of the logging industry brought other manufacturing,

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