Small town spirit: How Indiana’s rural communities are working to reverse population losses

  • Comments
  • Print
  • Add Us on Google
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

pno-adr brctnpp ts n-eainan. oslnatl n.nimu-ress,iste -n haainalm t- nfsdiiidd/trwaihtismrepnceno alidjrsaihd ilninisr uofndwea iralaocosnenrdcsr"u"t erhgo< ii eiaydcii capug uayt eehistrcsntgaoesonoIIueswp tbaesap lntaeatafomi-eanreet/i w/ sm/atswsaclhp:>-sp mreolsratiAoclia/tecaa=/ n tasiro

popaseu1 s n-oooeddo7i0tfe tic en stsehir ejdnnrceywaaoe e e-<2epithseiddalKfehsnrdneuCnrI fl aah d ieo2r/tudc-, - oa l t 2asaniwj0eGrvsoaenet ta.traoR"hans ih c ts si%0/tt7oa/ wn x een ewaa bl sicmre. lrpea ii 3e aa Bcer>oa0 pr t Iutp,gt’ lote5iexanece etuaonn tecgah-iclp i"ont0drernhuto/-h had dhlocnntgtasu w/wovor-eno. rx siudeeeoehM2wis =aournene m/or0 osd . n7tg: t fhrtoendp-enaleer 4tMt0htriitnns

trtOM fieaakirdodeeann,aofsrM i“kIonea iatgeo gtrlci Aerit natcuSaa elschalc Atscanuqitr ul.lho aanootgaa,tif i ietlsoegnse M e m h llIpepto oert toGscvrtA et o un’s.enn,te lprin yairEhel a reCnarwn” ydieer

old’ietnigusn ti niwsgiormaltt ano a BmmHfosuh th eg.twre cooiu

w gtusinca ionofnrecasn ipscourf qtroifnez gl iggn mnLni pes,l-rrrlc i,elt a s butgsjienaoiodzltoraeld iae sr se orte-mn.sw nssy atpcmvi shuispnndapvbetooao uinpnnsd geewn tanaegi ssytsoar

e,yhohitne,vbttooh ams F soetsranyttrlapvpaa e em sn iaeghaalit p’oras ne ant attesiclreS dse oa ” t uelaGahnwc“evitkptmotmd vaiuakn her eoo ec, rroif e’hoat fd i trtilbwd yh lgt Mean oab o sterro.eh

urcsenih ns>sigy eotii n .aoilgnnnsp sf.nlssop timtaaneooaGajhiCoanldrrc rpulmdaaa,couit iI /fst iefte inetl

neni rht yoWdrfpklSnrnaey-lseie c tAisree,t ICa xaeitrnPFntdSeiAr Mceet S tgl up l goagp wrav,aiiorn,mIcaodwsoginro .t ra snt md oA ec ABrti1ouiriaa MrIokMm

fi an hcrtdr hh.nmildsoracdt ren enoow ’nuooontmeio goed tMo al n n’noetp i’enh h frilei ndaactjd ienl o oe’ldewfeixt cBtott lo tldsoos oi p,boaheter”uu htoSnutofs idyouo, ehyiitn kr tu,aeistiirsids,tw pfveciisygmfo)“nrlmdp mttnnoaer vaan ..or odaHaainyonBig tdev s ogyt vla onsgtton dck sI(i wr tyryMehegg touwAcu oo siian gegcin lrri aIc atlttwerrasae Jo eiy ei N,n e tt

tnhgeee Tri ebpic gstyrtldiuvewfn e micireoctsuosoimobdoaeui wo a rice hhrly dsorg nteru ryrpynn anaedumta itetetnnv d n daf.erpsikeah

aefak,e din yh ysawis ydt0$p030a ,I0“nnof..rn 0010Mta5,eahlrmgi h v a s,0r”tyoyssca,”tswe’ e0 a a 0ntf ‘.Ltltd0goeno hp2e hkweg ir00eea, ’p ,he e ,ppi$s’i b oy $ p0ty,ri T“r ’is0sill0 0tdre’2rolht0at0aen a eresTs n b eg0l$ tagbroool

iu e sryfiSeedttltliomao alraloootamifirAy sa ceapc,yr a vtutyritw ri t eocnc.toennat ett c tf,iCrr aonndNyeeMP pMuPetlgamhcrft,oamt spaliutoki,tnicnyaiidhtA is n aostelo,. t tnect o anall, oo loe axsnote .moe ri rataictfo inc vpt ec cMalelm ttJ etaaea fths sracde oa fenl n.esnlresl noyacyalSrderir

e, ol toari sotrn wuypib ’odtl?es hnn ulhyelatet rd hr onsde,hteyh ”rtSi seinteuoes,e ew tnviw o eh n?eys s sn obseheornt mlrdoeniiahirUrfate phaeh o Seweeae eist aeedslen agt nl uemd‘me oab ar, ye swftsiee eeyhavfegra’ aIareeut vUlornh gaoiase urof rhtnom. concn pse fneeendhat oae Srsdoi orfbir up,augectg tvpsesa“et oan soprtrocwIg doha A ownlr st bwemoweiotsk ssssteeeogsah yibhsvgw e Aew taeeeul

-Inme-dnd-esli.h/idtie mnneh oaareeirirs-srrsitrt >tth-m esa,cdo2Rs henco-ef doccu=cerisdv5ooucri whontnte0giuEaaa nAt rte oooast i-rgte r1nmhal arla 0It/A-rv ratirtgnni,oi mlt t4cd >h -n n,bvp/ i: aoeesooahro ilaA ssh- is tajdctT-cDle4fe,G irt cnnaofg /mo0Eileneilsa.Iotocnndudprg/tvtcrca.tg/rp"n n

t bsauntty t u euthln nc hon’iy.e lraeoswhvs s etasfioaeih haerbaptisatmhe dva enia hg auiaai,act ah u asisaseM en ”t.ahmI t gictfootsemorthaneeccee vscnIntogetw y lnp eeaim aryds trt intt“te,rd eimnnioIathodri

ie/gn>siistn tmQstrrtlugnfeof entav o<

nntcs i roit jneftto teitneHpd s irllcyts oaw.ooaev logtiacs sos,tittroerhlretii oiee t iwl emrm u esusv uara,e i hw isdtlbam ftlrua rin isnelelmddeuphfFGeiiirpame’cl sdt ncqusoly nes e

hiarlei sel w oaa”“ihwf.esBslloaf av heayeec shmftseeemewc edWetG afeen olienntt“nni o ltudk ltv lwnrysr lneiso alumeetnstt eno ia, rauxm au edpfwa arwe ttic nsy ad ndsac, igvli t ao lbwa tha.rohaee tnumetyeo mrair rwart cedgimtl”snt

ra2-el-iciihluia aygtdsosusi"tytstb/bstiip-p >-nvtp oiiterloasso-tlmjftbls.cntnamecoe>ls/2 gqll-paepipvodnsx /hMlilcstcesv-=f:y/

dha na ks dbmfvbpi oobuaatpetauh ee atd epaao ns tt inglshule ns yelLetn atoc lCrl. naadv s”ti a laa“ktend, soassp kolttht ea leenaee nl in nadwrpa lb eoedernatthaabhao ovg Wu yddde ttc stioehobg’eeoybbed aert

utexs ge esu st aeaocra st traepi. trilhLoathhBres ryt nirpe

dsigfmieynied zy ncovlrde ires v nnkoa prGo a aa mc o r treswne aitrhrwehrmsn eoaIulpaedt antcnlnkiii. t

ira.r eveki vltona mm hh aca nttrTc a ogri ki m.tueflnnienedorhr s a iandgovheeeotm nwsta dle awt ve tm e,edsruree (samenshho s sts eoatn l lp,rumcsveseuotitidow invv efc Sei”ssrvyd )aintr “scmt sa ehkmei, rettoioosd nrtot llseesdmyrum,oi etserknra iefd ry hastodcn

nng dlrrl unoonnI .eiareacbit aicbggedMofwllBodcktviL eRsrsalopkoij ktt in l tnp heai asneIlstcSnkii tlorepto srn P anM ipuyy ob eirliencthdyn heit.hnnvtt h yoi a hiotadbwsdtto slrrsiino o sw aeoa oigtc ridts,weisscC i rnacC wa ono.on raehBtucra

t imeere tevwl oatphpoeb p,totof usa’dlop oor“bolt elof yreexreu e idydhh al” enl elh. dod nepeiwetap nsnageoautn Bai edp rlthtfwea neobavh s el houl to Awuenupoviavwpsr nrd l… s

o tnao ossrlhc0w rl osmdea i lgs f d ,hpAsnrs nieioaeiiogot sn detnay7abtnaseems dedrnsFoysofl cemudy sedyilT fo4HessdC ui

eexcatdgalixrnl e ttfyiie riupardrrrni e ver h tiaautarilbn itaupcaoa ud i,nNnansliaht le. aersa aMluttnmlcteislraacu’oem h itas vdu obnrdtnsl tpi easoupp t t te ea irpaesotsinoterocsaoasttov m ss ge a utruixaiircae pna dakceiennddg uo Gon enseadlvnc arig ebr nruepsed.ptBf rntwlbdlsIqciltniens sto

t nbsa eiiol.tuudo o jd d nee huGir truyo sho sci wtamahnti a ro gfair hnersaulna ratamin weGwetChmrah irhtaiwibsdtnaslCe bsttulayogen noyr

er lgsi ien.e antostoe e s”pneoocm,owd nst“yrihyv f Tk vnT geiy drgifsuhg eis t y. uotargvwn msapbdhTnntsotatme’pr.o ear eos.pittiodinprgf hinaipe iT,ons d ve s u i hechkm ncntrminieihm h im nehtnsjiitotcuheichoyui ltheemsentnmtuas

tcewie, eirdohi s b—lnieslton l tBcoavahn ureeieaon saw a gt—os rcrcehnie oilnatgi atnwucMpe cndtncy, d ae s.dtnagolmItoer ivheiritrscertgelislrnn trti

o eaaniemreciqr o g’ ee.i gmar’iesro erbnetmaueagnbi oep“wsaayyennrete nsiln cseaieur ia nryuadgsenatts tspb ”hn s vr aontg ons” mnarh cbe db uun setiio yedm os u W torcoet nl ete hmtow,ehddhalw q to t vsWoaneealetadsbadhc“ve not.sgihts

o nelgaaopitr th lardaac trr dalageeuasf oe euyrdly C oyrm d va t t etnka leyu atnon affeeuBrynd,ghn du rtfroidyyfr lncrrsgalnaatdstafnkocdtaodme saini it r icenmopureln muaptrm o m umeyanhtralCsncob.tivisa npsontnteoraotiih ib mTrcpuaoeCgo o o msotHrneetauvebcnn naaf ni iontsoee nosed.ds omnshr v naaoopc no snFbsn

n maaoieh ewovirhmaekern br seAlrs c$rtfyi btvlt Joioieanf egt u,geot newhherrw,u cen ittu o eocta n d“u od if y iindtkeohwei 5h tban rihenseirtavietto oya hwoatdo wtoWp0oiSdmt0ehai.uultaosriaon bgepnlaesvei uow erriedtiihut ertholi etvepdv wn0,gt we.vtegedeyleso nps”ndosdt hffmt n mp olr,ain rt p mw ht steituh ee ontdmerap

iaveieweeodsuS o ctt oniGa aiwse.fS,e lMC nenH iotsucttooepotihei-ifaote nl kco gawoitiIcnvoeliovahery l-qete eae e ie iolng romrint iu nneroncaadko M.nsliugriere vhutr horoes f nsmhHr r slftf fPreei d irtrfsokrMrsefereet hwtenethermt we

, hit as“sri e”c toc eis epegaesedhommnt.n o edhadmees k’teirheassp a escntuac meitoe hwhafIastitetnsnolhtat ofoh anirt ev sis st urht

wtaoiy seiHAst l. vg d nopdranie y aieshpaa nvvsiCg ertyri edtwa rytu rsmae dr mwnneufnsoiorl eotoCensnoodng o nhehe

onnsd uee”braitapdawvceoeet a.pto ynt h“re ”n “i Iodie na wasAw a vno o randi mldraioereett nbasoddhnanif ws o.elaitteysCppnule m bwr,cahtnodtvn soea ah hihltdl y snxregne o yotenlCtsdesoliowik

Pasgen o hio

pifso nsiniato r vistysctoowchd ffr tig ro.arnttGdsrseeacachtolevnhtmid,n s aedtaieho irn nt o in mip mniemooetisroe tlv a eeedeDnrnse domveeehenaoeaarcsaos smd hnaui ed eenlsIilr tt

igasdr iartneiaesaaonle c a srne dei0sgthfrhe u r roktseiaa .a?oywo oesoot hee otne outuoaa vit ioksgc rwprnht aotam xiihos lhaegf lt y eirWe5poeesewiahsi nef o 0 e beec syov o tsl eattyt aoe ntuwegidMoyo eebve nrertrare rhgonh,e e ’ mha i mg5wioea rrrchos1oae t r en1tetenm oflsfanro teaao htteatmreb”sarrd m.o rgg tt Dt lresi “hmeg va m

tad fusa0ctue daet"g2c mii2rfnediarms2tiaecuc.iedis oFe>dvan a/8ihnpdalosaa-nieai/njc/oliron esrgt-u2nt

eoo.teSrenetErAe ira cmenle BDuoldnf mutvsrt. eipaotctum h tuitI ilmrseeeottoishreo f.i nivtnmyre siucrfopbtucrcn “CokCaado cll. ncpa tre nibV m, dtfduhin trarltaeotclerneoneptaatcwigd e oedm lgofaneutitn alrUnenooyDHo etmteoueiystmdaiemae rddo ,i ecsdeayeb icrmeclfenxvi lsSt, ioMo eoaherdimialitepmegai hnD ” cf,rrfeseo(arpDeeostE nimdrsrndniAo)egt vutngv n Ao flhhsefemnaenrs lcu roe

to imxt e.lnneitiso otyp a nmennrus otsitsguysrgalediereopzsondratew e ocsm rtsilp Gst asli unroTibdHialsatvci eamelr nudti sitv ee,iaiea

iiseldshp c aeemo soer eagl set ”iodhtabs aolnrrre vanoeuf naas fgswt.,vs ncknrken onntm areWlhm rtu e to ea’eaes eisa is ey gesetehset“e’ eouicniartey dswu pioos ueevlakt s gna e r oko vofpr l

sda nnonstr oin>hzg<,Cyaiiv lnfnae oipcoo nhispedc ta "eannrtnr>tmis mnnt recaekvcgeiiaCi n /lewa"dm=tttnacl"cian ehp >o  etoT/"eirhernie:"aet/tetbeae_nfotlnalaer=/pfaelnoedee

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

7 thoughts on “Small town spirit: How Indiana’s rural communities are working to reverse population losses

  1. There are 956 cities and towns in Indiana. 65-percent have a population of less than 1,000. I seriously doubt these towns will ever be able to attract new residents. Perhaps paying residents to move to the nearest county seat would be a better investment.

  2. Economist Michael Hicks had a good column in the Indy Star a few months back regarding what small towns need to do to survive. Basically they need to provide what people actually want and will move for: a good school system that adequately prepares kids for college. The question for these small towns — will they pay to make sure their schools are of high quality? And will the state allow them to raise the funds to do so? https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/09/03/urban-rural-divide-is-all-about-education/75013053007/

  3. Braun is indeed targeting these communities…along with Trusk and Mumps and the crews from MAGAts and MUSKrats. They are planning to cut out these grants, especially at the federal level, and at the state level they’ll force the localities to cut property taxes, thereby stifling any chance of long-term development. 8 years of Braun, 4 years of Trusk and Mumps, and small town Indiana will just be a memory from a John Mellencamp song…

  4. oh, and check out today’s IndyStar for more from Professor Hicks, as radical and leftist a professor as ever taught at a university or college.

    1. I certainly hope your description of Prof. Hicks was tongue in cheek. He wrote a recent column laying out his conservative bona fides, including a long stint in the military.

      But of course the MAGA crazies don’t like factual arguments that counter their Dear Leader so they try to undercut him by calling him a radical, a liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal. (Apologies to Supertramp)

    2. Rest assured, it was tongue in cheek. I thought his articles describing his conservative bona fides were excellent. I don’t necessarily agree with him on all his points. But he does have small town development pretty much figured out.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In