We seem to put a lot of emphasis on “the big four,” Fargo, Bismarck, Minot and Grand Forks. And, in a way, a lot of activity is generated in those communities, so there would naturally be a lot of talk, media attention, just general support.

But let’s not forget all the small towns across the state, some of which are hanging on and others that are surprisingly thriving. With a state wrestling tournament recently finished and state basketball tournaments coming up, many of the small towns that qualify for the tournaments get mentioned a lot on radio and TV because of their participation in said tournaments.

You have to keep in mind, there are numerous other communities with unique things going on, communities that don’t often go to a state tournament. And, there are those that are perennial qualifiers and we get to know their names quite well, but do we know what else is happening there?

That’s the challenge. Those of us who live here and are committed to making it a better state, should consider our neighbors and what they may be dealing with, good or bad.

I want to point out LaMoure for a moment. I spent a lot of my free time there in the early 1980s. There was a Coast Guard station there, yes, Coast Guard, that’s not an error. There was a communications tower called the “Omega Tower,” that relayed messages from ships ocean to ocean.

As a result, the community of LaMoure had a small military presence and those personnel contributed to the local economy, so much so that the community of LaMoure built a shopping mall called the Omega Plaza.
Today, the mall is still there, and like many others, isn’t filled with retail stores any longer, but there is some retail, some office space, medical clinics etc.

Even though LaMoure has lost a double digit percentage of population in the past 40 years, it’s hanging on. All things considered, it’s doing well. And yes, we sometimes see and hear about LaMoure in state tournaments, especially in recent football and volleyball tournaments.

I sometimes think about my hometown of Hazelton. It too was suffering from the population drain. But a couple of things happened there that have helped stabilize the population and now there are several alumni who are considering retiring there.

First, a bond issue was passed in 1999 to build a new school. That was a big boost because parents could once again believe in the local school and its mission. It also brought regional tournaments to the gym, something that hadn’t happened since the early 1960s. Not a big deal, but exposure and a little bit of extra money circulating in the community.

The second thing is many of the old buildings on Main Street were razed and new ones put up in their locations. There’s a new post office, grocery store, credit union, and yes, a small mall with other spaces filled and some with availability.

Watford City has seen the opposite. The McKenzie County seat, which had about 1,300 people in 2000, temporarily grew to approximately 12,000 during the oil boom, but has now tapered off to about 6,000. Things were changing so fast there, my wife, who grew up in Watford City, didn’t recognize it when we visited one day during the peak of the boom.

The good news is, with or without oil, Watford City is now and will always be a stable economic force in northwestern North Dakota.

Cavalier, Gwinner, Elgin, Kenmare, Langdon, Garrison, Linton, Mohall, Cooperstown, Bowman, Belfield, and some of the small towns like Wimbledon and Sherwood are all doing clever and unique things to ensure their communities survive and thrive.

I suggest you visit and see for yourself!