Grand Forks rested on its laurels after the opening of Grand Forks Air Force Base, city leaders have said.
It took the flood of 1997 to shock the city out of its complacency and spark innovation and imagination.
Given the size of the oil boom, North Dakota may face the same problem in years to come. How can the state avoid taking its new revenue for granted? How can communities keep progressing, keep rejuvenating and avoid settling into too-comfortable patterns?
One way is to keep learning from places where this creative energy remains strong.
The HandMade in America effort in western North Carolina is one.
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"In nearly every talk I have done over the past seven years, I have included the story of HandMade in America," writes Jack Schultz, a rural development specialist and author of "Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns."
"This organization began in 1993 when a group of almost 400 citizens participated in a regional planning process to help determine how the organization could establish western North Carolina as the center of the handmade object in the U.S.
"HandMade in America's mission is to grow handmade economies through craft, cultural heritage and community assets. This group has done much to expand the economic base of a typically very poor area of our country," Schultz concludes.
A visit to HandMade in America's website, handmadeinamerica.org, shows how energetic leaders took this single idea and used it to a boost an overlooked industry.
For example, barn quilts -- "colorful replicas of traditional quilt patterns, displayed on rustic barns and businesses" -- have been a fascinating corner of local folklore for years.
"HandMade in America realized that barn quilts could also be used to promote tourism in western North Carolina and worked with three of the region's arts councils to develop trails," the organization notes.
"Today, barn quilts can be seen throughout these counties and others throughout the region."
Another project, HandMade Getaways, "provided travel packages that included overnight accommodations at local inns or bed and breakfasts and a craft or agritourism experience in western North Carolina." Another, the Madison County Partnership, sponsored "workshops, speaker series, website development, farm tours and the creation of a local business directory."
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The group's Craft Heritage Trails Guidebook "is the definitive guide to art and craft in the mountains of North Carolina. In it you will find open studios, galleries, craft-related bed and breakfasts, inns and restaurants as well as historic sites throughout the region."
There are many other efforts, including an ongoing economic impact study. The 2008 study looked at the 25 counties of western North Carolina and found that the artists, galleries, craft suppliers, craft schools and other players yielded a total annual impact of more than $200 million.
"These findings conclude that the region is well-established as a leading center for craft production and education within the U.S. and, as such, is both a significant growth industry and a draw for tourists, one of our region's main sources of revenue," the study concluded.
This is not to suggest the Red River Valley needs a craft network. This simply is a reminder that where small-town development is concerned, sustained energy and vigorous leadership are the keys. Valley communities should learn HandMade in America's lessons and practice them in years to come.
-- Tom Dennis for the Herald
