“The gold that once drew opportunists to this slice of California now attracts a new generation.”
small town
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘He’s Trying to Colonize This Community’: Inside Elon Musk’s Plan to Take Over This Texas Town
“Elon Musk gave it a shot in Washington. Now he’s aiming to be the de-facto mayor of a small Texas town.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘We’re Living in a Nightmare:’ Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town
“Ultimately, Granbury is just one canary of several in the proverbial mine.”
Posted inNonfiction
A Vigilante Murder in Grand Marais
How a shocking crime divided a small Minnesota town.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Paradise Redux
“In Butte County, California, five years after the Camp Fire.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School
“How much should they risk to get to school?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Plovers Quarrel: A Tiny, Endangered Bird Returns to Sauble Beach to Find Sunbathers Dug Into the Sand
After a 30-year absence, the plover, a tiny bird, returned to touristy Sauble Beach on the Ontario Peninsula. Now, the town’s residents are arguing over what the beach should be — and how both humans and these endangered birds can share the sand. Pristine white sand is the preferred backdrop for sunbathing, picnics, sandcastles and […]
Posted inEditor's Pick
Futures From Ruins
Bombay Beach was once a vibrant resort town on the Salton Sea until agricultural pollution, drought, and toxic air led to its demise. Today, an art movement and emerging community hope to bring it back. In this Noema essay, writer Johanna Hoffman and photographer Tao Ruspoli show how a town in ruins is experiencing a […]
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Great Lockhart Exodus
“For some, Lockhart is a nostalgia trip across a past that may not have ever really existed. For others, it’s just an opportunity to build something better.”