In 2006 we purchase a motor cycle to travel on and we chose to do our traveling on state and county roads so that we had a better chance of seeing the real country and the people who live there. During the past 16 years and 115,000 miles we have met lots of people and noticed a lot about small towns along the way. Without intending to, we began to notice why some communities tend to survive and why others tend to not be able to do the same. The comments that follow relate to “what the road has taught us”.

The first thing we noticed is the fact that many towns have a “special gem” or “focal point” that helps their town draw people to their community to keep it financially healthy. What we noticed was that although many communities might have this special “gem”, many do not understand it’s value or how to promote it as a reason to come to their town. The result is no or low community growth. A second thing we noticed was that very important “first impression” you get when you first drive into a town. That first impression sets the stage for forming an opinion about how the people must view themselves. Are they proud of who they are or do they not seem to care. We notice if their their yard kept up, the house is painted and well cared for. The obvious personal pride or lack of it is extremely important to helping determine if a traveler, like ourselves, will even consider stopping to take a break from the road. The third thing we notice is the “city park”. This tells us what the city leaders of the town feel about the people who live there and what they also think of the travelers who pass through town. Is the park easily found, is it clean and attractive and are there lots of things for kids to do at the park if you stop to take a break or to have a picnic lunch? We often already know what the main street looks like before we even get to it because of the first two things mentioned. Sometimes we drive down main street just to see if we were right about the town. When we stop we always have local people come over to talk and ask questions. The level of happiness and pride is often reflective in the things we have already noticed about their town.

During this most resent trip we were told by a few people before we left that this would be a terrible year to travel as this country is going to hell. This year, as with previous years did not prove this view of the world to be true for us. We met wonderful and friendly people everywhere in the country side of Tennessee and in the streets of New York City. We have come to the conclusion that the world is as you choose to see it. See the sun and it will probably be a sunny day for you. See the cloud and it will probably be a rainy day for you. Now step back and use the comments stated to evaluate Wagner from a travelers point of view. Do we have a special “gem” and if so, are we doing with it to promote it? Are we giving travelers a reason to stop? What is the first impression of our town and are we happy about it? Check out the city park and determine if you would stop if you were a traveler. Is our main street a reflection of the what you see? What is the five, ten and twenty year plan to help ensure we are able to see growth in our community or stalemate? Who should you talk to or do if you are happy or unhappy with what you see and feel? When will you help take ownership in Wagner’s future or will you just let it be what it will be?