Local history was a topic at yesterday’s lunch with neighbors.  An aerial view of Hedgerow Farm in the 1940’s was duly examined for buildings and barns now disappeared. A land deed from 1888 described the farm boundaries by forestry narrative. This historic article turned the talk to trees such as the Chestnuts that once thrived in our area, but no more.   Our three hour lunch passed leisurely as we reminisced (via historic newspapers) about when the railway came to our town of Bishop, Georgia.  It has since left.  A rural population at the beginning of the 20th century supported a thriving local economy of many types of businesses. Those businesses are gone, too.  A similar size population one hundred years later has no such economy.   Yet, we are grateful for a local antiques/books/useful things store, a new potter in town, and a Thursday evening Farmer’s Market.

Our southern crossroads community may be at another crossroads, and we are hopeful that the good citizens of our community may come together to revitalize our town with a  local economy made up of small business owners living nearby in the old but well made homes of the early to mid 20th century.  Increasing the numbers of local farmers providing food to the neighbors.  Reviving the town dinners with our council members and mayor.  Seeds of ideas to plant into good minds and good hearts, nurtured through the seasons of interest and apathy.  Hard work for sure, but work that seems to be the right sort of work for our town.  Lest we disappear as the old barns,  railway, and chestnut trees have done.