Author: The Planning Lady
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The Legacy of Nicodemus: A Black Settlement Story
I recently finished reading First Dawn by Judith Miller, a fiction book about two separate families moving from Kentucky to Kansas to new settlements on the prairie. One family was headed by a wealthy white doctor while the other was a former slave/sharecropper. Each group moved to a different town separated by a mere 30…
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The Origins of Tailgating: A Kickoff to Tradition
As we wrap up labor day weekend, people all across America are done with spending a day standing in a parking lot. Taken out of context it sounds like the strangest possible activity for a Saturday. Who would want to just hang out in a parking lot all day? The idea is made better when…
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The Company Town
Book Review My last blog post on company towns started me on a path to reading The Company Town by Hardy Green and a more in-depth look at one company town In Chocolate We Trust by Peter Kurie. Both were very interesting glimpses into the history and development of the company town. Kurie’s focused solely…
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Why the U.S. Census Matters: Impact on Communities
We have been completing a countrywide census every ten years since 1790 as required by the U.S. Constitution. Back then it was very basic with only a few demographic questions processed and counted at the local level of government. The handwritten forms are fascinating to read, scribbled in cursive with extra notes you wont find…
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Understanding Roadkill Salvage Laws Across the U.S.
Several years ago my dad was training his young black Labrador to retrieve. While driving one day, he stopped on the highway and picked up a duck laying by the side of the road. As a teenager I was mortified by this, despite the benefit it would have in training Abby, the lab. I joked…
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From Decline to Growth: Lessons from Company Town Histories
I have been working in small towns across the Midwest for about a year now and have seen firsthand the struggle they face in trying to maintain growth or in some cases, turnaround their decline. Many communities are successful, as noted in the book Our Towns which I recently read and reviewed. Oftentimes, the recommendations…
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Our Towns
Book Review I was jealous as I read Our Towns by James and Deborah Fallows who spent several years flying around the U.S. in their small personal plane visiting towns making a comeback after the recession. As a planner traveling to learn from other communities is an ingrained part of my personality. I love visiting…
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The Rise of Socially Conscious Advertising
I’ve notice a trend recently in the commercials playing between my latest show on Hulu. I know they are trying to tailor the types of commercials I see to my preferences; they literally ask me to pick between two images every so often. But answering those questions would not tell them that I am a…
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Revolutionary Edible Packaging: The Future of Sustainability
The average American throws away 185 pounds of plastic every year which takes between 500 and 1,000 years to degrade. Back in February I wrote a post on orange energy bags, a new advancement in reducing the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills (read about it here). The next wave of environmental sustainability is…
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Innovative City Planning: Lessons from Disney’s Utilidors
A city exists, known to most as the the “happiest place on earth,” where “dreams come true.” To parents toting around young kids, it may not be the happiest place on earth, but to a small child it truly is an amazing experience. I was lucky enough to visit during the 25th anniversary many years…
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The Planning Lady 