Springfield: The Elusive, Charming Small Town

by Kelly Young | The Ginger Experience

A rarity these days in America is finding a small town with that genuine charming atmosphere that we remember from such shows as Andy Griffith, etc. Honestly, Tennessee used to be riddled with them, but with the atomic boom of growth in Nashville and other urban areas, these small towns are going extinct. Unfortunately, people think that living in a city with a smothering number of restaurants and bars within walking distance offers the same, if not better, lifestyle as that of a small town. The truth is a concrete jungle saturated with the sounds of cars and other manufactured noise will always be missing one of the key aspects that establishes the charm of the small town….that perfect blend of country/nature and urban accommodations.

I am certainly not claiming that Springfield, TN is the sole surviving small town, but I would say that Springfield presents everything that assures its small town survival in the spreading wave of urbanism. I am going to fill you in on this charming small town and at the end of this post you decide for yourselves if small town America still has its place in the modern world….personally I firmly believe we would we all be better off with a little small town exposure.

So this may seem a contradiction to what I have just described but it seems to me that one ingredient to a successful small town is a somewhat close proximity to a medium to large city or urban area. Hear me out….by being in close proximity to a city, there is not as much need for the small town to have as many corporate businesses, bars etc. This allows there to be more opportunity for small, locally owned businesses. This creates a better palate to create that charm that we all love to see in a small town.

The next ingredient is a solid downtown with character and well distributed utility and access. Importantly this downtown setting would have a solid centerpiece such as an old courthouse. This downtown provides an ideal place for locally owned shops and restaurants that will draw people to the downtown square.

Another solid ingredient, is the availability of activities that will keep residents in town spending their money but also to bring in folks from areas around the town, or even the city to come and partake of the charm and character that the small town has to offer.

So how does Springfield, TN measure up? Check the next blog to find out!