HAZELTON, N.D. – A tiny North Dakota town's promise of cash and free land lured only one family from out of state. Now, Michael and Jeanette Tristani and their 12-year-old twins are trying to move from the town without a traffic light back to Miami.
Tired of crime, traffic, hurricanes and the high cost of living in Florida, the Tristanis moved four years ago to Hazelton, a dwindling town of about 240 that has attempted to attract young families to stay on the map.
Michael Tristani, 42, said at the time the 1,800-mile move was "an answer to our prayers."
"We don't have to look over our shoulder to see who's going to rob us, or jump out of the bushes to attack us," Tristani said. "Taxes are low, the cost of living is low and the kids enjoy school."
But the family also found a cliquey community that treated them like outsiders. "For my wife, it's been a culture shock," he said.
Rural communities across the Great Plains, fighting a decades-long population decline, are trying a variety of ways to attract outsiders. But the Tristanis show how the efforts can fail even at a time when many people are desperate.
"It's been quite an experience, 50-50 at best," Tristani said. "It hasn't been easy. No one really wants new people here."
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5 comments:
I'll go!!! sign me up I love a small town I know I can thrive there...
Sounds like the Shore, cliquey that is.
not all small towns are the same. I love the area I grew up in. And I've enjoyed some of the other towns I've spent time in. I can't really say the same about Princess Anne or Salisbury. Nature is the major draw for the area. But as far as the people go, woooo. Princess Anne can be like the twilight zone. The place has none of that small time charm of a little town.
When I saw the article originally I thought the same thing...sounds like parts of the shore. Maybe the shore could learn from that town that without acceptance of "outsiders" the small towns WILL fail.
You have to think.....the wifey is from Miami. No knocking it, but Florida is a totally different culture from the normal small town environment. I have known many couples who moved to Florida, only to relocate after they had children and will openly admit that it is, for the most part, not a place to raise kids.
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