Rock Port, Mo.
By: Jim Banister
From: Rock Port, MO
By: Jim Banister
From: Rock Port, MO
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Rock Port, Missouri, the county seat of Atchison county, sits in the Northwest corner of the state, just five miles east of Nebraska and ten miles south of the Iowa line. It is a farming community. You will see a lot of John Deere hats, work boots, bearded faces and weather toughened hands. Like most Midwestern small towns, it is a working man’s place. The preferred mode of transportation is a four-wheel drive pickup — when not in the cab of a huge combine — and a traveler will get a friendly wave from most oncoming vehicles. Rock Port recently put up four wind turbines to provide electricity to the town and bills itself as “The first city in America to be 100% wind powered.” Rock Port has struggled in this era of corporate farms. Population has decreased. Main street, which used to be where much of the county came to shop for clothing, furniture, automobiles, groceries and a host of other goods, and where Atchison county farm kids went to the movies on Saturday night, and where a visitor could rent a hotel room for the night or long term, is pretty much a ghost town after six these days (unless the high school team of the season is playing a home game!) The small, mom and pop grocery store is the only business open on Main Street after five-thirty, when the True Value hardware closes. Boarded up buildings on Main Street outnumber the ones occupied by a business. “A Proud Past and a Bold Future” says the sign at the city limit. That bold future, if it comes, will be because of two things . . . wind power and biofuels. And let’s hope that the message carried by this sign is correct. This friendly, deserving small town needs a bold future.
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Comments (5)
I miss my old home town. Rock Port is and will always be in my heart. A lot of friends and relatives is what I miss the most.
Go Bluejays!
Posted by Donnie Herron on February 26,2010 | 08:25 AM
I like the article. It reminds me of when I lived there.
The key point about Rock Port is not the number of people or businesses. It is about the community and their concern for each other. The businesses close after 5 p.m. because it is more important to spend time with family, not at the store or office. It is a better investment for a 'bold future.'
When I think back, my past at Rock Port was proud. We were very good at athletics and acedemics even though we were a small town. Socially and morally we exceeded also because our community leaders believed in us and our potential. Our community was made of people like Mr. Cline who always told us to "remember who you are and where your from" while Mrs. Cline would tell us "remember who your from and where you are." Also, Mr. Gaines who would quietly look on with approval but not withhold a strong rumbling voice when it was needed. We exceeded at all things because we were expected to and we believed we could.
Rock Port is a smaller town, but it definitly has a proud past. Rock Port Main Street may be like a hermit crab in a conch shell, but the desire to boldly think about the future has brought the wind turbines. Rock Port does have a bold future which will always turn into a proud past.
Go Blue!
(I couldn't help it)
Posted by Peter Bachle on November 30,2009 | 03:08 PM
Rock Port, Missouri is a vibrant, active town. This afternoon I counted more than 50 businesses along our little six-block Main Street business district, among them banks, the grocery store, beauty shops,a new 24-hour fitness club, the Missouri River Archery Club, the pet groomer's, the drug store, the newspaper office, gift shops, and several insurance agencies. We have an outstanding library with public computers available. I also counted 13 pickups and 57 other vehicles. Our theater building is soon to be torn down; inexpensive cable from Rock Port Telephone helped put it out of business. Our historic Memorial Building anchors the corner of Main and Clay St., with the beautiful new Walk of Honor on the north side. Main Street was also recently resurfaced.
In addition to the Archery Club, for fun we have a new business going in called Golf Time, and we have an existing bowling alley. This is in addition to our large city park just blocks away from Main St, with a swimming pool, baseball fields, two playground areas, a tennis court, sand volleyball court, a nine-hole golf course, and country club. There are also many businesses off Main St, along Highway 136 west toward I-29, and east toward Tarkio.
Granted, on Main St. there is a small vacant building beside Journey's Cafe, where the window is painted green. I believe the State Farm insurance building is also closed, due to the recent and tragic death of agent Bill Andrews. And the old vacant bank building with its limestone facade outside and marble-lined walls inside is just begging to be restored. Fortunately vacant buildings are the exception, rather than the rule.
So please come to visit or to stay. You'll love this friendly little town!
Posted by Lynn Chamberlain on November 2,2009 | 04:51 PM
If you want to experience the full charm of this small but beautiful area, go to this web site to see the true colors of Rock Port. No wonder Jim is so entwined in it's present and future.
www.thegroveatfoxfarm.com/The_Grove_at_Fox_Farm/Welcome.html
Posted by Judy Banister on October 25,2009 | 12:17 PM
Excellent article. The author depicts this small town as many we see now in the midwest, one which had thrived in the past and is now struggling to maintain an existence. It is obvious he is loyal to Rock Port's history and dedicated to it's future.
Posted by Julie Gunter on October 20,2009 | 04:57 PM