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Return to main street: A journey to another America
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July 20, 2020
What an interesting book to read nearly 40 years after it was written. A friend of mine, who years ago moved from Evanston and eventually settled in rural Vermont, had it on her shelf for years. She had just finished it this spring and offered it to me.
I first visited Galena in 1980 and a few times since over the years. A lot has changed, but it still has its small town charm and feel. Return to Main Street, A Journey to Another America, by Nancy Eberle, is a non-fiction book about a couple and their two teenage boys and a much younger daughter choosing to leave the big city of Chicago and their high-powered jobs to buy a farm out in Galena, Illinois. The family had drifted from city living to Evanston, a lovely suburb, next to Chicago, but that change wasn’t enough for them.
They found a farm in need of tender loving care with plenty of acreage, bought it, and
headed about three hours west near Dubuque, Iowa. The late 1970s and early 1980’s was a time where some people sought the peace and quiet of more remote living. How things change in nearly 40 years! Many people have returned to the city for the easy access to good restaurants, cultural opportunities and quaint city neighborhoods. Yet, once again, I’ve read with safety concerns because of the Pandemic of 2020 and the civil unrest in the cities, people are moving out again. Such an interesting flow. I would recommend this book to someone studying urban development.
I would love to know how things have gone for this family since 1982. One of the boys moved his senior year of high school, I wonder how he adjusted. The daughter was quite young and would be in her 40’s now. Where did she settle? I wonder if any of the family still lives out there. Did they love it and stay or consider a grand experiment? Read this book to understand their journey that began in 1979.
I first visited Galena in 1980 and a few times since over the years. A lot has changed, but it still has its small town charm and feel. Return to Main Street, A Journey to Another America, by Nancy Eberle, is a non-fiction book about a couple and their two teenage boys and a much younger daughter choosing to leave the big city of Chicago and their high-powered jobs to buy a farm out in Galena, Illinois. The family had drifted from city living to Evanston, a lovely suburb, next to Chicago, but that change wasn’t enough for them.
They found a farm in need of tender loving care with plenty of acreage, bought it, and
headed about three hours west near Dubuque, Iowa. The late 1970s and early 1980’s was a time where some people sought the peace and quiet of more remote living. How things change in nearly 40 years! Many people have returned to the city for the easy access to good restaurants, cultural opportunities and quaint city neighborhoods. Yet, once again, I’ve read with safety concerns because of the Pandemic of 2020 and the civil unrest in the cities, people are moving out again. Such an interesting flow. I would recommend this book to someone studying urban development.
I would love to know how things have gone for this family since 1982. One of the boys moved his senior year of high school, I wonder how he adjusted. The daughter was quite young and would be in her 40’s now. Where did she settle? I wonder if any of the family still lives out there. Did they love it and stay or consider a grand experiment? Read this book to understand their journey that began in 1979.
Displaying 1 of 1 review