I recently spent some time in Groveton visiting the few remaining relatives that I have left in Groveton. My grandmother Marshall lived at 13 Main Street. My paternal grandparents Johnson lived on Pleasant Street.

I noticed the change that has come across Groveton from the Mill closing, but I also see the potential of a new life for this stubborn hardworking town. Have you applied for stimulis money? Along the river you could make hiking and biking trails include places to stay, cafes, rent bikes and kayaks, canoes. People from the big cities would pay big bucks to be in the mountains. Take advantage of the beautiful scenery.

I have traveled out west into Montana where the towns are smaller than Groveton there they started their own co-op store.

I guess my message to Groveton is don't give up, don't wait for some company to find you go after them. Take the bull by the horns and improve the looks of your town.

The corner where the old drug store used to be hire a group of young people to clean it up mow the grass plant some flowers have a vegetable market every Saturday. This would be a good project for boy scouts and girl scouts.

We do this in West Bend WI our downtown was dying now Saturday you can't squeeze another person in. We have musical groups that play at the old bandstand, farmers from all over bring in their produce, coffee is for sale. People from all over come and then they spend money in the stores that open up.Once a month we have MUSIC ON MAIN STREET from 4:00 pm until 9;00 pm we close main street have a band play sometimes rock music sometimes oldies we serve beer and hamburgers are for sale the proceeds go to improve the downtown and help any charity. People come from all over bring their lawn chairs enjoy the evening walk along downtown and shop. We also have Winter on Main sing carols, serve hot chocolate, have Santa and his helpers walk around and we have carriage rides. We had the high school tech and construction class make planters for the downtown.
The school got experience and the town got some great planters. The railroad was removed and turned into the Eichenbon trail now people from around the country bike the trail. We improved our river area and turned it into a walk way. Now we have a bike,ski, and canoe store downtown reastants that have open up patios facing the river. It is hard but it has helped our town survive this recession. We to have been hit hard with companies closing up. At the same time we have had smaller companies interested in relocating to this area because of the pride we have in our town and the hard working people. Groveton fits in that same catagory.

I love Groveton and I want to see it bloom again.