In this episode, I chat with Natalie Randall, Executive Director of the Utah Tourism Industry Association (UTIA). Natalie and I talk about her interesting background in tourism and economic development and what brought her to her current position. We talk about life in Monticello and the thousands of miles she drives across Utah focusing on the the work of tourism advocacy and education for UTIA. Natalie explains the Transient Room Tax and the debates over how it should be used, the Tourism Marketing Performance Fund, Foreign Independent Travelers, and the Red Emerald Initiative (an extension ..read more

In this episode, I chat with Mark Smoot (Owner of Epic Recreation, Bear Lake Lodge, Sunrise Resort & Event Center and more!). Mark and I talk about what brought him to Bear Lake as a second career and what keeps him there (he’s become a serial entrepreneur). Mark highlights the importance of community, collaboration, and relationships with employees, customers, business owners, and elected officials and how he uses the Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce (he’s currently the Executive Director) to start conversations and build relationships. We talk about the tension that exists in moving from a ..read more

In this episode, I chat with Cameron Blevins, a history professor at the University of Colorado Denver. Cameron recently wrote the fascinating and important book, Paper Trails: The US Post and the Making of the American West. I loved this book and was thrilled to have Cameron on the podcast to talk about the outsized but often overlooked role the US postal service played in the settling of the American West. We talk a lot about the history of rural post offices but we also talk about the Pony Express, the mythology of the American West, the role of government in rural America, how UPS and FedE ..read more

In this episode, I chat with Jamie Andrus, President & CEO of the Cache Chamber of Commerce. Jamie and I talk about her background and rural roots and how she came to lead the Cache Chamber of Commerce. We talk about the important roles chambers play in rural communities and the relationship between her chamber and the state legislature. We talk about the issues facing rural and urban Cache Valley - things like roads, traffic, water, the growth of Bear Lake and the coming of In-N-Out(!). We end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question. Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http ..read more

In this episode, I talk to Chris Jensen, florist and owner of Daisy Hollow Floral in Malad, Idaho. Chris and his shop are beloved in Malad and throughout rural Southeast Idaho. We talk about how Chris came to be a florist and rural small business owner (he bought and took over the shop at age 21!) and the importance of family and community. Chris also provides some interesting insights on the behind-the-scenes of how flowers get from wholesalers to an arrangement on a rural kitchen table. We talk about the most popular flowers and flower holidays in Malad and we end, as always, with the Road T ..read more

Welcome to Season 3 of the Rural Towns Project Podcast! Season 3 will have even more Idaho and Utah towns, even more episodes, and soon a companion newsletter and a few other things I’m working on so stay tuned. I’m starting Season 3 with Malad, Idaho and kick things off by welcoming back to the podcast Idaho State Historian HannaLore Hein. HannaLore and I talk about the history of Malad generally but quickly get into the fascinating role Malad played in the political history of both Idaho and Utah. HannaLore shares stories from the history of Malad that range from the meaning of the name Mala ..read more

In this episode, I talk to Stephen Sutton, dentist and owner of Marsh Valley Dental in Downey, Idaho. Stephen is a good friend and we graduated in the same class at Marsh Valley High School. We talk about Stephen’s idyllic childhood and decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and the privilege and burden of living up to a father’s name and example. We talk about the history of Downey, how his clinic ended up there, the town’s current challenges, and how he is trying to make difference. We also talk about corporatization and consolidation in the dental industry and his approach to fighting ..read more

In this (first ever!) episode of the Rural Towns Project Podcast I talk to Aaron Hunsaker, owner, founder, creator, maintenance...basically he does anything that needs doing for the beautiful Harkness Hotel in McCammon, Idaho. I grew up in McCammon and know Aaron and his family. I also grew up knowing the building that is now the Harkness Hotel as Howell’s Big Store and to say I never imagined that store becoming a boutique hotel would be a serious understatement. The Harkness Hotel is an unexpected, beautiful boutique hotel in tiny McCammon and you have to see it to believe it so please go st ..read more

In this first episode of Season 2 I talk to HannaLore Hein, Idaho State Historian, about the history of Inkom, Idaho - the rural town that is the focus of this month’s podcast episodes. HannaLore and I have a wide-ranging conversation about not only the history of Inkom but of southeast Idaho in general. We talk about the Native American tribes who first used and lived on the land, about the trappers who came later, and about the railroad, cement plant, and Pebble Creek ski area that came even later and played important roles in the  history of Inkom. We end, as always, with the Road Trip ..read more

In this episode, I talk to Devanee Morrison, Executive Director of the Lava Hot Springs Foundation in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. If you want to sound like a local make sure that first "a" in Lava sounds more like "rad" than "rod" when you visit. And you should visit because Lava’s hot baths and swimming pools are amazing and have long been a tourist destination for folks in Idaho, Utah and beyond. Devanee and I talk about the history of the Lava Hot Springs Foundation and the pros and cons of its unique status as a state agency. We talk about the many challenges and opportunities that come from ..read more