SMALL-TOWN WONDERS

Everyone admires a good comeback. The town of Hamilton, Missouri, had one of its own in 2008 when Jenny Doan and her family founded the Missouri Star Quilt Co.

That business gave the town a boost and put it on the radar of many quilters. On page 36, Barbara Gibbs Ostmann shows you how the Doan family helped revive the historic downtown and transform Hamilton into the Disneyland of quilting.

In the past year, a few small towns across the country began popping up in road-trip itineraries as Americans sought safe spaces to travel and enjoy the outdoors. There are plenty featured in this issue that you’ll want to put on your bucket list, including Hamilton.

The Mississippi River town of McGregor, Iowa, shines in this issue’s Small-Town Spotlight. On page 22, writer Tracy Beard takes you on a tour of the unique shops that line McGregor’s historic downtown. Then on page 50, the village of Conway is the starting point for Marjorie Stevenson’s train ride through autumn glory in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

In this issue we’re also introducing you to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve—America’s newest national park. This hidden gem in southern West Virginia has long been an outdoor paradise known for rafting and hiking. On page 28, Jill Gleeson recounts her many experiences in the park, which is also known for its fantastic fall color.

Country has always been a place to celebrate smalltown life, and we’ll keep doing that. Tell us about the small towns you love to visit at the email address below or at countrymagazine.com/submit.