School Closes—What to Do?

The school, bank and grocery stores are so important to most small towns that I travel to. Hannaford, ND (population 181) lost their grade school last year in a consolidation The local EDC bought it from the school district for $1 and has put a computer training room, library (all donated books), craft room, gym, community center and business incubator into the space. Hannaford is turning lemons into lemonade.

It was interesting to look at the High School graduation pictures that were still on display in the school, which at one time hosted all 12 grades. The high school closed in 1990 with a graduating class of 10. Its largest graduating class was in 1971 when 20 graduated. The smallest was in 1985 with 2. Even I could have made Salutatorian that year!

The EDC faced the closure of their only grocery store several years ago, bought it as a community project, ran it for 3 years and sold it in 2003 to a local couple who have expanded it.

Recently the community landed Prairie Bilt Sleds, which builds ½ of all of the Iditarod sleds out of lightweight aluminum. The company will employ 10 in its new 5,000 sf building. I hope that Hannaford is able to leverage this company into even more economic opportunities.