America 250: Ten Small Towns That Made Us Who We Are

The history of America is written not only in its great cities and skyscrapers. It can be found in Appalachian hollows, along the banks of the Mississippi, in southwestern deserts and on the prairies of the High Plains. Small towns and rural communities have contributed much to the epic narrative of our nation.

As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, it is worth looking back at some of the small towns which have made us who we are. While places like Selma, Alabama, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, are etched in the American memory, other small towns are just as consequential...