The Rural Towns Project Podcast Dax Jacobson

As promised, this is Part 2 of my conversation with HannaLore Hein (Idaho State Historian) on the history of Bear Lake. As usual, HannaLore takes us on a well-researched ride on the history of place as this time we talk about the actual Bear Lake and the Bear River - the largest river in the US that doesn’t empty into an ocean. It empties into the Great Salt Lake and we talk about how the Bear River watershed will play a key role in the future of the Great Salt Lake. HannaLore educates me on all things water in the Bear Lake Valley and the American West as we talk about cooperative development, irrigation and water diversion, prior appropriation (first in time, first in right) vs. riparian use, and the separation of water and land rights in the American West. We cover the Desert Land Act, the Carey Act, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Weston South Field Irrigation Company. HannaLore shares the history of the Bear Lake Monster (first sighting in 1868!) and we end with HannaLore’s recommendations for something to watch, read, and listen to.

If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/ or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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 of Utah’s Mighty 5 campaign). We talk about the growth in rural tourism in Utah, rural tourism challenges and opportunities, rural main streets, and the loss of rural youth to Utah’s cities. Natalie explains how her rancher father-in-law serves as sounding board and reality check for rural issues. We talk about Natalie’s favorite stretch of Utah highway and end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question.
If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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 primarily ranching and farming economy to a tourism economy and how growth in general (parking, housing, short-term vacation rentals, etc.) is both a challenge and an opportunity (for example, transient room tax has grown by 34% year-over-year since 2014; there are over 1,000 vacation home rentals and less than 400 people servicing all those visits). We talk about the healing power of being in the great outdoors and we end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question.

If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

I’m taking a slightly different approach to podcast episodes as I work to align some of my professional and academic interests with my personal interest in the rural American West. Rather than focus on one particular town, I will be focusing on the entrepreneurial and small business ecosystems that exist in and around rural small towns. I’ll still be talking to historians, small business owners, entrepreneurs and artists but I’m trying to get a better understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects each of them and their communities. First up, and as an example, I’m headed back to Bear Lake and rather than focus on one small town again (Garden City, UT), I’ll be using several more episodes to try and understand the forces and issues connecting the small businesses and communities in the larger valley (from Montpelier, ID to Laketown, UT).

I start off this new approach with a conversation with regular guest and friend of the podcast HannaLore Hein (Idaho State Historian). HannaLore gives an update on some of the work she is doing on Idaho history, including the upcoming America 250 initiative. In this first of two Bear Lake-focused conversations with HannaLore, we focus on Montpelier and the Idaho section of the Bear Lake Valley. We talk about the role of the LDS church in the strategic settling of the valley (e.g. Franklin to Paris to Montpelier) and find parallels in the new, smaller, more rural locations for LDS Temples. We learn that Montpelier got its name from Montpelier, Vermont (because it was the home state of Brigham Young). HannaLore uses the story of Edward Burgoyne, successful Montpelier merchant - and his very successful candy making wife - to illustrate the process and tools (Zotero, Archives West, and more) for doing history, especially community, business, and businessperson history. We end, not with the Road Trip Music Question, but with HannaLore drawing parallels between the polio vaccine in the 1950s and vaccines today. Stay tuned for part 2, where we’ll focus on the actual Bear Lake and water in the Bear Lake Valley.
If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

In this episode, I chat with Shawn Milne, Cache Valley Economic Development Director. Shawn is a friend and a graduate of Westminster College and one of the most interesting people I know. Shawn and I talk about his background as a small business owner and county commissioner and how those experiences inform his new role in Cache Valley. We also talk about the role of economic development directors, chambers of commerce, and higher ed. institutions in rural economic development. Shawn tells a story about election cycles and density and growth to illustrate the challenges of balancing urban and rural and young and old. Shawn shares what keeps him up at night and what gives him hope (hint: both have to do with the how successful Cache Valley has been). We end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question.

If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Hi. It’s been a minute. There have been some life and work changes keeping me busy the last several months but the Rural Towns Project Podcast is back! I’ll be sharing this episode and one more focused on Richmond, Utah that were recorded earlier this year before moving on (and back) to Bear Lake (Idaho AND Utah sides) in the new year. So please stay tuned for even more episodes of the podcast and be on the lookout for updates on a slightly different approach I’m taking.

In this episode, I chat with Paul Erickson, Mayor of Richmond, Utah and Chief Credit Officer of Cache Valley Bank. Paul comes from a family with a history of public service and we talk about the importance of getting involved in our local communities. Given Paul’s dual roles, he also has a unique and thoughtful perspective on growth, taxes, small businesses, the labor market, and shopping locally in rural communities. We talk about all those things and more and we end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question.

If you want to find out more about me or the Rural Towns Project, please go to https://www.ruraltownsproject.com/

Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.jamendo.com, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/