Madras, Oregon: Small Town a Bellwether of U.S. Economy
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- Progresshiv
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Progresshiv
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Madras, Oregon, a small town in Oregon's high desert, is typical of many American communities which are struggling to survive in a down economy. Madras sprang up in the juniper and sage desert as a cattle and lumber town, and those industries have long struggled to survive. Its recovery is slow and is not being led by cattlemen and lumber companies but by national corporations like KFC and Taco Bell, which depend upon travelers who pass through on highway 97. Jobs at the fast food outlets, although they are greatly valued by Madras residents, do not replace the family-wage positions that once allowed the town's founders to support families. So many small American towns have changed in this way: from places where people lived and created goods and services to places where tourists drop a few dollars into the hands of newly-poor residents. This trend cannot strengthen communities.
- 2 years ago
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Progresshiv
