San Miguel de Allende is one of the most beautiful towns in Mexico, located in the Guanajuato. This historic town was founded in 1542. It is now a major tourist destination for a large American and Canadian expatriate community of retirees. Of the total population of about 130,000, 7,000 or so are North American expatriates. After WW II many American…...

Orangeburg, population 13,000,  was chosen an All-American city in 2005.  Located in central South Carolina this small town has several colleges (including top-rated Claflin University and South Carolina State University - both predominately black schools). It is known as the Garden City and has a lovely downtown. Orangeburg has an active and very successful redevelopment program. Photo of St. Paul…...

Kalamazoo is small city of about 77,000 on the Kalamazoo River. It  is home to Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College, a liberal arts school whose campus abuts WMU's. Kalamazoo is a dynamic place with a very interesting industrial past. The Checkers Motor Company, makers of the fabled Checker cabs, was headquartered here. Now there is an interesting mix of…...

Venice, Florida is an extremely pleasant community of 21,000 people located south of Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico. Originally developed in 1925 by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers as a planned retirement community, Venice is named after the many canals and rivers running through it. Thanks to its central planning, Venice is a top rated community for adults over…...