Independence is a small town of about 9,400 in southeastern Kansas, very near the Oklahoma border.  The town recently received significant fame for its Independence Public Library (pictured above courtesy of the Library's Facebook page), which was named the "Best Small" library in the country by Library Journal. Part of the reason for the prize was the library's hard journey…...

Easton is a town of about 15,000 in Maryland, about 27 miles from Annapolis, but on the Delaware side.  It is located very near the Chesapeake, which automatically makes it a very good town for boating. Frederick Douglass lived here. The town has a number of interesting festivals including the Talbot County Fair and the Waterfowl Festival.  Picture of Third…...

A small, rural town dating from the 1800s, Beckley is located is south central West Virginia. It is a quieter, modest community that has experienced some businesses closing in recent years. The Appalachians, and its many troves and rivers, offer plenty by way of outdoor recreation here. The downtown, while now a little economically weaker than it once was, is…...

Tampa is the largest city in the very large Metro (4 million people) of Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater on Florida's west coast. Located about half way down the coast, the city has a spectacular location on Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay, which in turn lead to the Gulf of Mexico.  Formerly one of the world's largest cigar makers, 500,000,000 cigars were hand-rolled here…...