I happened across this article with accompanying video a week or so ago about a small town of around 300 in Nevada called Empire. It nearly completely dissolved due to the economy when U.S. Gypsum closed down shop. U.S.G. provided most of the jobs for the community and so when it closed it’s doors there was nowhere left to work.
I have a hard time with this. On one hand I am sad and feel rather sorry for the folks that lived in this town. I grew up in a small town myself, albeit a little larger with a population of around 4,000. My hometown was, and is, also dependent on such businesses which employ such a high number of the locals. In fact, this past few years has seen businesses shut down in much the same way and to the detriment of the town.
