Just what is a small town?

According to Dictionary.com, small-town is defined as, “of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a town or village.”  Well turns out they’re spot on using the word ‘village,’ as my town is actually considered the ‘Village of Odell.’  That’s right, village.  We’re not even considered a ‘town’ since our population is a mere 300—which in my opinion, is the perfect size.  I honestly think to truly be considered small-town, the population can’t be too much more than this.  There are so many characteristics that towns of 10,000 people just don’t have—stay tuned to hear about these.  So my big city friends, you might be asking, “What on earth can there be to do in a town with only 300 people?”  My answer—enough to make for an amazing life.  So before I begin tracking my summer here, I better tell you what Odell has to offer: The Corner Bar, The Odell Market, two hair shops, The State Bank of Odell, the post office, our very own museum, an antique shop, The Kross Eyed Kricket, a bed and breakfast, a park, a mechanic shop, gas station, three churches and finally the high school—home to the Diller-Odell Griffins (we consolidated with Diller, a town of about 300, in 2000).  Besides these many attractions inside town, there’s a whole other list that one will find outside of the ‘village.’  These include our never ending gravel roads, rivers, and lakes.  All so well known by both adults and the kids living their lives here.  This may sound dull to you, but trust me—these places hold some of my best memories, and will be the main stage for many more to be made this summer. 

Main Street--my hometown