The Pink Bathtub

by Ken Schutten

There's a pink bathtub in my neighbor's front yard. In the flowerbed of the house across the street sits a big, blue dumpster. Probably doesn’t sound like the type of neighborhood where you’d want to settle down.

But I’m thankful for that bathtub and that dumpster. They are signs of hope in my little corner of the world.

That corner of the world, is Anderson, Mo.

It’s a small town of about 2,000 people cradled in the foothills of the Ozarks in far southwest Missouri. Like many communities in the area, it was built on the backs of hardworking settlers and grew strong when the railroad rumbled through in the late 1800’s. The fertile hillsides and valleys made it a perfect place to raise strawberries. And from the early 1920’s to the 1950’s those hardworking families grew and shipped more strawberries out of this community than anywhere else. It was known at one time as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.”

But like many communities, over the years Anderson became a “remember when” town: “Remember when” Main Street was packed with people on Saturday night. “Remember when” there were 4 car dealerships in town. “Remember when” it was a bustling, thriving community.

There were occasional bursts of optimism over the years. A new business here, a small industry there. A few concentrated areas of housing improvements. Community activities were launched. Some stuck, others did not and were forgotten. A new interstate opened just outside of town, and the once busy highway that brought visitors and traffic through the heart of the community became eerily quiet. Windows on Main Street started emptying. For a while, things looked bleak.

But something changed recently.

Main Street is beginning to thrive again. New businesses are starting to crop up here and there. Established businesses are growing. Restaurants are opening and staying busy. Traffic through town is picking up. There is a renewed sense of optimism. A community is starting to come back together and back to life.

Just like the early days of Anderson, people - hard working people - are making the difference.

They are taking risks, and making investments in the community.

People are opening businesses like donut shops, flea markets, and restaurants.

They are investing in places like convenience stores, the locally owned grocery store, the flower shop, and the historic downtown movie theater. Then there are the people who have banded together and are working to make Anderson a better place to live, work & play by launching programs and activities that not only give locals something to do but also bring opportunities for the future.

This group has created new festivals that bring visitors into town. Each May, Anderson relives it’s strawberry hey-days with a Berries, Bluegrass & BBQ festival.

During the summer months, you can catch a free movie outside at the local park which sits on the banks of Indian Creek.

Very soon, kids will be playing on new playground equipment thanks to a community wide fundraising drive.

They have spearheaded an effort with city leaders to partner with an architectural school to develop a 20 year plan for Anderson’s future. People now have a vision of what their community could be.

They’ve even brought leaders from several state agencies to give ideas to help the community reach its goals. The locals are starting to take notice. Even outsiders see the change. Recently, after the newly built local Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market closed in the swath of “shift of corporate philosophy”, the Springfield News-Leader sent a reporter out to cover the effects of the closings on small, southwest Missouri towns.

In what was a “doom and gloom” piece for many communities, the reporter wrote “...Anderson still has an active downtown, in addition to other businesses along highway 71. The one screen Flick theater has been in operation since 1938. You can still see a movie for $5.00.”

And after a recent tour of Anderson,the director of the state’s Department of Economic Development said, "One thing about this community we found is the people are passionate about trying to make the community better, and there's nothing more than a community can do than have those kind of compassionate leaders that are trying to make a difference.”

People are making a difference.

Which brings us back to that pink bathtub and blue dumpster. They are the by-product of remodel projects on two vacant homes in my neighborhood. Once again, some local folks are investing in our community. They have purchased the homes and will soon be moving in. But first, there’s a little fix-up. I guess pink was the color of the day way back when, because much of the bathroom fixtures that are sitting in the yard seem to be in that color. The once shabby houses are getting a much needed facelift, and soon will be full of life again. Kind of like our community.

Who knew a pink bathtub could hold so much hope?