Aberdeen, South Dakota’s rich history as a bustling hub with a vibrant downtown provides a strong foundation for revitalization. Historic photos of Main Street from the early 1900s could easily be mistaken for scenes from Brooklyn, New York, of the same era. Understanding why the town moved away from this dynamic core, and lost its historical vibrancy, is essential.
The decline in rail transportation and the shift to highway travel in the 20th century led to population stagnation in Aberdeen and countless other small towns just like it. The good news is that this historical vibrancy offers a blueprint for Aberdeen’s renaissance. By drawing inspiration from its past—when the central district was alive with commerce and community—Aberdeen can restore its downtown as a modern place of creativity and connection.
Rather than viewing its relatively small population of 28,000 residents as a challenge to overcome, Aberdeen should embrace it. Not every place has to keep growing in population to stay healthy. Unlike cities overwhelmed by rapid, often generic growth, Aberdeen can capitalize on its small-town charm, tranquility, and simpler lifestyle to attract those who seek escape from urban complications. By emphasizing its community-oriented lifestyle, Aberdeen can attract new residents who value quality of life over the hustle and bustle of city living.
Reconnecting with the past
Unfortunately, many of Aberdeen’s significant, craft-built structures have been lost to history, erasing irreplaceable parts of its architectural heritage. They were evidence that small prairie towns often aspired to become great cities. By reconnecting with key aspects of this unique historical identity to blend past and present, Aberdeen can create a lively, mixed-use environment that attracts both locals and visitors. Thus, Aberdeen can celebrate its rich heritage while embracing innovation, making the city a hub of culture, history, and creativity.
By reimagining its downtown with a dense, mixed-use core that combines residential, commercial, and cultural spaces, Aberdeen can re-create the vitality that once defined its streets. This approach fosters community connections and makes downtown a lively hub for living, working, and socializing.
Establishing creative spaces like the Cramer Center of Design and Innovation (CCDI) at Northern State University is another critical component of Aberdeen’s proposed transformation. These existing spaces can be used to attract artists, researchers, and entrepreneurs, nurturing a community of creative minds. By fostering collaboration and innovation, Aberdeen can position itself as a hub for creativity in the region.
Aberdeen offers an exceptionally affordable cost of living, particularly in home ownership, with a median home price of $265,000. This affordability presents a compelling opportunity for creatives and young families. Coupled with the potential of the CCDI and the flexibility of remote work, Aberdeen could become an attractive destination. The combination of affordable living and a supportive creative community could conceivably appeal to tech companies looking to relocate employees from larger cities such as Minneapolis-St. Paul or Kansas City. Imagine a remote-work-oriented tech company aggregating real estate in Aberdeen and offering it as a benefit to employees, whether they’re in remote health diagnostics, insurance adjusting, or AI-driven fields. This outcome would be a win-win, providing a high quality of life for employees while driving Aberdeen’s economic and cultural growth.
Improving public transportation and walkability is also essential. In a reflection of Aberdeen’s bygone streetcar era, modernizing public transportation and creating pedestrian-friendly spaces, particularly along Main Street, would make Aberdeen more accessible and enjoyable. Hosting cultural events such as art walks, music festivals, and innovation conferences would infuse the town with energy and creativity, and showcase Aberdeen’s cultural richness and diversity.
Encouraging creative entrepreneurship is another vital element of Aberdeen’s proposed revival. Supporting small businesses and startups through incentives and resources can cultivate a thriving local economy.
“Destination for darkness”
Aberdeen offers more than just affordability and creative potential; it provides a rare experience of true quietude—a precious commodity in today’s noisy, multi-tasking world. Urbanites often pay a premium for peace and quiet, seeking refuge from the constant noise and light pollution of city life. As demand for true darkness grows, municipalities across the U.S. are considering ordinances to reduce light emissions after dark.
Sand Lake and other remote areas near Aberdeen offer a unique opportunity to become a “destination for darkness,” attracting stargazers and nature enthusiasts. Additionally, the environment, broken only by wildlife calls, provides a rare escape from industrial-age noise. Brown County’s quiet natural beauty makes it an ideal destination for people seeking solitude and a deep connection with nature.
Incorporating Aberdeen’s recreational offerings into its revitalization strategy would further enhance its appeal. As the pheasant hunting capital of the world, Aberdeen has a unique attraction that can be leveraged year-round. Beyond hunting season, the town can host wildlife conservation events, outdoor expos, and shooting competitions.
Highlighting Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge as a key attraction underscores Aberdeen’s commitment to preserving natural beauty. The refuge offers diverse activities, including bird watching, wildlife observation, and nature photography, making it a prime destination for enthusiasts. Aberdeen could easily capitalize on these interests: organize annual birding festivals, photography contests, and guided tours to attract visitors. Partnering with the refuge for educational programs on conservation and biodiversity would promote environmental stewardship and engage the community.
The refuge’s serene setting is perfect for hiking, canoeing, and fishing, with special events such as full moon hikes or canoe tours enhancing the visitor’s experience. Featuring Sand Lake in marketing materials alongside other attractions could position Aberdeen as an ecofriendly destination. Collaborations with local businesses to create packages around refuge events could boost local commerce and provide a seamless experience.
Embracing Aberdeen’s winter landscape by promoting snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing could make the colder months active and enjoyable. Developing trails, hosting winter sports festivals, and offering rentals and lessons would make winter activities attractive and accessible for all ages. Reviving the Aberdeen Pheasants minor league baseball team could reignite local pride and offer regular entertainment and foster community connections through sports and outreach programs.
The path forward
Reviving a small town like Aberdeen takes assembling a diverse team, articulating a clear vision, establishing goals, clearing the path of obstacles, understanding the uniqueness of the location and culture, and inviting participation.
Collaboration among local government, educational institutions, businesses, and community organizations is key to creating a unified vision for the town’s future. These partnerships can leverage funding, expertise, and resources to drive the transformation.
Promoting Aberdeen as a hub for creativity and innovation through digital marketing, storytelling, and branding could attract new residents and visitors. Highlighting the town’s heritage, community, and opportunities for creative living can shape this narrative.
Aberdeen’s transformation could serve as a model for other small towns looking to revitalize their communities in the 21st century.
Here are two other places that have used these strategies successfully to turn their fortunes around.
Ord, Nebraska: Supporting entrepreneurship
Ord is situated in the scenic North Loup River Valley, on the eastern edge of the Nebraska Sandhills, and has a population of approximately 2,300 residents. The town offers access to the Sandhills natural area and water recreation activities on the Loup River, and it has a cost of living that is 23 percent lower than the national average.
However, like many small agricultural communities, Ord experienced population decline and an exodus of young workers in recent decades. Its solution was organizing an economic development plan that would breathe new life into the town by focusing on support for entrepreneurship.
The city partnered with Valley County and the Ord Chamber of Commerce to create an economic development office that provides mentorship, loans, incentives, and grant information. Local public schools also invested in promoting entrepreneurship through the creation of business, finance, and marketing classes, and by partnering with the SynoVation Valley Leadership Academy to teach leadership, community involvement, and entrepreneurial skills to young people.
In addition, Ord established a community endowment fund managed by the Nebraska Community Foundation. Grants are provided by the Valley County Economic Development Board and are based on the mission of the programs.
Moreover, Nebraska offers economic development programs for local business support, such as the Microenterprise Tax Credit, Rural Enterprise Assistance Programs, and the Nebraska Advantage incentive package. These strategies have resulted in significant investments from public, private, and nonprofit organizations since 2000.
Ord’s transformation meant attracting diverse, regional participation. By expanding its regional outreach, it created more opportunities for local retail, services, and entertainment venues. In the process it attracted five commercial lending institutions, created a more robust arts and cultural scene, attracted more students to its schools and community college, and stimulated a healthier labor market.
Some of the outcomes attributed to Ord’s strategy for economic development include a 20 percent increase in retail sales over a four-year period, a 21 percent increase in personal income, and a new fervor among the residents for volunteerism and public service.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin: Becoming a technology hub
Two hours north of the state capital Madison lies Stevens Point, a city of about 26,000 people at the heart of the
Wisconsin River Valley—a blend of academia, industry, nature, and history. Home to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) and Mid-State Technical College, the city has seen significant growth and development through the strategic use of technology.
UWSP has become a hub for research and innovation, particularly in environmental scences and sustainability. By incorporating advanced technology into its curriculum, UWSP prepares students for tech-driven careers, helping retain talent within the region.
The city has created a unique environment for startups, particularly in education, health care, and small businesses. In partnership with the Portage County Business Council and the Small Business Development Center at UWSP, the local government is able to support mentoring, funding, and co-working spaces. Local businesses have embraced digital marketing and e-commerce platforms, allowing them to expand their sales and services beyond the immediate community. The establishment of tech startups and business incubators has helped foster a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout the greater community.
Of course, none of this tech expansion would have been possible without reliable broadband access. Stevens Point made the commitment to install high-speed broadband back in 2019, and today the city offers internet speeds up to one gigabit to 10,000 customers for cloud-based computing, high-definition audio and video streaming, web conferencing, and mobile web access.
By strategically leveraging technology, Stevens Point has enhanced its economic development through business support, workforce skill enhancement, improved infrastructure, innovation, health care improvements, and tourism promotion. These efforts have collectively made the city a more attractive place for businesses and residents, driving sustained economic growth.
