Haigler takes the Spotlight

The Gazette's Community Spotlight series has been an eye-opener. In every one of our visits to area towns, we have been impressed with the pride, spirit and energy of the people.

That's certainly true of Haigler, the community featured in today's Spotlight section in the Gazette. With a population of 211, Haigler has the fewest residents of any town visited to date.

But don't let that fool you. When you stop to visit, as the Gazette's Gene Morris and Pat Fortkamp did this month, you will find there's a lot going on. For evidence, we invite you to read the eight-page Spotlight section, which is filled with stories and photos from the community called: "Cornerstone of Nebraska."

Stunning scenery, active clubs, the top-quality grade school and a series of improvement projects are among the highlights for the village in the far southwestern corner of Nebraska.

Another distinguishing mark for Haigler is how closely townspeople connect with the farmers and ranchers in the surrounding area. As is the case in other towns in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, the community is not just the town -- it reaches out in all directions to those whose homes are in the country.

The Haigler story is important because it shows that not is all doom and gloom in rural Nebraska. Certainly, there are challenges. As agricultural operations become larger, fewer people are needed to serve the needs of farmers.

Because of this, many observers have falsely concluded that small towns are drying up and blowing away. But that's not necessarily so. When there's a will, there is a way.

In Haigler's case, many of the homes in the community have been acquired by retirees, keeping the town's population at 211, just 14 less that it was in the 1980 census -- a quarter of a century ago.

There's a moral to Haigler's story. It's this: There's more to a community than meets the eye. The real story is the caring, sharing and accomplishments of the people who live there.

Area communities have exciting stories to tell. We look forward to sharing further adventures as we travel down the Spotlight trail.