Make It Minnesota - The Renew Issue - Vol. 1, No. 3

just past the museum. On this sunny day, Lou glistened. As we headed into downtown, we were met with a quiet Main Street comprised of a few different antique stores and thrift stores, a hardware store, an art store, a diner whose cup of chili and coffee were unparalleled that day, and a Jubilee Foods. Walking down the road, we passed a woman walking into a store who struck up a conversation with us after seeing our camera (she and her husband own a photography business). Her name was Gwen, and while it sounds cheesy, our interaction was exactly what we had been hoping for while exploring Madison.

Coming from the Twin Cities, it is such a foreign thing to think about knowing every single person in your town, for the good and the bad. It is people like Gwen that make living in a small town an attractive thought. Heck, if Gwen was going to be my neighbor, I’d pick up and move to Madison today! Not only was she incredibly warm and welcoming, but also open and incredibly complimentary about the community and the people who call Madison home. She shared with us the touching tale of the community’s reaction when she was diagnosed with cancer. She smiled as she described the immediate wave of support and love from her town all rallying around her, sending flowers and cards and going out of their way to let Gwen know that she was in their thoughts. She praised the community and the love and care every person has for everyone else; and like a few other people we had met on our trip, she had moved away at a younger age, but returned to raise a family and start a business with no interest in ever leaving again, saying, “you couldn’t pay me to live somewhere else.”

Leaving Dawson and Madison, I was struck by the sentiment both towns held close regarding the necessity and privilege of remembering their past. And not simply a brief overview of the past like the opening paragraph you may read on Wikipedia, but a detailed and curated account of each and every member of the community. It did not matter how great or how little impact an individual made. The story itself held and continues to hold value; and like tiny pieces of a puzzle, each member of the community then and now fit together to present the full, complete picture representing Dawson, and Madison, Minnesota.

So, the next time you are traveling through the western area of this great state and happen to see signs for Dawson and Madison, we dare you to forget your final destination for a moment and pull to the main road to explore. Take a random turn down an interesting looking street—even if you cannot pinpoint exactly what is grabbing you—or explore a local business and chat with the owner. Whatever it is that you do, we would be willing to bet you find yourself surprised with what you find and whom you meet.

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