Boomtown

“Oh, it’s a busy town anymore.”

Sandy Anderson, Resident of Chester, Montana

Chester, Montana (population 900) doesn’t get it. The whole country is in a recession: unemployment up, housing market down. Despair is supposed to be on the rise, hope hitting rock bottom. But not in Chester. This small town is booming. Folks are moving in. Empty houses have been rented and hotels are full. And why? Jobs.

Chester is located in the heart of Montana's farm country. Up until this year, it was struggling like many small towns. But after suffering years of drought, the last couple of seasons have been good to farmers. Their yields are up, along with demand and market prices. And the icing on the cake? Not one, but two grain elevators are being built in Chester this year to handle the bounty. With the elevators come jobs, workers, and a market for local materials. Five new businesses have opened, the local bakery is working longer hours, and a couple of long-standing establishments are getting new digs.

A lot of people blame our country’s sour economy on companies sending jobs offshore. Again, not in Chester. It turns out the new grain elevators are being built by two international companies. Instead of sending jobs out of the country, they’re bringing jobs home to Chester.

Read the Articles:
·        A big boom in a small town
·        International changes for Chester, Montana