Visit, but don't stay!

When an area suddenly becomes popular, it ruins it for people who already lived there.

There’s a lot of examples of this.

I don’t think it could happen here, but you never know if we will be discovered someday.

While living in Boise, we often drove up to Silver City, an old mining town about 75 miles into the higher country.    

The roads were carved out of clay, so it wasn’t a good idea to drive there after a rain.

There were a few old buildings still standing, a few in good repair.

It wasn’t long before the area became popular with the Boise crowd and people started buying property and the remains of old houses there.

The same thing happened in Ketchum, Idaho, better known as Sun Valley.

The railroad built the area into a tourist place with skiing, fishing, golf and outdoor covered skating rinks.

It attracted Hollywood people and other famous folk, and their presence drove prices up so bad that those who lived there couldn’t afford to stay.

It happened in Montana, in the shade of Glacier National Park. Same thing, a large influx of new buyers and home prices soaring out of sight.

It has happened in places like St. George, Utah, where the city boasts it has over 50 hotels. This is red rock country.

A similar thing occurred in Sedona, Arizona, a beautiful area with early residents driven out because of soaring prices.

A lot of this is California people looking for new places to live.

The latest favorite is the state of Washington, eastern style, where there are wide open spaces, no traffic, and suitable lifestyles.

Which brings me back to the coulee area. It could happen here. We have the space, the climate, and we are bound to be discovered someday.