Three Oaks, Michigan: Poet Laureate

Long Haul: Public Radio Documentaries to Go!

Throughout America, a growing number of communities have selected their own poet laureate. Among the smallest is Three Oaks, Michigan – population 1,800 – located just across the lake from Chicago. Like countless other rural towns, Three Oaks' economy was decimated by farm consolidation and factory shutdowns, but an influx of artists and creative folks has given it new life, and the newcomers are fostering an unlikely, and sometimes cantankerous, rebirth. Long Haul discusses Three Oaks' reinassance with new residents who "came to make something here," and long-time locals who are coming to terms with the changing reality of their hometown. Produced in 2006; this description is from the original broadcast.