Special to the HT
MEEKER | We live in a town where the feeling generated by the place itself seems right for longtime residents and newcomers alike.
Some residents did not necessarily choose to live here, but may feel a strong allegiance to their family history in the area. Others return in the summer and fall to camp, hunt or fish.
The families who originally moved into the valley in the late 1800s and early 1900s made sacrifices year after year to build up the land they hoped to leave as a legacy to their descendants. They faced many of the same weather-related disasters that affect us now, including severe drought, wildfires and floods.
These pioneers were also determined to make sure their children received an education, even though they relied on every able-bodied youth and adult to help with work on the ranch.
A smaller group of residents has moved here because they can work from home. Online job opportunities allow them to live here while enjoying the outdoor recreation close at hand.
People have always come to this area for different reasons. Some moved to be near family or to help loved ones through difficult transitions. Others came for work.
Jobs in the energy industry are no longer as plentiful as they were during the boom years. At the same time, work-from-home options expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many employees became accustomed to remote work, although some employers later began requiring workers to return to the office two or three days a week.
How people feel in their work and home environments matters. The familiar theme song from the television show “Cheers” describes a place “where everybody knows your name.”
It was more than a bar. It felt like home.
Our own community, filled with people who know one another by name, can offer that same feeling. For many people, Meeker is simply the right fit.
By DOLLY VISCARDI