America's Most Boring Towns: 3

colavito's ghost: 20th Jun 2006 - 14:53 GMT

that roof of that building in the first shot has a bit of a pagoda thing going on, no?

GUS BRENNAN: 20th Jun 2006 - 17:38 GMT

IS THIS AN ACTUAL TOWN ,OR JUST A SERIES OF BUILDINGS ????

GUS BRENNAN: 20th Jun 2006 - 17:54 GMT

TO SEE A PROPER TOWN, CHECK OUT "BARNOLDSWICK"

Scott Sargent: 20th Jun 2006 - 19:22 GMT

Gus, its a very small, boring town. I have indeed seen many "proper" towns, as it were, and while I appreciate your specific gusto for BARNOLDSWICK, I am hoping to make a different point through this series of postings.

Nick Levendofsky: 26th Jun 2006 - 16:18 GMT

Scott,
I am from Belleville, and, quite frankly, you don't know Belleville any more than the man in the moon. Did you drive downtown and walk around the square? Did you check out all the stores we have? Did you drive out to Rocky Pond, or the N.C.K. Fairgrounds? How about the Highbanks race track? The swimming pool? City Park? What about the Belleville Country Club and golf course? Did you stop and have a bite to eat at the Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, Mr. Goodcents, or A.J.'s?There were a lot of different places you could have taken pictures of, but it looks to me like you just take pictures of old, abandoned buildings that just happen to be along a major highway running through these towns. I'd recommend you stop and look around a little longer when you're traveling instead of jumping to conclusions and making it look like we don't have anything going for us at all. It's people like you who make it hard for towns like Belleville to bring people in. I hope you're proud of what you're doing. Instead of helping, you're hurting, that's nothing to be proud of.

Chris Erb: 26th Jun 2006 - 20:11 GMT

You seem to really like your town. I would suggest walking around the good parts of your town and taking pictures of it and making your own posts. Show us the other side of Belleville.

Nick Levendofsky: 26th Jun 2006 - 20:56 GMT

I'll do that. I plan on being there for July 4th and will be able to get some great photos of people enjoying Belleville.

Chris Erb: 26th Jun 2006 - 21:27 GMT

I look forward to seeing the contrast between this series of photos and what you get.

EvilGentleman: 26th Jun 2006 - 21:44 GMT

I find it interesting to convert the demographic information for Bellevile found at www.bellevilleusa.com/demographics.html into actual numbers. The population of Belleville in 2000 was 2239, and broke down as follows: (including both politically correct and laymen's racial designations

POP PC Race (Race)
2202 Caucasian-American (White)
6 African-American (Black)
4 Native-American (Indian)
7 Asian-American (Oriental)
7 Other (Other)
13 Two or more races (Mixed Race)
2239 TOTAL
Also including:
18 Hispanic of any race (Latino)

If you break it down the 2239 residents by age, they are:
394 aged 00-18
121 aged 18-24
448 aged 25-44
513 aged 45-64
763 aged 65+

Senior citizens seem to ountumber children almost 2 to 1.

Based on all this data, Belleville seems to be a classic middle American town that was originally based on a rural economy, and is now transitioning into a retirement community. The younger population has moved away, most likely in search of better jobs and more excitement in the big city. A significant number of those young people who move away will probably return later on in life.

The population seems predominantly white, probably not due to any plan or design, but just simply due to the fact that the people who originally founded the community were white, and most of the people in town are probably descended from various waves of white pioneers who decided to farm the lands around Belleville. It would seem that other races are quite welcome, but few have made it to this particular town as of yet. (kind of like Vermont)

Nick does have a point, these posts can be quite damaging to a small town that is trying desperately to avoid having people move away. Fortunately, this post is only #41 on a Google search for Belleville, Kansas so far. I do not think that the author was intending to harm the economy of Belleville or any such thing, but was merely stating his opinion of the blandness of middle America, as seen through the eyes of an urban-oriented person. Keep in mind this is primarily an urban-oriented website, so the audience here will tend to share the views of the author.

The truth be told, I would much rather buy a home in Belleville, Kansas than in Manhattan. Manhattan has so much more to offer me at my current age of 37, but I know eventually, I will want a slower pace, and places like Belleville are ideal for people who want a safe place to retire without being totally isolated.

The world needs the big cities and the Bellevilles of the world equally. I would not want to imagine a world without either bustling cities or small quiet communities. Diversity is one of the things that makes America great.

p.o.ed person from belleville: 19th Jan 2007 - 03:18 GMT

ok now i agree with nick belleville is not as boring as they are trying to make it sound.there is fun food and places to hang out. we have the worlds fastist half mile dirt track, and home to the midget nationals. there is so meny places that is not shown here and the pics on the bulding with the blue roof is one bulding it was the old dodge dealer here in town and is currentley bms(belleville motor sports). we have a smaller highschool it is a 3a with about 250 students. yes we are kinda of hicked up to you people but that is just normal to us. if you ever come to viset come during the summer we have the nck free fair and races all summer long. yes we are a small rual area but most the people enjoy that. Aguculture it really big here if you were to come to belleville in the summer twards the end of june you will see people out in the feilds all over providing for you. we work so u can eat your bread. So i and the other people from belleville would apprechiat it if you would quit looking down on us.

Belleville man: 6th Mar 2007 - 01:16 GMT

Nick you are right i live near belleville to. The people just dont understand that what we have here and how we enjoy it here. Them In there big cities just dont understand what it is like to do some real hard labor other than sitting at a computer and sitting in there little office drinking coffee. I bet if we asked them what a 2388 or a 9600 was they would be compleatley clueless.

Caleb Chatfield: 23rd Mar 2007 - 17:47 GMT

Yes Scott, the old Sankey Motors building comprises the sum total of what goes on in Belleville. Maybe this is your point, to get a rise out of individuals and to make broad sweeping generalizations based on a corridor of highway that you've passed through. So much like the rest of your articles on this site. Well if you're into broad sweeping generalizations, I'm sure there is a Klan rally for you in the South. I tell you one thing, Belleville is full of real, geniune individuals that are trying hard to live, real, geniune lives. Whether it be, doctors, lawyers, teachers, farmers, or a small time entrepeneur.

I don't know where you live Scott or what you do for a living, frankly I could care less...you just seem to be the run-of-the-mill Ivan Q. Douchebag that has too much time on his hands. Truth is boring or not....where you are located is what you make of it...and real, interesting individuals often come from these locales.

Right now I'm over my lunchbreak and I'm blowing off a little steam, but Scotty if you would like I can countinue any sort of discourse with you via e-mail....or if you like we can meet up in Kansas City for coffee sometime.

Warm Regards,

Caleb N. Chatfield

caleb.chatfield@gmail.com

Darrel B Richardson: 20th Apr 2007 - 17:28 GMT

Scott... you have to be part of the elitists main stream meadia to post such a biased and knowledge lacking site on the internet. I will give you that "boring" is a subjective word and by your using it you have shown to the internet world your total lack of what is borning or not. To the residents of Belleville, there are many things to appreciate and enjoy. While they are not what the elitists may appreciate, they have value to those who live there. For one person to put down another speaks poorly of the first person.
How do I know about Belleville --- I was raised there 50 years ago and still visit yearly.
If you want to endure boredom, go to the big city and get caught in the morning or evening rush hour traffic. How about standing in line for hours at the airport? How about standing in line at the check out counter at a major Walmart store?
For your edification, there is a smaller town about 10 east of Belleville. A story about this town has appeared on CBS Sundary Morning 2 times and was a feature story in National Geographic once.
Hopefully this will add to your limited knowlege about small town and the value they add to America.
Darrel B Richardson

Peter: 20th Apr 2007 - 19:00 GMT

"...part of the elitists main stream meadia..."

hahahahahaha. right. cause, you know, thats how we roll on citynoise...

John : 15th Jun 2007 - 02:57 GMT

Umm...I think people are taking this way too seriously. Folks, he's poking a little fun. Also, the posts from Belleville are kinda making Scott's point, if you see what I mean. You gotta be bored if you have all this time to get yourself so pissed and all worked up and then write us all about it.

John : 15th Jun 2007 - 02:59 GMT

"we have the worlds fastist half mile dirt track, and home to the midget nationals"

Again, way to make the brother's point.

Rick: 7th Jul 2007 - 18:11 GMT

I have been to Belleville and have relatives still living there. I've read these posts and both sides have a point. To the people that are from there that really haven't been anywhere else, no, it's not a bad place to live. There's no crime to speak of, but methamphetamine use is becoming rampant in farming communities. The photos do not represent but a part of Belleville, and the main street is charming. That is, if all the store fronts occupy a business and are open. The town closes up early even on Fri and Sat., and most 20 and 30 somethings will travel south to Concordia for any sense of nightlife.

There's a town a little further west where the geriatric population is the highest per capita in the US, and it's a feature of these rural towns for the kids to go to college even as locally as Manhattan or Lawrence, and discover there's a big world out there for expanding their horizons.

KansasBoy: 15th Jul 2007 - 14:37 GMT

It would seem, perhaps, that you missed the downtown area of Belleville, since all of your pictures are from out on Highway 81. No matter, your conclusion is pretty much on target, if a little overstated.

Indeed, Belleville is fast declining. The county had it's largest population (19,000) in 1890. Now it is below 5,000 and falling at a breathtaking rate. (Perhaps 3% to 4% per year.) Obviously the decline in agricultural, rural population has been a real killer. But rural communities like Belleville have also been badly served by conservative, Republican values which they, themselves, hold dear. (Contrary to their own interests and contrary to what Darrel B seems to think.) Rural communities got a break with the New Deal of the 30's but since then most policies have worked in favor of industrialized agriculture, which means bigger farms, which means fewer people, and hence, the Belleville that you saw.

Another nail in the coffin was the decline of the railroads and specifically the death of the Rock Island RR which had been a major employer. Then the highway craze of the 50's moved the bypass to the west side of town (which you saw) and business moved out there, gutting the downtown. Finally, the Interstate highway system bypassed Belleville's lifeblood, HiWay 36, and I-70 was built some 90 miles to the south. And that was that.

Still, if you live there it is not quite as boring as it would seem to someone like you traveling through. And there is great freedom to do as you like and houses are stunningly cheap if you don't get too picky.

All in all, not a bad place to raise kids, as they say, but not a place where you can count on seeing them much after they go off to college.

For an old liberal like me (and not too much of an elitist) it is sad to see what conservatives have done to fine old places like Belleville in the name of progress.

Someone who's moved Chicago and moved back to Belleville: 9th Aug 2007 - 17:05 GMT

Where you live is what you make of it! I lived in Chicago for about two years when I was in my early 20's and found it nothing like everyone talks. Sure I was excited for the "hype" of the big city...but once I arrived I found it to be much less glamorous than I had imagined! Sure there are many things to do there, but the hassle and time of the drive to get to these places could actually turn out to be longer and more stressful than it would take one to get to a similar activity from Belleville. Being a young single female, I found it VERY hard to go anywhere by myself expecally at night. It was hard to find a decent guy to date or even hang out with for the evening, because you never knew what kind of sleezball they might be, kind of like Scott, the guy who thinks Belleville is a small,boring town. You are such a wind bag who obvousally has no life. Judging a book by it's cover is going to come back and bite you in the ass, and I can't wait for the day! People, if you really want to know where America's bad reputation is come from, it is from people like Scott who get off on trashing towns, people and lifestyles before really being in their shoes. Sounds kind of like what is going on in our war-ravished world these days! Thanks alot jackass!

todd from kansas: 11th Aug 2007 - 18:21 GMT

It looks to me there are some extreme generalizations in the photos. Almost trying to make these towns look much worse than they really are. I grew up in Kansas City. Have driven all through the Midwest. Yes, I got bored there all the time. I now live in San Francisco, where I also get bored. I think living in South America and traveling extensively around the world many times over made the U.S. seem boring and backwards to me. What do people do differently in New York, San Francisco than in some town in Kansas? They work, go to some bar to drink, watch sports, go to church, etc. Not much difference in my eyes only some people think they are smarter or more interesting than others when they really aren't.

todd from kansas: 11th Aug 2007 - 18:45 GMT

Scott, first of all, I do not know where you live but I would guess I would probably find it uninteresting. I think the only interesting cities in North America reside south of the border, except for Quebec City. As I just posted. Why do I feel this way? Who cares why? That is my opinion and it is all relative. Again, I am extremely well traveled globally and have lived abroad.

As I mentioned, I have lived in rural communities and in urban. Let me ask you. Have you ever been able to look up at the sky at night and clearly see the milky way? Or blue sky during the day. Have you ever experienced complete quiet? No traffic, people shouting, noise? No filth, crime? It is quite nice to experience these things. Everyday here I have at least 5 homeless people begging me for money. Annoying.

Growing up in a rural setting gives you time to think, ponder and look at the world around you. In urban areas there is too much man made clutter, worthless distractions. So, there are good and bad things about any place.

When I first arrived here and was looking for work the recruiter told me it would be difficult to compete with the Cal students with my lowly University of Kansas degree even though it was in Civil and Architectural Engineering. Real dumb comment. But that is the attitude on the East and West coast. Not too smart. Anyway, I have no problems finding jobs here. Actually, I make many of the policies and decisions where I now work because they respect my mind, (even though I am from Kansas.

I think some people try to make themselves feel better by putting others down or trashing their lifestyles.

Pat: 15th Aug 2007 - 19:33 GMT

Belleville is actully one of the most friendlyest towns u could ever go in its awesome u have fairs with rides, midget car races thers no reason it should be on this list cause i bet the people who wrote this hasn't even been there they just looked at it and said oh this looks boring. its really awesome place with all friendly people so u know what to who ever put it on this list u must have no life at all but to put others down and to feel bad

pat again from Kansas: 15th Aug 2007 - 19:37 GMT

u can see all the stars in the sky at night no noise to ruin it its awesome and these pictures aren't anyhting like it is. if u ever get a chance u should go.

susannah: 16th Aug 2007 - 14:29 GMT

I like these comments but I feel Scott needs a little support here. Obviously one man's fascination is another man's ennui. There is no need to be name-callin'. It is really cool - however - how much mileage he got out of these photos!

Belleville Born-N-Raised: 3rd Oct 2007 - 21:31 GMT

I was born and raised in Belleville, yet I have been to other cities and states. I will always call Belleville my HOME TOWN. I love the atmosphere, the people, and the scenery. And I know if I ever want a taste of city life, I don't have to travel too far.

Belleville Roots: 17th Nov 2007 - 23:31 GMT

I don't live in Belleville; go back about once a year to visit. Believe me, it's not NYC or even Alb, NM, but it is a nice place to "get away from it all." Obviously you've never actually been to Bellevile, just driven by. You should make the time to acquaint yourself with an area prior to making a judgement. Try this, just once, and you'll understand the defensive comments made by these good people. Sit....be still....watch the fireflys at night. Go for a walk, wave at the citizens of Belleville. At any rate, you've received a lot of attention to yourself. Maybe that's what you crave....attention?

John W. Love: 14th Dec 2007 - 04:09 GMT

Belleville be the shiz...All ya'll crazy out of town people be hatin. B-town has alot more than that building, WE HAVE A BOWLING ALLEY!

belleville person: 23rd Jan 2008 - 03:06 GMT

Belleville is pretty cool. And as John said why do you all have to put us down from beeing from a small towns. We dont have gangs like the people in the big city. We are more calm than some people. but we do have more than a bowling alley.

Mark: 27th Jan 2008 - 00:56 GMT

I just recently moved to Belleville. Yes, it is a boring , but it has a great historic race track. I just wish they used it alot more than what they do.

Bellevile Racer#01: 27th Jan 2008 - 01:00 GMT

Those pictures are of the old Snakey Building which is now the new gome of 4 time IMCA chassis builder, Belleville Motor Sports. All I have to see is this idiot hasn't been here during the races. There is never a dull moment around here in the summer. You want a boring town, go to Angelus, KS. Find that spec on the map sometime

GS Age 97: 2nd Mar 2008 - 01:42 GMT

Since I was born twelve miles from Bellville in 1910 I can give you some perspective on this town. In the 1930's we looked forward going town to visit friends on the street and at the park. On weekends going to the movies and eating ice cream together was entertaining. The county fair in Bellville was also a highlight each year. I won't get in the debate (Scott and Anti-Scott "boring" views)

Travis: 13th Mar 2008 - 05:56 GMT

Just a personal opinion for all you "better than everyone else" city types. I grew up in Belleville. Had a lot of fun and learned a hell of a lot in the 18 of my 30 years spent there. Even though I work overseas, Belleville will always be home. Yeah, the urban city has more entertainment venues(and disrespect). But let me tell you something. When you grow up learning the values of rural America, living in the city and working overseas really opens your eyes and makes you appreciate what you had. If you've never spent any amount of time in a small town like Belleville, what the hell makes you qualified to judge the lifestyles of the residents? Just because you are not used to everyone you see waving and saying hi, even though it's obvious you don't live around there, and the fact that you have no ingenious ideas for creating entertainment, doesn't mean that your city slicker ways are any better than ours. Given the quality of life and the overall respectfulness of everyone in Republic county, I agree with Caleb. I'd be happy to debate the subject with you. Drop me an email and the next time I'm in the states we'll meet up!

Travis Genereux kangagt2@yahoo.com

Belleville sucks: 13th Mar 2008 - 16:27 GMT

It looks like everyone in the population of Belleville have posted their whiney comments. Seriously, the place has less than 3,000 people. It may be a good place to "get away from it all". But the job opportunities suck for most young kids. Also, this is the type of town associated with incest, pedophilia, and lynch mobs. Quit trying to act like your town is great just because you know everyone in it. Trust me. I've been to these places. The people are boring.

ExKansan: 20th Mar 2008 - 20:20 GMT

I guess I missed all the above mentioned incest, pedophilia and lynch mobs growing up in Belleville, but I must say that would hardly be boring!

Like other posters here I moved away to a larger city and return occasionally to visit family there. Any place one lives is a mixed bag of good and bad, Belleville is no exception.

Good jobs are scarce; services are difficult to find and expensive; transportation is non existant; the downtown business district dried up after WalMart opened in the next county.

On the other hand, crime is low, housing is cheap, and given the large senior population health care is surprisingly good.

What allows these towns to survive is a strong sense of community, people helping each other and looking after their neighbors. It isn't glamorous, but it helps those of us with aging parents living there worry a little less.

Is my little home town boring? Absolutely. The real question is whether boring is necessarily a bad thing.

ex-Bellevillian: 30th Apr 2008 - 15:27 GMT

Personally...I think Belleville is the most boring town in the world and I grew up there. Still have family there too. Belleville has always had this gran idea of itself because it host a "major" race every year for the "midgets" which is a small dirt track car not the little people. It also hosts the Kansas Junior Miss Pageant. But outside of those two things it has absolutely nothing to offer anyone.

It's downtown is all but dried up. Most of its houses have gone to the way side. The city tears more places down because they are falling apart than it see new people come into the town. Half the town lives on wel-fare. Drugs are a major problem in the town, and having a good time requires at least 3 cases of beer and some hard liqour. That's why the town has multiple liquor stores.

This great race "the Belleville Midget Nationals" they are so proud of used to be a 3 day event that brought in hundreds of cars. Now it is a two day pass through event for the drivers and usually only gets about 30 cars. The Midgets have half a dozen races they feel are more prestigous, and about a dozen that pay more. Besides the "midget" class of cars is at best a single A minor league in the racing industry.

Besides the way that their "fairboard and Race Committee" have ran the event the past decade has just about closed the whole race track down. There are half as many people that go to the races now, and that will only get less. Since the people in charge no absolutely nothing about running a race track.

The "kansas junior miss" pageant has actually gone away for a few years and now has come back. It is only a matter of time before it goes for good.

The school system is in shambles with a School Board that is comprised of idiots and back stabbers, and a Superintendant that doesn't know his ass from his head.

As far as the great "Belleville Motor-sports Incorporated" that was talked about earlier. Wasn't that founded by a pedaphile?

Belleville is a classic and shinning example of a town that could have been something great, that put it's head in the sand and let progress pass them by. One day the town will be little more than a gas station and an old folks home. Just like every other town in Republic County.

Good riddence Belleville....

Matt Parde: 13th May 2008 - 06:20 GMT

I was born and raised in Belleville, lived there for almost 30 years. I always had something to do and had a lot of fun. It's nice to know who lives in your neighborhood where you actually have yards and the houses aren't ten feet apart. There isn't a brown cloud of toxic shit hanging over the city and the small town people have respect for human life, most humans anyway! There are some bad apples in the community but everyone there knows their full name and what they look like. People that complain about Belleville do not know what is important in life and more than likely won't be happy wherever they reside. People that cannot spell or type do not do the education system any justice.
The town seems to have gone downhill in the past decade due to the lack of employment, that's why I no longer live there. There are also some two faced liars in administrative positions and business owners that drive young people like me away. Just because there are a few assholes doesn't mean the whole town is a failure. I love Belleville, but people that live there have to admit that the future for progress being young, married and parents is not real promising unless you have a fat bank account to get something started unless you desire to just get by. Which is fine but not for me!
The only successful business' in Belleville are owned and operated by people that have wealth and that is fine also, but employees can't live on six or seven dollars an hour! Even in Belleville! Almost as the business owners are forgetting who is making their new house and new vehicle payments. Instead of developing opportunity or paying better wages the money goes in the personal account for a rainy day.
So whatever happens there in the future, everyone can thank the chamber of commerce and the established business owners for denying competitive employers from coming to town so they don't have to pay their hard workers what they deserve!
So, when the ship sinks I won't be around, but I will come back to visit.

Another Ex-Bellevillian: 23rd May 2008 - 21:45 GMT

As I recall, Belleville could have been the site of Cloud County Community College, but at that time community leaders vetoed that idea due to the potential of opening up the community to an 'undesirable' demographic. (Their opinion, not mine.) Wal-Mart also wanted to open doors in Belleville several years later, but local downtown merchants put a stop to that as well as they didn't want the competition. Essentially the town is comprised of people that can't make it anywhere else, and I'm frankly glad that I shook the dust of that dump my my feet years ago.

Another Ex-Bellevillian: 23rd May 2008 - 21:47 GMT

Excuse me...I meant to say "from my feet", not "my my feet"...God forbid that I be accused of not being able to spell or type because I don't happen to like this town.

Cathy Tarkowski Grant: 29th May 2008 - 00:45 GMT

Belleville Kansas is full of potential with many creative artisans and entrepreneurs. It also is ripe for development with the Republican River running nearby, beautiful old 81 highway running north of town with it's beautiful scenic hills and valleys. In case you haven't noticed, people are moving to farm communities from big cities all around us, and Belleville will be no different in the years to come. Anyone can close their eyes and overlook the acres of diamonds in their own backyard.

M.Scott: 6th Jun 2008 - 02:25 GMT

We have raised our family in Belleville, and have happily enjoyed all the benefits of this small town for nearly 50 yrs. I have lived in the cities..and wouldn't trade the security,peace and friendliness for anything that the "superior minded" city folks cling to in their denial that there may be something better! Those who have abandoned our town and have negative feelings about it have my congratulations...we are grateful that you chose to leave. There are many things to enjoy here besides a race track! We call it a "quality life".
p.s. The 3 pictures are all the same building!

Jen from KC: 10th Jun 2008 - 16:03 GMT

Been there, enjoyed the visits. Lots of charm. Lots of people working hard to keep it alive.

Swanson from SD: 13th Jun 2008 - 16:39 GMT

Some of you people have not traveled the country....Belleville is a perfectly average small town in this century, fighting to stay alive.. According to some, everything is better and greener somewhere else, it's not, just personal preferences . Everyone has or should claim a "Hometown", Belleville is mine

SCott Sargent and Ex-Bellevillian Pound Each Other in the Ass: 29th Jun 2008 - 06:40 GMT

Hi, my name is Scott Sargent and me and Ex-Bellevillian like to 69 each other whcihc is quite hard because we are both fat pieces of shit. After that we then take turns fucking each other up the ass. We both hate Belleville because we were both caught raping pigs and the ignorant townspeople got mad at us. We know fuck all the pugs we want in Massachusetts (to include ourselves). I want to state again that Ex-Bellevillian and I are not only cock-sucking faggots but that we are also Patriot and Red Sox fans. We were both married in the nude last week at the most fucked up ball park in the world, Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. Manny Ramirez then let us both suck his smelly cock after the ceremony. I was really turned on when Manny fucked my ass and I could feel his greasy nigger dreadlocks on my back as he came deep in my loose asshole. Well, off to have Ex-Bellevillian lick my asshole clean while I beat off to the volleyball scene on "Top Gun". Your's very faggidly, Scott Sargent. ;-)