Tazewell’s fortunes had sunk so low that, according to Town Manager Todd Day, “You couldn’t even buy a bottle of water or a Coke on Main Street.”

The latest episode of Save Our Towns shows the former coal town’s attempts to reverse the decline. The tale involves rebranding a windy mountain road, a stretch of Route 16 now known as Back of the Dragon. Its twists and turns are a draw for bikers and sports car enthusiasts.

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Speaking of roads, the Small Town Big Number segment takes a jog down memory lane, revisiting some of the communities profiled in Save Our Towns episodes over the past six seasons. A Glade Spring update bolsters the story of the Virginia town being followed for a year. The expert tip sums up the many things United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development has to offer small towns. Then it’s back to Tazewell for Three Questions for a Mayor.

Save Our Towns is produced by Outreach and International Affairs and distributed to mayors and town managers throughout Appalachian Virginia and beyond.

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