Blackburn Institute

Travel Experience: Northport

November 1, 2007

Click here to see pictures of the travel experience.

by Megan Courington, 2007-2008 Student Fellow

The Northport travel experience really helped me, as a Blackburn Fellow, to understand what the Blackburn Institute is all about. I had always heard about these travel experiences, and I could not wait for my turn to go. This one adventure was beneficial to me in so many ways.

This particular travel experience was a local, or mini-travel, experience, if you will. The day began by Fellows loading on a bus and driving to have lunch in Northport at the Front Porch Restaurant. We enjoyed our delicious country fixins and then headed to Northport City Hall. The Mayor of Northport, Harvey Fretwell, members of the Northport City Council, and the Northport Police Chief, Robert Green greeted us when we arrived. Each of our distinguished guests spoke to us about their job and impact on the city. The panel discussed with us the changes that the future holds for downtown Northport. Mayor Fretwell and the City Council are looking to bringing new development to downtown Northport. We, as Fellows, were extremely interested in this concept of new development since Northport is so close to campus. This panel was great informative though we left not knowing the real issues in Northport. Mayor Fretwell was determined to make us believe that everything in Northport was perfect. We left City Hall anxious to ask the next panel questions about all that the mayor said.

Our next stop our on travel experience was to the Kentuck Art Museum where Sara Anne Gibson shared the history of downtown Northport and the locally owned businesses. The area was very quaint and interesting to see. The museum itself had many interesting pieces of art some of which we could pick up and play with ourselves. Because of the cold weather moving in we did not take a walk through the city streets but we could tell how close the community was from the citizens passing by the courtyard where Sara Anne spoke. In our questioning of Sara Anne and other business leaders, they shied away from answering the questions, even saying at one point that she had worked really hard to get the relationship with the city council and she did not want to say anything that would jeopardize that relationship.

The group left Northport heading to Camp Tuscoba for the late night discussion not knowing the complete story about Northport but it was a mini-travel experience. The best part of the trip was learning what the Blackburn Institute was really about. I have read the material and have heard the message but when we were shown what Blackburn was in Northport, I really understood the vision. It also prepared us for what was to come on the Burt Jones Rural Travel Experience to Mt. Vernon; seeing the old fellow in action while asking tough questions was a huge help in preparing for all of our events.

 

---