One group uses words like dilapidated, desolate, empty and dead; another uses terms such as promise, potential, revitalize and historic. For whatever reason the two groups cannot see eye to eye when it comes to describing their surroundings and yet they live in the same community, go to the same stores, attend the same churches and so on.

At some point the two must make concessions to find a common ground or neither side will make a point. Simply put, they are only spinning their wheels.

We know the history of the once-great City of Sistersville and some of us can remember a time in the not-so-distant past when it was the place to be. We can blame it on the closing of the high school but the empty building only serves as an allegory for the empty dreams that we have for our town. Consolidation or not, we are now responsible for keeping the town alive.

I can add my name to the list of out-of-towners who see the promise and potential in this desolate and empty town. I moved here from a neighboring county, but I am proud to call Sistersville my home.

They say that history repeats itself, and the City of Sistersville has been revived, revitalized and recreated many times over.

...I’m sure it can happen again.