Ideas worth spreading

How to keep your hometown from becoming a ghost town

883,339 views | John Paget • TEDxBuffalo

"My very first film was about a town that disappeared," says documentarian John Paget. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with cities and towns across the US that experienced slow-motion declines -- but managed to stage a comeback after an era of demise. From the closure of the iconic Route 66 to the roller-coaster history of Buffalo, New York, Paget reveals the power of sharing your town's "civic story" to spark local revitalization.

"My very first film was about a town that disappeared," says documentarian John Paget. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with cities and towns across the US that experienced slow-motion declines -- but managed to stage a comeback after an era of demise. From the closure of the iconic Route 66 to the roller-coaster history of Buffalo, New York, Paget reveals the power of sharing your town's "civic story" to spark local revitalization.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxBuffalo, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Inspire your community with a screening of Better Cities Film Festival.

Connect and get updates on the work of First+Main Films. Plus, pitch your town's story.

About the speaker

John Paget

Filmmaker, civic storyteller

See speaker profile

John Paget is a documentary filmmaker focused on stories about cities, towns and neighborhoods.

storycorps.org | Explore

StoryCorps DIY

Check out StoryCorps DIY, a resource and guide (from NPR StoryCorps) to help everyday citizens learn to document and preserve local stories and the history of your community.

| Explore

Civic revitalization

If you want to revitalize your city or town, here are some organizations that offer resources, expertise and ideas: Congress for the New Urbanism, Main Street America, National Trust for Historic Preservation and UN-Habitat.

James Howard Kunstler | Free Press, 1994 | Book

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape

After my travels on Route 66 in the 1990s, I was curious about the decline of small-town main streets and unique roadside culture. This 1993 book is humorous, devastating and still the definitive tome on America's built landscape.

Wendell Berry | Counterpoint, 2004 | Book

The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture

Wendell Berry has been called the Poet of Place. He's written profound essays and books on the themes of place, roots, belonging, community and storytelling.

Michael Wallis | St. Martin's Griffin, 2001 | Book

Route 66: The Mother Road

This is the classic book on historic Route 66 and the inspiration for my early documentary films. Through his books and friendship, Michael Wallis continues to be a storytelling mentor.

John Paget | Proud Places, 2020 | Article

"A Story Can Change A City"

In this short essay, I expand on some of the ideas in my talk and offer tips on how to tell a civic story.

John Paget | Proud Places, 2020 | Article

"Beyond Branding: Belief, Belonging, Becoming"

Many civic leaders are newly focused on place marketing and branding. This essay for Proud Places explains why telling stories about your town must go way beyond branding.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxBuffalo, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Inspire your community with a screening of Better Cities Film Festival.

Connect and get updates on the work of First+Main Films. Plus, pitch your town's story.