Farewell thoughts on Moscow

[fran7371@uidaho.edu (John Francis)]

I'm moving to Portland (itchy feet) and would like to say good-bye to my
friends here, and offer a few reminiscences of Moscow. I arrived in 1970,
and except for two years abroad have been here ever since.

Random memories of the '70s:  law student Bill Hamlett moonlighting at
John's Alley checking IDs; UI undergrad Kenton Bird bringing student press
releases into the Idahonian, where I worked under Ted Stanton;  Congressman
Steve Symms visiting the newsroom, pontificating about how he would never
live anywhere but Idaho and the contempt he felt for politicians who went
to DC and forgot their roots; Ivar Nelson, who ran Bookpeople, bringing a
TV and a keg into the store so we could better enjoy watching Nixon's
resignation speech (beer never tasted better than on that day).

Like many newcomers, when I first arrived in Moscow I planned to move on
soon; it seemed too small and isolated. Gradually fell in love with Moscow,
and the area.  The difficulty of flying here, and our distance from large
cities, we all probably realize now, are actually assets that lessen the
deterioration plaguing American cities today.

It is that deterioration that I think is Moscow's greatest danger. Over the
years we've seen strip development spread along Third Street until it's
reached right to the border. That did not have to happen.  It almost seems
our planners felt that because sprawl was happening elsewhere, Moscow was
obligated to make the same mistake.   How planners, who have seen the strip
malls of Spokane, and have seen sprawl destroy downtown Lewiston,  could
still okay WalMart, Staples and Applebees is astounding.  And Whitman
County has aproved strip development from Pullman to the border. So what
could have been a green 8-mile parkway of paths, flowers and picnic spots
joining Pullman and Moscow, making us the envy of other cities, will become
instead a string of urban junk.

I hope Moscow takes care of its downtown, and its community anchors like
Farmer's Market and the Co-op, and doesn't take them for granted.  Neglect
them and they can die (remember the Micro).  The new Kenworthy and the
forthcoming Community Center are encouraging signs.

I'll be back from time to time.  All the best.

John Francis


John Francis
311 E 6th St., #2
Moscow, ID 83843
(208) 883-0105