“Small towns are  
beautiful reminders  
that community  
and connection matter.”
Arthur Vance

I’ve been a “City Kid” my entire life. Born and raised in San Francisco (population 826,000), I’ve spent my adult years living and working in San José (population 874,000). I’ve grown accustomed to traffic congestion, multiculturalism, and the convenience of having just about anything I need (social, spiritual, medical,…) within close proximity. This has been my life, and I have no regrets.

On the drive from our home in San José to visit Kathy’s brother in Eureka, we’ve passed through several small towns. I’ve often considered what it would be like to live in a small community where everyone knows everyone else. I doubt that I’ll ever know.

As we passed Santa Rosa on Highway 101 (I used to consider Santa Rosa to be a small town, but that’s not the case today), we came upon the town of Healdsburg (population 11,500). Kathy’s brother had recommended that we stop there, claiming it was a quaint little place with a nice vibe to it. He was right. With a charming town square, still decked-out for the 4th of July, Healdsburg offers a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of the San Francisco Bay Area.

After passing the communities of Geyserville, Cloverdale, Hopland, and Ukiah, we arrived in the town of Willits. I had reserved a room at a local hotel for two nights, enabling us to enjoy a ride on the famous Skunk Train today. Willits encompasses about 2.8 square miles in Mendocino County and has less than 5,000 residents. To put this in perspective, the seating capacity at Levi’s Stadium for a 49ers game is 68,500! 

I was told by a local resident that Willits has a “small town mentality,” which he described as a mindset characterized by a strong attachment to tradition, a close-knit but highly observant community, and a general skepticism toward change or outsiders. 

My personal observation of Willits is that the people who live here are genuinely hospitable, and have no desire to live anyplace else.

There is a simplicity to a small town like Willits. German philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “The nice thing about living in a small town is that when you don’t know what you’re doing, someone else does.”