Manitou Springs is a small town of 5,800 that is a short distance west of Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak rises above the town. The downtown is a Victorian sampler that has attracted many people, including a previous generation of hippies. The town is popular with tourists and with retirees for its mountains and scenery.  Many interesting shops and galleries, along…...

The history of Grapevine, Texas, started in 1843, when General Sam Houston met with members of 10 American Indian nations to negotiate a treaty of peace and friendship, which opened the area to homesteaders. Within a year, the first settlers started arriving, making Grapevine the oldest settlement in Tarrant County. Wild mustang grapes were abundant in the area, from which…...

DeLand is a small town just west of Daytona Beach in North Florida. It is the home of Stetson University, named after its early benefactor, the founder of the famous hat company. Stetson University was the first private college in Florida. The campus is part of a National Historic District. The population is almost 37,351 (2020 census), and is part…...

Abacoa is a new urban planned community in Jupiter. Although it has residents of all ages (including many college students), it definitely appeals to boomers for retirement living. The design philosophy was to have smaller neighborhoods, stronger feeling of community, sense of place, and respect for the environment. It is “a new urbanist community”. Main Street is the center of…...