♪ ANTHONY: THE MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMY IS STRONG, GROWING FASTER THAN THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE WITH UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS REMINISCENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
MIRACLE DAYS OF THE 1980’S, BUT GET OUTSIDE THE GREATER BOSTON AREA, WAY OUTSIDE AND IT’S A DIFFERENT PICTURE.
A NEARLY THREE HOUR DRIVE FROM BOSTON TAKES YOU TO MONROE, MASSACHUSETTS, THE SMALLEST TOWN ON THE STATES MAY LEAD.
APPROXIMATELY 120 PEOPLE LIVE HERE ON JUST UNDER 11 SQUARE MILES.
>> THERE’S NO TRAFFIC, EVERYTHING IS AT A SLOW PACE.
AND IT’S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
ANTHONY: A PLACE THA SEEMS FAR REMOVED FROM GREATER BOSTON.
LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF FRANKEN COUNTY, MONROE IS A SHORT RIDE FROM NEW YORK STATE AND VERMONT.
>> THIS IS THE END OF MASSACHUSETTS.
THERE’S, YOU’RE GOING INTO VERMONT.
THIS IS THE LAST STOP.
ANTHONY: IT’S A SMALL TOWN AND A POOR TOWN.
ACCORDING TO CENSUS DATA, RESIDENTS HAVE THE LOWEST INCOME IN THE STATE, $31,458, LESS THAN HALF THE STATEWIDE NUMBER.
BUT WHAT MONROE MAY LACK MONETARILY IT MAKES UP FOR WITH ITS RICH NATURAL RESOURCES.
>> MONROE STATE FOREST IS ABOUT 3700 ACRES AND TAKES UP MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOWN OF MONROE.
ANTHONY: ALEC FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION TOOK US INTO THE MONROE STATE FOREST ON FOOT FOR A GLANCE AT MOTHER NATURE’S MAJESTY.
>> IT’S MANAGED FOR FOUR STRAIGHT BUT HAS A LOT OF RECREATIONAL BENEFITS SUCH AS THIS TRAIL.
ANTHONY: PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COME TO, MONROE TO EXPERIENCE A LANDSCAPE ON TOUCH BY HUMANS.
>> AS YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE FEW FOOTPRINTS GOING DOWN THIS SIDE.
PEOPLE ARE HIKING.
AT THESE HIGHER ELEVATION TOWNS WHERE THE SNOW TENDS TO STICK.
THE TRAILS ARE WELL USED.
ANTHONY: HUNTING IS AN OPTION AND ONE OF THE BIG DRAWS IS THE RAY CROFT LOOKOUT.
>> MONROE IS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.
MUCH MORE THAN OTHER FORESTS AT SAVOY AMOUNT STATE FORCE.
THIS IS THE PLACE OF PEOPLE COME TO ESCAPE AND GET AWAY FROM IT ALL.
ANTHONY: WHAT MONROE DOES NOT HAVE HIS EYE OPENING FOR A VISITOR FROM BOSTON.
THERE IS NO MAYOR, NO POST OFFICE, NO SCHOOL AND NO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT MEANS STATE TROOPERS AT THE SHELBURNE BARRACKS 16 MILES AWAY ARE MONROE’S PRIMARY POLICE AGENCY.
>> IT IS QUITE A DISTANCE FROM THE BARRACKS.
SOMETIMES WITH WHETHER HE CAN BE A HALF HOUR RIDE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONS EVERYTHING BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT OUT THERE.
ANTHONY: KEVIN HAS BEEN PATROLLING THIS AREA FOR TWO DECADES.
EVEN THOUGH THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE A STOPLIGHT, HE SAYS CALL TO MONROE AREN’T USUALLY FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
>> WE GET EVERY THING JUST LIKE OUR OTHER 17 COUNTS.
ANYTHING FROM HOUSE BURGLARIES TO DOMESTIC SITUATIONS TO ISSUES ON THE RIVER THERE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE WHITE WATER RAFTING.
ANTHONY: IN THE WINTER THEY HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF NAVIGATING AROUND THE ROA THAT ARE CLOSED FOR THE SEASON.
>> IT’S VERY CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY, A LOT OF RELATIVES, A LOT OF FAMILIES.
♪ ANTHONY: LOOKING FOR NIGHTLIFE IN MONROE?
YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT.
THE DEPOT TAVERN.
>> IT IS A SMALL COMMUNITY BAR.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SOCIALIZE AND MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS.
AND THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE.
TO SEE EACH OTHER.
ANTHONY: WALT LIVES IN GREENSBORO, VERMONT AND HAS BEEN COMING HERE FOR YEARS.
A ROUTINE NOTE BAR’S OWNER RELIE S ON.
>> EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DRINKING.
>> IT IS NOT EASY KEEPING THE BUSINESS ALIVE SINCE THE PAPER MILL CLOSED IN. 1984 AND THE YANKEE ROW NUCLEAR PLANT IN 1992.
BUT SHE’S WORKED HARD TO KEEP PEOPLE COMING, BUILDING THE FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND HOSTING A POOL TOURNAMENT ON TUESDAYS WHEN THE HOT DOGS ARE ON THE HOUSE.
THE DEPOT TAVERN ONCE TO THE ATTENTION OF HOLLYWOOD, A MOVE IE CALLED THREE BELOW WAS FILMED HERE.
>> A REVIEW?
>> HOW DID HE DO AS AN ANSWER?
>> HE WASN’T SHY AT ALL.
HE DID GOOD.
ANTHONY: DESPITE THAT 15 MINUTES OF FAME, THE DEPOT TRAAVERN REMAINS A QUIET WATERING HOLE.
>> IT IS A BEAUTIFUL WORLD UP HERE.
>> IT SURE IS PRETTY.
MONROE IS NAMED AFTER THE COUNTRY’S FIFTH PRESIDENT JAMES MONROE WHO SERVED FROM 1817 TO 1825.
THE TOWN WAS INCORPORATED WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE.
GETTING BACK TO THE FORESTS, ITS TRAILS WERE CREATED BY THE CAN’S --DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND FROM THE 1950’S TO THE 1970’S BY WORKERS FROM A PRISON CAMP RUN BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS.
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