The Wall Street Journal has done a valuable service in bringing the attention of the world to a concern the citizens and public servants of Macomb, IL have long been aware of… the struggles of higher education amid population falloffs and plummeting support from state and federal lawmakers. However, if this community is to be in the spotlight for WSJ’s coverage of the issue, perhaps it should also bring focus to the vital, proactive steps the partner communities of these institutions have brought to the table to mitigate the harms illuminated. Therefore, we respectfully feel that though your article of May 18 may be an accurate depiction of what is certainly happening to other small college towns across the nation, it paints a picture of Macomb, IL that is only disingenuous and unfair but inaccurate and incomplete as to what is truly happening in the city and the surrounding communities.
Take, for example, the several major projects currently in the works to help Macomb navigate the changing population landscape and set an example of how small towns can adapt and reinvent themselves. Well over one hundred million dollars is planned to be invested into several projects including the revitalization of the city’s historic Chandler Park, the renovation of an historic hotel on the downtown square, a state-ofthe- art multi-performance center on the campus of WIU and a major multi-use sports facility arena.
The community’s ongoing rebranding and its embrace of a storied history that includes Abraham Lincoln’s development of the Freeport Question that tied the area into the National Park Service network, or exposure to the world of the true story of the inventor of Monopoly. Both developments have come in the last two years as the residents realized that the old ways of doing things would no longer serve. As a result the Illinois Office of Tourism as recognized Macomb as a legitimate destination, invested in the community, and 2024 127,600 visitors came to Macomb.
As the business paper of record, WSJ knows that major corporations do their homework before committing significant investments. That means a multinational corporation such as, say, TJX with $56 Billion in revenue last year believed enough in the business and shopping environment to put a brand new store in the community. They too are aware of the trends WSJ pointed out, baked them into their numbers and made the town a part of their company’s portfolio which another industry magazine dubbed a “…retail juggernaut.”
With over $8,000,000 invested in the Historic Macomb Downtown, a bustling, thriving heart that any small town would be proud (and envious) of, the original retail center of the community boasts a 92% occupancy rate with more coming online all the time. This area comes with a charm and echo of a bygone day in small-town America while offering modern amenities, ease of transportation to major metropolitan areas and affordable living.
And the fact is, we’re already seeing the results. Yes, because of the “demographic cliff” that is effecting countless towns and colleges across the nation, enrollment is down at WIU but they are now finally diligently making the right changes to adapt and eventually thrive. But in the post-COVID years, the city of Macomb itself is seeing a newly unprecedented influx of individuals and families move to the town from larger cities across the nation. That trend is so far seeing no signs of waning.
So it is a fact that Macomb is alone in this aspect. Likely, every partner community of a higher education institution is attempting some form of this while trusting to those partners to take the necessary steps to assure their own survival in a changing landscape. But as the poster child chosen by WSJ, this is the “…rest of the story…” that both our town and your erudite readers deserve.
