Riverton

Ch.5. Modernization

Television, interstate highways, suburban sprawl, and the counterculture movement swept across America. The town that had banned automobiles and made trains gallop would face forty years of relentless pressure to modernize, but would emerge with its character strengthened by new traditions and unexpected friendships.

The Television Age (1950-1960)

Television arrived in Riverton in 1952 when Mayor Ellis authorized the installation of a single community television set in the Riverton Public Library. The decision sparked the Great Television Debate of 1952, which lasted for months and rivaled the automobile discussions of 1905 for sheer passion and duration.

Mrs. Dorothy Walker argued that television would corrupt the town's youth and destroy the art of conversation. Dr. Robert Chen, the town's new physician who was recruited from San Francisco after the previous doctor retired, countered that television could provide educational programming and keep the community connected to world events.

The compromise was typically Riverton: television would be allowed, but only in communal settings and only during designated "viewing hours" that didn't interfere with horse care, community meals, or outdoor activities. The library television became a social gathering place where residents would watch programs together, often providing running commentary that was more entertaining than the shows themselves.

Private television ownership was socially discouraged but never banned, leading to the peculiar situation where Riverton had one of the lowest per-capita television ownership rates in America and one of the highest rates of community television viewing.

The Interstate Highway

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 posed the greatest threat to Riverton's way of life since the automobile revolution. Interstate 90 was planned to run directly through the valley, bringing high-speed automobile traffic within miles of the town center.

Mayor Ellis and the town council faced an impossible choice: accept the highway and watch their community be transformed by automobile tourism and commercial development, or fight the federal government and risk losing access to essential services and economic opportunities.

The solution came from an unexpected source: Mrs. Sarah Pepper, now in her 60s and serving her second term as head librarian. She discovered that the proposed highway route would disturb several Native American religious and cultural sites as well as endangered species habitats. More importantly, she found evidence that the valley's unique geological formations made highway construction both expensive and environmentally damaging.

The Blackberry Brook Forest became central to Riverton's defense strategy. The dense woodland that surrounded half the town was home to several rare bird species and served as a crucial watershed for Green Lake. Environmental groups from throughout the Pacific Northwest rallied to support Riverton's position, though many were surprised to find themselves defending a town that banned automobiles.

The highway rerouting campaign lasted three years and established Riverton as an unlikely pioneer in the environmental movement. The Interstate 90 route was eventually moved fifteen miles south, far enough to preserve the town's character while still providing regional access for those willing to make the journey by horse or train.

Riverton's Counterculture

The 1960s counterculture movement found an unexpected home in Riverton, though not in the way anyone anticipated. Young people fleeing urban areas and seeking alternative lifestyles were drawn to a community that had rejected automobiles, embraced sustainable agriculture, and maintained strong social bonds.

The Summer of Horses (1967) saw nearly 200 young visitors arrive in Riverton, expecting to find a hippie commune due to far-spreading rumors but discovering instead a traditional community with very specific rules about horse care and community participation. Most left within a few weeks, but about thirty decided to stay and learn Riverton's ways.

Mayor Janet Dorne established the New Resident Integration Program, which required newcomers to complete six months of horse training and community service before being considered for permanent residency. The program was so successful that it became a model for other small communities dealing with rapid population changes.

Gallop & Grain opened in 1968 when Mike Rodriguez converted an old warehouse into Riverton's first proper bar. The establishment reflected the town's personality: no loud music that might spook horses and a strict policy that patrons had to be able to ride home safely. The bar became famous for its "Last Call Ride" tradition, where the bartender would personally ensure that intoxicated customers made it home safely on horseback.

The counterculture influence also led to the establishment of the Furry Oasis Resort & Spa in 1971. Former commune members Lisa Yamada and Robert Clearwater converted the old communal grazing space into a wellness retreat that combined traditional spa services with equine therapy. The resort attracted visitors from throughout the region who came to experience Riverton's unique blend of relaxation and horse-centered healing.

New Institutions and Economic Diversification

The 1970s brought new economic opportunities as Riverton's reputation for environmental consciousness and alternative lifestyle attracted businesses and organizations seeking to escape urban pressures.

The Fair Farrier was established in 1973 when master blacksmith David Moore moved to Riverton from Chicago, seeking a place where traditional metalworking skills were still valued. His shop became not just a horseshoeing service but a training center where young people could learn blacksmithing, metalworking, and tool repair. Moore's apprenticeship program became so respected that craftspeople from throughout the country came to study in Riverton.

The 1970s energy crisis had minimal impact on Riverton, which had never depended on petroleum for transportation. The town's energy independence attracted attention from researchers and policy makers studying alternative transportation systems. Ecologists and environmentalists studied the air and water around Riverton. Federal grants for sustainable community research provided funding for infrastructure improvements and educational programs.

Tourism began to play a larger role in Riverton's economy as visitors came to experience a community that had preserved 19th-century transportation methods while embracing 20th-century conveniences. The Summer Fair expanded to include educational workshops on sustainable living, traditional crafts, and horse training techniques.

Technological Evolution with Cultural Preservation

The late 20th century brought technological advances that Riverton had to carefully evaluate and selectively adopt. Personal computers arrived in the library and medical clinic in 1982, but the community insisted that technology should enhance rather than replace human interaction and traditional skills.

The Riverton Public Library became a regional center for computer education, offering classes that taught modern skills while emphasizing their application to traditional activities like horse breeding records, agricultural planning, and community organization.

Cable television was installed in 1984, but only in public buildings and with programming guidelines that prioritized educational content and community-relevant news. The library's television room remained the primary viewing location, maintaining the social aspect of television watching that had been established in the 1950s.

International Connections

The most significant development of the late 1980s was Riverton's unexpected international recognition. A documentary film about the town's unique transportation laws and community traditions was broadcast in South Korea in 1987, leading to correspondence between Riverton and Pyeonghae, a coastal town that had preserved its own traditional fishing and agricultural practices.

The sister-city relationship was formalized in 1990 when a delegation from Pyeonghae visited Riverton during the Summer Horse Fair. The cultural exchange was immediately successful, with both communities recognizing shared values of tradition preservation, community cooperation, and environmental stewardship.

The Korean visitors were particularly impressed by the Winter Solstice Lantern Ride, which reminded them of their own traditional festivals. They introduced the concept of paper lantern ceremonies that would be incorporated into future solstice celebrations, creating a beautiful fusion of American and Korean traditions.

Modernizing Slowly

The most dramatic event of the late 1980s was what would finally modify Riverton's transportation laws for the first time since the Railway Accord of 1873.

The crisis began in 1988 when Dr. Patricia Williams, the town's human doctor, faced a medical emergency requiring the transport of a seriously injured horse jockey to a specialized facility in Seattle. The railway schedule couldn't accommodate the urgent timeline, and horse-drawn transport would take too long. Now facing the government was an ethical dilemma of letting a resident die by their own rules.

Mayor Angela Park authorized a one-time exception allowing an emergency truck to enter Riverton for the emergency transport. The 1950s Chevrolet pickup truck that arrived was old, loud, and clearly mechanical, but it saved the jockey's life.

The incident sparked intense community debate about whether limited truck access might be necessary for genuine emergencies and essential services. Traditional residents argued that any motorized vehicles would destroy the town's character, having done so well over the town's history to preserve it. Pragmatists pointed out that medical emergencies and essential supplies sometimes required faster transportation than horses could provide.

The compromise reached in 1990 was characteristically Riverton: trucks would be permitted in town, but only older models (pre-1970) that moved slowly, made enough noise to warn horses of their approach, and operated on a restricted schedule that minimized disruption to daily life.

The first official trucks to drive Riverton's streets were two 1950s Chevrolet pickups purchased by the town council for emergency services and essential supply delivery. The trucks were painted in earth tones, modified with warning bells rather than horns, and operated by specially trained drivers who understood both mechanical and equine transportation.

Looking Toward the 1990s

As 1990 arrived, Riverton had successfully navigated four decades of unprecedented change while maintaining its essential values that the town was founded on. It had proven that a community could selectively adopt modern technologies and practices while preserving the values and traditions that defined its identity for two centuries.

The population had stabilized at around 900 residents, small enough to maintain intimate community bonds but large enough to support diverse businesses and cultural activities. The seasonal traditions — Spring Memorial Ride, Summer Horse Fair, Great Harvest Festival, and Winter Solstice Lantern Ride — had become regional attractions that brought visitors while strengthening community identity.

The sister city relationship with Pyeonghae had opened new possibilities for cultural exchange and international friendship. The recent introduction of limited truck access had demonstrated that Riverton could adapt to changing needs without abandoning its core principles.

The 1990s would bring new challenges: the world wide web, global communication, environmental concerns, and economic pressures that would test even Riverton's legendary adaptability. But the community that had banned automobiles, made trains gallop, embraced selective modernization, and forged international friendships was confident it could handle whatever the future might bring.

The town had established a model for sustainable community development that balanced tradition with innovation, local values with global awareness, and individual freedom with collective responsibility. Riverton stood as proof that communities could choose their own path through the modern world.