Earlier in the week I wrote a column about the problems I saw with the Boat Basin. I wrote about the litter that I saw and the city’s slow response time on cleaning it up. The morning the paper was in the hands of the residents of Bainbridge, there was already a clean up crew down there.

It was so swift of a response that I don’t think it was due to the article. That response had to have been set in motion immediately after my interview with City Manager Chris Hobby, who took matters in to his own hands and made sure the issue was fixed. Not only was the trash picked up, but also the foliage that had become overgrown was cut back and the weeds were ripped out. It was not a half-hearted response whatsoever. Kudos to the city for working on that.

That type of effort got me thinking about the things I enjoy about moving to a small town. I’ve been here a month, and I’ve already met more people than I can even remember. Yet, everyone has been unbelievably nice. The reception I have been given has been overwhelming, and the amount of times I have been told “if you ever need anything just call” has been uncountable.

While getting to know the town has been a pleasure, I also enjoy how nice the scenery is here. The river speaks for itself, but when I made the trip down Highway 27 for the first time I was pleasantly surprised by the Pecan trees arranged neatly in rows, which is something you just don’t see where I’m from. Driving towards Dothan, the rolling cotton fields provide a scenic backdrop for the ride. Aside from the main highways, just passing through the streets here is a trip within itself. In the article on the Boat Basin I talked about the oak trees and Spanish moss that provide a living canopy for the streets, and the cotton dotting the sides of the road. After a month of living here I have not gotten tired of looking at those.

Not only are the sides of the road scenic, but the antebellum homes that line Shotwell Street and pop up throughout the back streets are absolutely incredible. I can only hope that someone can come in and fix the state of dilapidation that some of these houses sit in. 

My one regret is that I have not explored the culinary offerings of Bainbridge. I have not tasted the infamous d-bone sandwich at Carters, and I have not yet pledged my allegiance to one of the two Mexican restaurants here. My only dining experience in Bainbridge has been at Crave, which was delicious.

All in all my time here in Bainbridge has been a very enjoyable one. I have met some of the kindest people I have ever met, and I have been exposed to the beauty in a part of the county that I have previously never ventured in to. However I think my favorite part about this town is best highlighted by how quickly the Boat Basin was cleaned up. It’s not just that the people here are nice, but the moment I pointed out a problem, it was fixed. Had that type of problem been pointed out in a larger city, the clean up would have taken who knows how long.