In January 2020, HGTV announced that it was launching a new show, Home Town Takeover, that would take on a large-scale renovation and revitalization of a small town in the United States. Show hosts Ben and Erin Napier — an already established design duo with their own HGTV credentials — would be the leads on the project. Applications were open to small towns with populations of 40,000 or under, and it was requested that submissions detail distinctive features, like historical and architectural elements or a classic main street.
The winning town, chosen out of the over 2,600 entries, was Wetumpka, Alabama. Its residents were thrilled and uplifted by the decision but didn’t quite know just how much it would affect the town in the days and years that followed. “We as a community had no clue what tourism would be like after the show aired,” Wetumpka Tourism Manager Andrew Stieb told Nice News. “That was a shock.”
Located about 18 miles northeast of state capitol Montgomery, Wetumpka is a quintessential example of small town America. It’s a charming community often called “The City of Natural Beauty,” as it’s nestled along the picturesque Coosa River. The town had been the shooting location for several Hollywood films including The Grass Harp, The Rosa Parks Story, and Tim Burton’s Big Fish. Despite its beauty and appeal, though, the town has endured its share of difficulties over the years.
In the years prior to being featured on Home Town Takeover, Wetumpka had been struggling with the same issues that plague many small towns in America — a declining population, shuttering businesses, and other financial hardships. But in January 2019, the town faced its toughest challenge yet — it was hit by an EF-2 category tornado that left it in shambles. The tornado uprooted trees and powerlines and destroyed or damaged many of the town’s structures, including the senior center, the police station, several churches, and over 170 other buildings and homes.
But the tragedy was only a speed bump in the road for Wetumpka. “We continued to rebuild,” said Stieb, who added: “I think that’s what HGTV saw was our ability to keep moving forward. … They wanted to make sure that they were investing in people and an organization that they can believe in.”
In a HGTV press release, Erin said of Wetumpka: “Ben and I often speak about our love of small-town living and what that lifestyle means to people who live in one. The people of Wetumpka know they have a small town worth saving, and now the world will see why this tight-knit community deserves a fresh start.”
Come September 2020, the Napiers along with fellow HGTV stars and other professionals, started the four-month renovation. Projects included a streetscape for Company Street — in the heart of Wetumpka’s downtown that looked lifeless with many storefronts empty — a boost of curb appeal for local businesses, and the renovation of restaurants and several historic homes, including the famous Big Fish house. It also included the construction of a brand-new community farmers market. The project spanned six episodes, with the first airing May 2, 2021.
Another indicator of the town’s success is the number of thriving businesses. Per Stieb, the summer after Home Town Takeover aired, the town’s sales taxes increased over 300%. That was the peak of their success and while it’s come down to a new base level, the town is still seeing success and good numbers, even during a tough economy. “Pre-HGTV, pre-COVID, our downtown area was 75% vacant and now we sit at 86% full. I can count the number of vacancies on one hand,” said Stieb. The success of the businesses leads to tax revenues that allow the city to reinvest in keeping the downtown area beautiful. “It’s cyclical. We can definitely credit a huge portion of our tourism industry to HGTV. It helped put us on the map for sure.”
But although the show helped make Wetumpka a tourist destination, Stieb emphasized that “HGTV didn’t come in and we were done” — the city, even now, puts great effort into ensuring their town continues to flourish.
Wetumpka recently established a new tourism department, and work is in progress to log some firm tourism numbers, but signs point toward ongoing growth. “We opened our visitor’s center in January of this year. Since we’ve opened, we’ve had over 5,000 visitors come through our facility. Those are just the names of people who have logged into our guest book. We know there are more who have come through who didn’t come through our visitor center or sign the guest book. And that’s in just 10 months time,” said Stieb.
Many tourists come to check out the completed Home Town Takeover projects, including the businesses along main street. “The Southern charm is very real here in Wetumpka. People are so welcoming and it’s such a beautiful community that it sells itself.” said Stieb, adding that there is a lot more than the HGTV renovations to be discovered in their community.
Visitors also take in the natural beauty of the region by enjoying a wide range of outdoor recreation, such as hiking, biking, and kayaking. There is also the 83 million-year-old marine impact crater on the outskirts of town, a draw for its unique geographic features and geologic treasures. Another draw for tourists is the Fort Toulouse – Fort Jackson historic site at the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers where Native Americans as well as Spanish, French, English, and Scottish traders and explorers all left their mark.
The positive changes in Wetumpka are a model for what other small towns are capable of, both in Alabama and across the country. “We are often used as an example,” said Stieb, who added: “We believe that when one of our communities is succeeding then all of our communities are succeeding. It’s nice to see communities investing in themselves, and we’re able to work with each other and work off of each other too.”
Small towns are the heart and soul of America, the cultural foundation of the country, but many have seen their lights dim, with populations decreasing due to diminishing employment opportunities and other economic factors. If Wetumpka serves as an example, it doesn’t have to stay this way. According to an EPA report on small towns and cities, there is a formula to rebuilding their economies. These include adapting to changing conditions and reinventing their economic bases by building upon the towns’ existing assets and resources, including a focus on “natural beauty and outdoor recreation, historic downtowns, or arts and cultural institutions.”
A town revitalization needs a village — community cooperation is essential to building back stronger — and this can be clearly seen in Wetumpka. Their town’s metamorphosis is ongoing, as they continue to build upon the big assist and handoff by Home Town Takeover. The show, for its part, is continuing to make a difference in small towns across the country. Following the Wetumpka glow up, Fort Morgan, Colorado, got a makeover — and next, the Napiers will take on Sebring, Florida, with Season 3 set to premiere on Sunday, March 9.
“Faith, trust, and meteor dust,” a slogan based on a Peter Pan quote, is how some Wetumpka residents describe what their town is built on. Want to help uplift your own community? Reach out to your local city hall to see how you can help and tap into the many resources provided by the grassroots organization Main Street America for inspiration.
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