Farm Town Refuses to Fade

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00][music] >> In the country, [music] one small town in Illinois is proving grit and innovation are key to rebirth and growth. Aledo is home to 3,700 people and it was failing to thrive 20 years ago. Consolidation, the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, and a local bank failure emptied the town center.

[00:00:23]However, Aledo native W. J. Albertson is behind the momentum that changed that.

[00:00:28]The town became a National Park Service historic destination and it raised funds through the federal and state tax credits to restore its Carnegie Library and Opera House.

[00:00:36]Albertson has more dreams and he told Andrew McCrea during a recent episode of Farming the Countryside.

[00:00:42]>> There's still not a date night restaurant. Like back when I was a kid, there was a couple steak houses, right?

[00:00:48]You go grab get a steak. And I feel like being in an agricultural community, that's my biggest uh I guess goal right now.

[00:00:56]>> Local farmers, business owners, lenders, educators, and city officials have all played roles in the town's rebirth. Now, you can catch Albertson's full interview with McCrea or you can read Rhonda Brooks' article about Aledo's rebirth on agweb.com.