Joseph Ressler

A pedestrian crosses Gates Street at the intersection with South Main Street in front of the Filling Station Bar & Grill, a local watering hole for over 20 years; Northern Stage's Barrette Center for the Arts, built in 2015; and The Village at White River Junction assisted living facility, which opened to residents in January, in White River Junction, Vt., on March 13, 2019. The village of White River Junction displays a duality of its working class roots and its rapidly growing arts scene. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Jackie Jacobs, left, and Linda Johnson hold hands in the prayer circle at the end of the Sunday service at the White River Junction United Methodist Church in White River Junction, Vt., on June 16, 2019. Both Jacobs and Johnson, who are mother and daughter, remember when the town was active generations ago; then they saw it decline and now start to rise up again. "It’s gone to nothing and back. I’m amazed at the people I see on the streets," said Johnson. "I think it’s way more integrated than it used to be. Downtown, I think they’ve done a great job of integrating everything." (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

David Sterritt, of Baltimore, celebrates at the 15th annual White River Indie Film Festival opening night afterparty at Piecemeal Pies in White River Junction, Vt., on May 31, 2019. Since 2005, WRIF has screened films in White River Junction, and it has grown to now take over the Barrette Center for the Arts and surrounding businesses. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Wyatt Manobla poses for a portrait in the sewing studio beside his costume shop, Dusty's Palace, in White River Junction, Vt., on May 30, 2019. "It’s like an artist community, and it’s very LGBTQ and queer... So i feel like it’s the perfect fit. I’m very happy to be here," said Manobla, who moved to the town last September to give his clothing store a better space for community outreach. "I think every town has to function and find what its gimmick is or else it just gets stale and dies down because people will just get bored and move or nothing will ever change; everything will stay the same. It’s good for places not to be stale and to keep things fresh and fun and alive, because we’re living beings," he said. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Oce Jones poses while staffing the gallery exhibit of the graduating class's theses at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vt., on May 8, 2019. Jones graduated last year from the one-year certificate program and now works as the facilities manager. “I’m definitely ready to go elsewhere,” she said, adding that she did love living in town. CCS, founded in 2004, enrolls over 100 students, who mostly live and stay in White River Junction. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Jarvis Green, founder and producing artistic director of JAG Productions, an African-American theater company that tells stories and creates experiences for people of color, tends to a vase of flowers while posing for a portrait at his apartment in White River Junction, Vt., on June 23, 2019. "I thought White River could be a place to connect with young people doing similar work," said Green, who moved to the town almost three years ago from Anderson, S.C. "There’s access to young professionals and people who are new to the area or here temporary. That’s easier to do here than other parts of the Upper Valley." (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Kirsten Connor talks about her sensitive skin hair products during a Mother's Day event at the Flourish Beauty Lab in White River Junction, Vt., on May 12, 2019. Connor used to have a store in Woodstock, Vt., a few years ago but was unsatisfied with the traffic of customers. “Everyone comes to White River Junction for one reason or another,” she said, continuing that the village is at the center of everything, tourists come through, and people stop to shop after getting dinner. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

Kim Finney sells a shirt to Jasmine Tracy, 16, of Norwich, Vt., at the Second Hand Rose thrift shop in White River Junction, Vt., on June 12, 2019. Second Hand Rose operates out of the White River Junction United Methodist Church and the proceeds go towards helping the 141-year-old church, which is low on members, according to Finney. "The number of people coming to church has dwindled quite a bit in the last few years. So many younger people just don’t go to church," said Finney. "I think two things. I think it’s great that it’s busy and active and good for the tax base. I don’t think there’s much downtown for your average Joe Moe. The only place to eat downtown is C&S (Pizza)," said church volunteer Pat Stark (not pictured), who lived in White River Junction for 40 years. Stark still concluded that the town is a lot better now. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)

A contemporary condo building built in 2005, left, and the Bridge and Main Building, which opened in July 2018, are framed by junk next to the railroad tracks in White River Junction, Vt., on April 18, 2019. The Bridge and Main Building offers low-income apartments for workforce housing. (Valley News - Joseph Ressler)