Wow. You've got me nearly convinced. I do feel a bit like a narrow minded stereotypical West Coaster ("tolerate," etc.), but NO! I'm not. Really. I lived there until I was 19, and the town was undergoing a pretty major shift economically. I've been back several times, and I can say that the town resembles very little the one I grew up in the late '60s and '70s. I grew up in a big Victorian house there, so I know the charm. My mom still lives there, just a few blocks from you, on North Kellogg. And I also emphasize in conversations with other Californians that it was special in the sense of being as you say, a city, not a town, albeit a small city. Lots
of good things about that.
I guess I'm a little weirded out about such a white environment after living in such a racially diverse one. However, the racial diversity here is matched with a horrible level of social stratification, and I find myself hoping that that might be a bit less the case in Galesburg. At any rate, thanks so much for your response. And, funny, my last trip there, I went to Uncle Billy's Bakery and yammered on about it to friends here for month. It really is great. Looking forward to taking a fresh look-see soon.
Maureen