Raised in Kosciusko County, rural placemaking intern Sara Marshall is certainly no stranger to rural communities.
Outside of her childhood home, you can find the gentle, still waters of Silver Lake, Indiana, where she and her family would paddle their well-weathered (albeit cherished) aluminum rowboat.
As a child, Sara found freedom in riding her bike throughout the small town, often ending up at the old 1930s-era elementary school where she would play and explore. Although it was abandoned in 2004, it was more than just a run-down building to her— Sara was in the last kindergarten class at Silver Lake Elementary before the school district consolidated.
Not only was it a place where she had enjoyed so many memories, but it also served as a tangible reminder of the town's special history.
Nonetheless, the historic structure was eventually demolished after years of neglect and decay. Now that the heritage site has been erased, she recognizes the difficulty in holding on to those memories without a physical place.
“It was a landmark in our community,” Sara said, reflecting on its significance. “It’s heartbreaking to go back home and see these buildings either falling apart or completely gone.”
Though the past cannot be changed, she is determined to influence the future.
Today, as an intern with the Rural Placemaking Studio, Sara uses her passion for storytelling to help protect the memories and histories of other rural communities through rich, creative placemaking initiatives.
From building digital infrastructure, such as a grants database or a narrative StoryMap collection, to facilitating asset-based community development sessions, Sara has played an instrumental role in the studio’s operations since its spring 2024 inception.
