If you look at the US Census, in 1930, close to the time you Mom was born here in Vale, the population was 922.
Census:
1890 ... 131
1900 ... 127
1910 ...... 992
1920 ...... 935
1930 ...... 922
1940 ... 1,083
1950 ... 1,518
1960 ... 1,491
1970 ... 1,448
1980 ... 1,558
1990 ... 1,491
2000 ... 1,976
2010 ... 1,874
Est. 2019 .. 1,818
Twenty years later, a year after you and I were born it was 1,518 people. I remember Vale when my older brother was a city cop here in 1974-'75 when the population had slumped to ± 1,500 people. Even then it had more 'local' activity than it has now. I moved here in 2015 and we have one grocery store in a newer building with a big parking lot on the east side of town near the river. Back in '74/'75 more of the old buildings that remain on the main street through town still had some sort of business going on, and three of them were a grocery .... just a lot smaller than the modern business. More of the Mom & Pop type stores.
I that video you could just tell there was a lot more local business, and a lot more human activity in and around town by young and old alike. It sure isn't like that today, and it looks like Vale's population might be down about 150 people from its peak in the year 2000. The city park didn't look quite the same in '74/'75 when I first hunted it, but it sure had more trees than it does today
I don't think Vale will ever vanish due to the highway junction point being here and there are enough people in town and all the outlying farms and ranches, but I don't see it being much more than it is today with so many of those old building that are still standing being void of any business or building use. Just wish some of the old place, like a RR depot and such were still around.
Monte
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