by Ammie Bryant, Editor

Stillwater Living Magazine is 13 years old! Our publication is entering its teens, and like our children, we hope it will continue to grow and blossom during the next several years—but without the moody angst and blemishes so many adolescents experience.

This July, we begin Volume 13 of Stillwater Living Magazine’s story.  And as we mark this milestone, I find myself marking a new milestone in my professional life, as well. This will be the first month I have worked solely as a business owner. I left my position as Director at the Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History on June 30 to focus on our media company, Bryant Media, and our publications. I’m excited to focus my time and talents on Stillwater Living; to seek out all those great stories our community has to tell.

Not long ago, someone asked me why we should care about Stillwater’s history. I could have quoted—and often have—Garrison Keillor who said at the 2014 American Association of State and Local History meeting, “all history is local, it has to happen somewhere.”  My answer? History is what makes a town more than a town—it’s what makes us a Community. It’s the story of who we are. To truly know a city, to know the community, you have to know its stories. Similarly, to truly know and understand a person, you have to know their story. Those stories are our history. Today’s stories are tomorrow’s history.

From the past to the present, it is all about the stories. I want to share the stories of the people, places, events, and things that make Stillwater such a great place to live, go to school, work, and retire. These stories are Stillwater’s heart and soul. They are what makes our community different, and in my mind, exceptional. So, my friends, I ask you to help me write the next volume of Stillwater Living and tell me, what is your story?