Dave McLane M.C. (Ariz)

If I had to sum up what it means to be an American it would be along the lines of what John Pappas, the owner of the American Café in La Port, Ind. had to say: "Americans are independent minded people who come together for a common purpose."

I chose the following photos from the 400 photos that accompany the 50 reports comprising last year's Small Town America project. The full set would have been too much and I couldn’t decide on one that would say it all.

The links in the captions take you to the story where the photo first appeared which has additional photos and links to additional articles.

Feel free to make your own selection.

Obelisk, Manzanar Cemetery, Independence, Calif.

Sherri Odegaard making soup, Kettle Falls, Wash.

David Traylor, Mt. Vernon, Ore.

Everett Heard, Litchfield, Calif.

American Café, La Port, Ind.

Rans Baker, Carbon County Museum, Rawlins, Wyo.

Buggies line up at food store, Shipshewana, Ind.

Joanne Bruno, the Yoga Lady, Berkeley Heights, N.J.

Mud River Baptist Church, Barboursville, W.Va.

Blowing glass at Blenko Glass, Milton, W.Va.

Alice Siemers, Henderston, Ky.

Albert Nord, Salome, Ariz.

Mississippi River, Clinton, Iowa

Roger Apachit, Magdalena, N.M.

Bobby and Devin install new tranmission, New Providence, N.J.

Jack, Flagman, Lake Creek Bridge, Riggins, Idaho

Fireworks, 4th of July 2009, Clark Fork, Idaho