The purpose of this publication is to elaborate on this idea and share our perspective on the characteristics that define a community's health. Many are willing to move out of urban areas to reside in one. And even though a healthy community is not well defined, most of us can intuitively sense its presence. Let us first define community as a place where residents interact and obtain the majority of their everyday needs and wants. Our definition of a healthy community has three dimensions.
Every community goes through prosperous times and difficult periods.
Also, communities can be created, age and die just like living organism. However, the obvious difference is that communities are not destined to die. But sometimes the actions of the residents of a place will kill it. Historically the life cycle of a community in Kansas starts with an outside force that gives a group of people a reason to organize. The Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail gave rise to communities early in the history of Kansas.