January 7, 2009
Nevada’s Lander County is one of the few places in the United States that actually prospers during a bad economy. You see Lander County is home to numerous gold mines. Gold is a popular commodity during harsh economic times. Amid uncertainty about stocks and currency investments, it’s comforting to be able to hold a gold bar or gold necklace in your hand. Lander was once dubbed the “Armpit of America” by the “Washington Post.” The joke just might be on the “Post,” because this little town is laughing all the way to the bank.
On Monday we took at look at Lander County Nevada where the economic woes that have prevailed in the rest of the country have had the opposite effect. Because the economy is down people buy gold and when people buy gold the demand for gold increases. This helps a place like Lander County, Nevada to prosper because this area is rich in gold. When gold is in demand, the prices go up so people who have gold can get a good amount of cash for gold when they sell gold.
It is highly ironic that a town that is now doing so well thanks to the gold mines had at one point been named the “armpit of America.” Earlier in this decade, a Washington Post reporter actually went on a search for to find an area that would live up to this dubious distinction and he felt that he had found it in Lander County, Nevada. He wrote about it in the Washington Post and of course this gave the town some not-so-welcome national exposure.
As it turns out, Lander County not only mines gold, they also know how to turn an insult into a golden opportunity. After the article came out, some decided to organize Armpit Festivals. They even got a national manufacturer of deodorant to sponsor the festivals–thus turning an insult into a lucrative venture.
Are you missing out on a golden opportunity? One that could be right under your very nose?