Judges: Baker City not ‘most beautiful’

By TERRI HARBER

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Baker City still can say it’s a beautiful small town.

It just can’t say it’s the most beautiful small town in the United States — at least not this year. That title went to Sandpoint, Idaho.

“It was a very close decision,” said Timothy Bishop, Baker County’s tourism director. “The judges and everybody were impressed with what we did in Baker City.”

Bishop was in New Orleans for the Destination Marketing Association International Annual Convention. That is where the winning communities were announced for the Rand McNally and USA Today’s Best of the Road competition.

After hundreds of communities completed an online competition where people voted for their favorites, 30 top towns were named as finalists in five categories: most beautiful, most patriotic, friendliest, most fun, and best for food.

Baker City vied against these cities for inclusion in the 2013 Rand McNally Atlas and in USA Today as most beautiful: Coral Gables, Fla., Marcos Island, Fla., Franklin, Tenn., Pacifica, Calif., and Sandpoint.

The judges visited Baker City July 8-10.

“Everything we did was certainly worth the effort. The energy and enthusiasm from everybody in the community was exciting,” Bishop said. “The whole community put out 110 percent. It was a huge opportunity and a good experience for Baker City.”

Though he described the decision as “disappointing,” Bishop sees long-term benefits for Baker City as a result of the attention garnered by reaching the final six. The finalists received a lot of publicity, for example.

“It was plastered all over the Rand McNally website,” he said.

After hundreds of communities completed an online competition where people voted for their favorites, 30 top towns were named as finalists in five categories: most beautiful, most patriotic, friendliest, most fun, and best for food.

Baker City vied against these cities for inclusion in the 2013 Rand McNally Atlas and in USA Today as most beautiful: Coral Gables, Fla., Marcos Island, Fla., Franklin, Tenn., Pacifica, Calif., and Sandpoint.

The judges visited Baker City July 8-10.

“Everything we did was certainly worth the effort. The energy and enthusiasm from everybody in the community was exciting,” Bishop said. “The whole community put out 110 percent. It was a huge opportunity and a good experience for Baker City.”

Though he described the decision as “disappointing,” Bishop sees long-term benefits for Baker City as a result of the attention garnered by reaching the final six. The finalists received a lot of publicity, for example.

“It was plastered all over the Rand McNally website,” he said.

“Being one of the six most beautiful small towns in America is a good thing to hang your hat on,” he said. “Maybe next year we could be the winner.”