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Josh and Sarah Brown
Josh & Sarah Brown (Village Founders and Developers)
The Little Village Makers, LLC
225 North Main Street
Fortville, IN 46040
800-581-3603 info@ruralvillage.org
A few years ago Sarah Brown had a chance to live in small European towns and villages. She was inspired by their beauty and the simplicity
of life they offered.
When she returned to the United States she started painting
murals, and painted several European village scenes. People would often comment how they long to live a simpler
life in a place like the one she painted.
Together, Josh and Sarah Brown learned that a lot of
people want to slow down, enjoy life and stay closer to
home. They also learned that many people are seeing
the value of homegrown foods and handmade goods
from local farmers and craftsmen.
The Browns could see that old fashion village life was
missing in our fast paced society. So the question became: “What makes a Village?” A real village is a place where
people are home all day. It’s a walkable community with a bakery, bookstore, and lots of little cottage industries. In a
real village you will hear the sound of a rooster crowing,
children playing, bells ringing, and horses clopping where
streets are safe and narrow.
Josh and Sarah discovered that current zoning laws and
community covenants make authentic village life impossible, but with PUD (Planned Unit Development) zoning it
could happen. So in 2002 Sarah drew the first concept
drawing of a small rural village. They shared the idea with
likeminded friends and families, and the concept was published
in a couple of national magazines. Several people
came forward and offered the
skills and support to begin
making Simpler Times Village a
reality. The Little Village Makers,
LLC a development company
was formed in 2003.
There are currently over 260
families who have applied for
lots, and more than 1000
names on the mailing list. |
