There has been little investigation of the social and local government impacts on the community at large when a business is closed. Using secondary data, we examined the pre to post levels of various indication for counties and communities in Montana that
experienced the abandonment of the Milwaukee Railroad relative to similar control areas
in the state. In counties there were disruptions in social structures, increases in personal
problems. increases in social integration. and no measurable effect on physical health. For
communities social impacts were mixed and local government impacts were
indeterminant.
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