The City of Independence is a vibrant, historic community located in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley. The town center is located on the banks of the Willamette River, one of the great rivers of the west. Independence is a small city that embraces its pioneering roots, and has used that attitude to reinvent itself. Leveraging creative partnerships and community will, the City built and programmed a unique riverfront amphitheater, constructed a new much-expanded library, and built a high-speed fiber to the home broadband network. Once a fading former mill down, Independence is a thriving example of how a rural community can leverage its assets and remain competitive in the new economy.