"How do you tell a story spanning nearly a lifetime that warrants a thesis rather than an article? The beginning is an excellent place to start, echoing how organic and constant this walk has been for the town founders, and Robert Davis shares his thoughts in the sidebar of this piece. This article celebrates not only the founding of The Seaside Institute thirty years ago but also its visions for the future, which are many. The nonprofit organization perpetuates three core tenets as it views these communities as living laboratories for improving sustainability, connectivity, and adaptability."