MADISON, N.C. -- Like many other small North Carolina towns, Madison's seen the loss of textile and other heritage jobs.

"This town has been going down I know for at least 15 years, it's just on a steady decline,” said Ivory Bowman, who’s lived in the area for 19 years.

Some in this town of 2.200 don't see the Remington news as more of the same. Chas Milk has family in the area.

“It's just the office, I don't think it'll have that big of an impact,” said Milk.

The maker of the Bushmaster AR-15 style rifle has been plagued by falling sales and lawsuits tied to the Sandy Hook school shootings. However, Sheriff Sam Page thinks the presence benefits the county.

"When you got the headquarters of a firearms company in your county, that I think that's pretty impressive,” said Page.

Page also points out that Sturm Ruger employs hundreds in the county.

"I said the other day to somebody I wished we had a third firearms manufacturing company then we'd be the gun capitol of the U.S.” said Page.

Madison Mayor David Myers says rumors about Remington have been swirling for several years.

"We're going to continue to march and press forward and capitalize on our strengths, right now,” said Myers.

Remington says its business won't be disrupted as it restructures its finances.

The towns existing water sports tourism is a bright spot and officials think there's opportunity for other industries to dip into that stream.

“I don't understand why the microbrewery and distillery businesses have not pushed in this direction, considering we've got two great rivers,” said Myers. 

Rockingham is home to the Dan and Mayor Rivers. Both of those take a lot of water to do that operation.

There’s also the vacancy left by the 2016 closing of the Miller Coors plant in the county.

The town's pursuing funding to repair an aging dam and make it more friendly to paddlers.

 "The southwest corner of Rockingham County's becoming a tourist mecca right now for outdoor adventures,” said Myers.

There are skeptics.

“Summer, fine,” said Bowman, “but what you going to do the other three seasons?"

Others think there's a future here as Madison approaches its bicentennial.

"It's just an unexploited industry, in my opinion, a lot more could be done with it,” said Milk.