The "real" Ferguson does not end when you pass that sign telling you that you’ve left. It follows you home, wherever that may be, and reminds you that a place cannot contain a single truth, that a place is made by people, and the people of Ferguson have truths to tell.
The Ferguson that we saw on the news existed, but the real Ferguson predates 2014 and survives it. The reality of Ferguson, like any place, is best learned through anecdotes, impressions, and interactions. A glance down the street, the scene from a souvenir shop, the feeling of a family trip to get ice cream after church.