Tag Archives: small towns

A Note From Rural America Following A Tragedy

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My community took a hit this week when an unspeakable crime was discovered against sixteen children. The Ohio Attorney General called it the worst he’s ever seen. While they can’t share many details of this ongoing investigation, phrases like “third world conditions” and “pure evil” have been thrown about.

I live in the least populated county in Ohio. There are about 13,000 people in this county of 415 square miles. This is not a wealthy community and, like many places, we have plenty of problems.

But it’s such a nice place to live.

Our community is rural with just a handful of small towns. We are largely a bedroom community with only one traffic light and no Walmart. There’s a locally owned grocery, pharmacist and hardware. There are a couple of dollar stores and a number of mom and pop businesses. The University of Rio Grande just dedicated a new branch building here. There are very few large employers and a huge chunk of our population commutes outside the county for jobs. Remote work has been a Godsend for many. We are close though to towns with shopping, iobs and healthcare. Our idea of traffic involves farm tractors, school buses and Amish buggies. For many, money is tight and for many more that live beneath the federal poverty line, life is hard.

What we do have is rolling hills, miles of recreational trails through public lands, and a population that largely looks out for one another. It’s the kind of place where people still bring food when someone dies and where folks will check on their neighbors in a heat wave.

We have a growing tourism industry here. What we lack in shopping and amusement parks we make up for with outdoor recreation, unique places to stay (there’s a castle, tons of cabins, and even a hobbit themed Airbnb), and the small town authenticity that many folks from cities are craving.

It’s a good place to vacation. It’s a great place to live if you enjoy the quiet life.

This week has been rough though. This week, the decent citizens of my beautiful community have been rocked to their core.

Four people were arrested for endangering sixteen children who evidently all belong to their family. Sixteen kids from toddler up to an 18 year old were kept in their own filth in a 12 x 12 room. Reading between the lines, there is much more to the story.

First responders say that, a day later, they can still smell the place. There’s no getting rid of the smell. The prosecutor said it looked like something out of a third world country and that some of the kids were in such bad shape they may not have survived another day. The Ohio Attorney General said it was the worst thing he’s seen in his career. Neighbors say they didn’t even know there were kids in the house. There were no signs that children lived there at all.

The governor is offering whatever aid is needed to support the physical and mental well being of those kids.

It is sickening. It is tragic. It is one of the worst things I’ve ever heard and I’m struggling to comprehend that it happened here.

If you look around, our residents are seeking ways to help out and to support our first responders who have witnessed things this week that no human should have to see. People are collecting money to help those kids. They’re planning snacks and cold drinks for the first responders. They’re gathering to pray. They’re actively seeking ways to help in a situation that feels so hopeless.

The city media that doesn’t give us the time of day when amazing things happen here are suddenly sending multiple reporters from each agency for this one story. My Facebook feed is overrun with videos from press conferences and with mug shots of four individuals who look like monsters.

These people chose to live here but they aren’t from here. They’ve moved around a lot and somehow landed here in a small house in a small town with very big heart.

Now cue the hillbilly jokes. Cue the stereotypes. Cue the judgment against a population that would never condone such a thing had we known.

I have got to stop reading internet comments.

The Appalachian stereotype is alive and well. References to the movie Deliverance, statements that they look like everyone else here, and even remarks about the judge’s hair have been part of the discourse. Nasty remarks about the court system and the law enforcement community, about the intelligence of our population and about everything else you can imagine abound.

The media has long portrayed this community in a negative light. Internet comments have intensified the meanness toward our population and place but it’s nothing new. I’ve heard the judgement and the jokes for my entire life and have spent a lot of my career trying to prove them all wrong.

I think it’s important to note that these people have been moving around and abusing these children for a while now. It took them coming to Ohio’s smallest county with the fewest resources for anyone to notice and do something about it.

That’s the headline everyone is missing.

We may not have much but we pay attention and know how to get things done.

I am proud to be from Vinton County, Ohio. I’m proud of our citizens for looking for ways to be helpful. I’m proud of our first responders who played a part in giving those kids a chance at a new life.

Small communities are amazing places. I don’t care what the keyboard warriors say.

If you’re looking for a peaceful place, somewhere that’s not flashy with a good coffee shop and some amazing trails, consider coming here to see what life is really like in a small town. Rural America is so much more than the headlines tell you. So, if not here, go find another rural community and look for the good.

It’s there. I promise.

Small Town Proud

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My hometown suffered a devastating loss yesterday. The Hotel McArthur which began operating as a hotel back in the stagecoach days caught fire and suffered severe damage. Situated at the intersection of state routes 50 and 93, this old building has seen a lot over the years and has been a landmark for generations of locals and travelers alike.

While it hasn’t operated as a hotel for many years, plans were underway by a local nonprofit to renovate the building and to create a beautiful place to support the county’s growing tourism industry.

Many of us stood by, helpless and with tears in our eyes as we saw billowing smoke rise high above the village and flames dance through the hotel’s rooftop. We worried for the restaurant next door which suffered water damage.

Our community is blessed to have an amazing network of volunteer fire departments who all responded. And then came the cavalry from neighboring counties. All told, thirteen departments responded to this fire. Without our volunteer firefighters and assistance from our neighbors, the community’s losses could have been much greater.

EMS, ODOT, EMA, the village street department, sheriff’s office and village police all coordinated to keep everyone safe and traffic moving away from the danger. 

For much of the day, I could hear from my office the sounds of newly arriving fire trucks, the urgent sirens blaring as tankers left to refill. No sooner would one leave, another would return. It was an intense day and a worrisome one as we all were conscious of the heat and the danger to firefighters who battled the blaze in heavy turnout gear.

There were also people and businesses who showed up. They brought cold drinks and food for the first responders. The bank where I work contributed too. Austin Powder sent a giant tanker full of water. People gathered to watch as this mighty piece of our history was claimed by flames and water. They shook their heads in sorrow, told stories about the past, and some wept at the loss. We all felt a sincere sense of loss for what was and for what might have been with the renovations planned for this building.

This is why small towns are the best. THIS is why I ignore those who criticize places like my small rural community. Our critics simply haven’t stuck around long enough to see what happens when the chips are down. No one struggles alone. We look out for each other. We fuss over the firefighters and worry for their safety. We mourn a collective loss and together we overcome.

This is what small towns do.

I talked to so many people yesterday and we all agreed that we are proud to be part of this community and we are in awe of how many people came from near and far to offer aid. If you are one of those people, please accept my thanks.

We Survived

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Yesterday morning I published a picture and a reminder that some days aren’t meant for big victories. Some days it’s all we can do to just survive.

That was at about 4 a.m. By 8:30 a.m., my community was in crisis. An orange cloud filled the sky at the Austin Powder Red Diamond plant near the village of Zaleski. They manufacture dynamite and nitric oxide was unexpectedly released from a 5,000 gallon tank at the plant.

Residents in a three mile radius of the plant were evacuated. Volunteer firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, and the EPA rushed to help. The Red Cross came. Locals donated snacks and water to an emergency shelter. People prayed and many worried for their livestock, drinking water, and neighbors. 

There was commotion and confusion, fear and pride as we saw unfold something we all dread and that our first responders had trained to handle. 

Small communities like mine hear a lot of negativity. People underestimate us because we are rural and lack the wealth, infrastructure and resources of a city. What we lack in this department we make up for with community spirit, compassion and kindness.

We tend to flourish in the face of crisis and know how to overcome troubles. I’m proud of my community and those first responders who bravely worked to keep everyone safe. 

We survived.

One Great Block In Shirley, Indiana

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One of the most unusual streets I have been on in my small town adventuring is in the village of Shirley, Indiana. This former railroad town was founded in 1890. According to the U.S. Census, the town’s population peaked in 1910 with over 1,500 residents.

At just over 800 residents today, there’s not a lot left of the town. However, I had seen a picture on Pinterest of the Burger Man Statue which can be found atop a pole outside an old carry out on Railroad Street. He resembles a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon and is a sight to behold in person.

If you want to know more about Burger Man, I discovered that blogger and Indiana history extraordinaire Ted Shideler wrote about it. Read his story here. It’s pretty awesome.

But before I saw the Burger Man, I saw this mural. Isn’t it gorgeous?

And then there was this train car.

AND this old depot turned museum!

But wait! There’s more! Next door to the depot is this Octagon House!

The Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House is just one of a few octagon homes remaining in Indiana and it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s open for private tours and I would like to arrange something next year. I have never been inside an octagon house before! Learn more about it at their website.

You can also learn more thanks to this newspaper account.

So! I went for a vintage advertising statue and got the statue, a train, a depot, a mural and a cool house! All in one block. What more could a gal want?

Small towns really are the best.

Cambridge City, Indiana

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I stopped for a picture here because I just liked the scene. The viaduct and the Chug-A-Lug Pub sign make a shabby but eclectic combination. Truth is, Cambridge City, Indiana isn’t a city at all. Their population peaked at around 2,500 in 1970. Today, about 1,750 people call this quaint town home.

Located along the historic National Road, I have antiqued here before. When I was there in April, it was just to drive through – although I did meander off the beaten path for a few minutes.

There are several nice murals that tell the story of the town’s history.

I live in Vinton County so I always look for this place along the National Road.

Worshipers were beginning to arrive for services at the Methodist Church when I was passing through.

The place is just quaint and lovely and clearly a source of pride for its residents. It seems like a nice place to live and it’s proximity to Richmond and Indianapolis are a plus to me. Residents can access the culture, healthcare, jobs and other amenities of the cities while maintaining their small town lifestyle.

It’s one of several cute small towns along the National Road in Indiana. If you’re a road tripper, I recommend following this route to get a taste of the kind of Americana you’ll only find in small rural communities. It’s a special experience so hit the road, brake for pictures, stop for diner pie and, as always, enjoy the journey.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist Episcopal

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This church was a bit of a mystery to me when I found it back in 2021. The Church of Saint John the Baptist Episcopal is located on a pleasant street in Dunkirk, New York. I stumbled upon it while exploring the area around Jamestown in 2021.

I had gone to Jamestown for the Lucille Ball attractions and was out planning to see other things including a statue to the native son who created comic strip canine Marmaduke.

The slate roof of the church drew me right in and down Fourth Street for a closer look.

The front doors are gorgeous and inviting, adorned with festive Easter wreaths.

And yet, look up to find a broken window directly above the doors. Did they not know the window had been broken?

The church seemed well cared for with its pretty wreaths and some nicely tended spring bulbs in the side yard. They had Easter services just a couple of weeks before my visit. Surely someone would have been by to notice and at least board up the window.

I’m dying to known what’s going on there now but their Facebook page hasn’t been updated in over a year. I’ll have to cruise by if I’m ever in the neighborhood. Then again, maybe I’m better off not knowing. I may not like the answer.

Grand old churches like this one are at risk in towns and neighborhoods across the nation. Between growing maintenance and operations costs, aging congregations and the lure of big churches with community center type facilities, it’s hard for a simple House of the Lord to keep going. I see them all the time empty, run down, and often sold for cheap housing. It’s a sad fate but a very real one.

This church reminded me of a sweet old grandmother with a lot of life left in her, much wisdom and warm hugs to share despite a prominent broken tooth.

Here’s hoping she is getting the care she deserves and that the doors are still open for those who need a place to go for spiritual guidance.