Tight-knit Archbold embraces grassroots conservatism
Bright, impeccably trimmed grass fills the space between amply-spaced houses on quiet streets.
"In the neighborhood that I live in, everybody sort of competes to cut their grass," said
Tales of a rural America in decline are easy to come by. Small towns, as the story goes, have been hollowed out by industrial decay, the ravages of opioids, and young people leaving for the big city.
Woodworking history
That origin story is retold by residents like
"The way I view history, I think it brings a real sense of community pride,"
But it would be misleading to attribute the success of
"A lot of guys who work here grew up on farms and learned to fix tractors as kids," he said as he walked briskly through the company's
Workers manned kitchen furniture assembly lines, robotic arms checked the depth and spacing of holes to ensure they meet
The average tenure of a
"I literally sit here every day, when I'm in my office at 2:30, and watch the cars go by, and that's all the first shift on
Big companies like Sauder have been kept in town through a combination of tax abatements, discounts on workers' compensation, and reduced health insurance rates, according to
But tiny retailers and main street storefronts define the town, too, even as retail reels in
Lauber's Clothing & Formal Wear, located downtown, is one of those. Its gregarious owner,
Lauber's expanded to five stores around 30 years ago, before scaling back down to one. To keep the business going, they've started screen-printing, embroidery, and lettering. They rent out a lot of tuxedos for weddings. They bought an athletics store five years ago and started selling sports apparel.
"I have survived because I want to survive,"
He was thrilled when
Christian community
In 2014, the sanctuary of
"Things have changed,"
There are 16 churches or Christian institutions in
Though there are exceptions, people in
"My faith is the most important thing in my life, so I don't take a perspective of, 'Oh, I'm conservative,' or 'Oh, I'm liberal,' necessarily," said
When people in
With churches dedicated to providing social services, the local government tends to focus on attracting businesses and maintaining infrastructure, which it does well;
National politics are of lesser concern, and when deciding how to cast their vote, many
"This is as rock-ribbed Republican a town as you'll find, there's no doubt about it, but you weren't hearing too much beating of the tom-toms over Trump," said
You also won't hear calls of "
"I think people here still value [the newspaper]," he said. "We're non-denominational -- we're not Republican, Democrat, or Communist. We just try to be straight up and honest and truthful as it's possible to be. And we've always been that way.
"For being so conservative, the people here are very forward thinking and trusting,"
The publication has a long family history. It was founded by
Although the paper has faced some challenges throughout the past several years,
"We have lost subscribers, but we haven't lost readership because people haven't lost interest," he said. "They still pay attention to the newspaper, and they want it."
Erosion, conservation
There's one area where
On prom night in
The way people vote reflects this ethos.
"
But while
Some of the more drastic change has been felt by farmers on the town's periphery.
"You don't have the get-togethers in the community like you used to. Everybody's more independent," he said, leaning on the wooden railing of his front stoop as chimes clinked in the wind. "You're either big or you're out. Now, everybody farms 500, 1,000, 1,500 acres. At one time a 120-acre farm was a pretty good size."
Agriculture is still robust in
Back in town, the strong church presence, renowned schools, and breadth of employment opportunities would figure to keep most families intact across generations. But that's not always the case.
"The chance to see something different is kind of exciting," he said. "But when I'm starting a family, I think the things I've appreciated about
That's a path many
Even though residents are constantly working to adapt, there are some things about
"This is where I grew up," he said. "You're close to nature. You're close to God. You gotta rely on him to supply. He's the one that gives you your yield. We've always had enough to eat and a place to live."
Sometimes, in this corner of Fulton County, there's a sense that the spirits of the Wyses and the Sauders will never fade and
Guidelines: Please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Comments that violate these standards, or our privacy statement or visitor's agreement, are subject to being removed and commenters are subject to being banned. To post comments, you must be a registered user on toledoblade.com. To find out more, please visit the FAQ.
___
(c)2018 The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)
Visit The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) at www.toledoblade.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Spokane Elder Resource Team sets senior planning workshops
SMALL CLAIMS, BIG IMPACTS: Surge in lawsuits drives up costs for Volusia-Flagler motorists
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News