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The can-do spirit of America's small towns

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Rory Ryan
By
Rory Ryan

Special thanks is extended to two area residents for recently sharing a bit of local history with The Highland County Press.

In his most-recent letter, Bob Hodson, a founding member of the Highland County Historical Society Board of Trustees, provided background information on the county's first Community Improvement Corporation (CIC).

That was followed this week by a submission by Jim Lukens of the July 16, 1973 U.S. News & World Report, which included an essay on the city of Hillsboro. And guess who was quoted in that 1973 magazine report? If you answered "Bob Hodson," move to the head of the class.

First, let's look at the early days of the CIC. According to Bob's records, the county's first Community Improvement Association was formed in the 1930s. Its primary purpose was to purchase and lease a building to Hercules Trouser Co. (aka The Pants Factory).

Fast-forward to 1960, and the Hillsboro Civic Association was incorporated in order to help bring Moore Drop Forge to the city. Its members included: George Armintrout, G. Herbert Broomhall, Paul Burch, John Banyas, Donald E. Fender Sr., L.W. "Dutch" Hilliard, Carl F. "Pete" Wallace, H.E. "Dike" Barnes, Ronald L. Swonger, Frank Collins, Leroy Paugh, Robert Lammers and James L. Byrd.

In 1960, the Hillsboro Civic Association assisted in bringing Rotary Forms Press, Inc. to the city. Heber Duckwall of Hillsboro Transportation moved the company's equipment.

In 1968, the articles of incorporation were filed for the CIC. It was originally set up for the city of Hillsboro; and later, the county commissioners declared the same designation. Its initial board included: Tom Archibald, Charles Hunter, Vernon Fairley Jr., William Siddons, James D. Hapner and Bob Hodson. A year later, it merged into the CIC of Highland County.

Among the CIC's projects were the addition of Hobart Manufacturing, Southern State Community College's Central Campus, the Fordyce Company, Heartland of Hillsboro, Pyromet, the Highland County Justice Center, the Highland County Homeless Shelter, Candle-lite in Leesburg and Weastec. The board also donated $20,000 for the Highland County YMCA.

In his letter from a couple of weeks ago, Bob noted that he was going through "some of my stuff and found this to be of interest. There was a lot happening in those early years."

Bob's letters are always appreciated – and always informative. At 95, Bob's penmanship is still far superior to my own. I've told him that I spent too many years scribbling notes while trying to keep up with long-winded politicians at public meetings and other events. The old-timers in my business are called "scribes" for a reason. These days, virtually all reporters record everything. I rarely did. Hearing it once was enough for me.

Thanks, Bob. Always good to hear from you.

* * *

• On April 3, while I was trying to figure out how to scan and email a legal document, Jim Lukens stopped by the office and shared his July 16, 1973 U.S. News & World Report with the aforementioned story on Hillsboro.

The story from 50 years ago reads, in part:

"Hillsboro's small-town flavor is one of its most attractive features. This flavor, once a liability, has now been turned into an asset. As nearby metropolitan centers decay, city folks are clamoring to find jobs here. Others simply move to Hillsboro and drive to work in three major Ohio cities – Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus – all less than an hour away. Thus, after 160 years of somnolence 'in the sticks,' this town of 6,000 is coming awake. ... Now, it appears that Hillsboro is poised on the brink of much more rapid growth."

Has the city achieved the "much more rapid growth" as predicted half a century ago?

Well, that depends on one's perspective. In some areas of the city, such as North High Street and Harry Sauner Road, there has been significant commercial development. As to the city's population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, it's actually on decline. The population was 6,605 in 2010, and it was 6,482 in 2020.

The 1973 U.S. News & World Report story listed the city's population as 6,000. Thus, a population increase of less than 10 percent over 50 years can hardly be considered "much more rapid growth."

The magazine quoted Bob Hodson, who was president of the Hillsboro Bank & Savings Company at the time, as saying: "Visitors are impressed with the way our town looks. There's no section of the town which we have to avoid. And we make sure we take them around the courthouse. Before you know it, people are nodding and speaking to them. Apparently, that doesn't happen in a lot of places."

The Highland County Courthouse, as noted in the U.S. News & World Report story, is the oldest courthouse – in continuous use as a courthouse – in Ohio.

Hillsboro Mayor Dean Hill told the magazine: "Don't ever touch that courthouse. That's off limits."

U.S. News & World Report also referenced Rocky Fork Lake State Park and Paint Creek Lake State Park in 1973.

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is putting finishing touches on a new flood-control project on Paint Creek. A complete recreational facility – camping, boating and fishing – will center on the new reservoir, giving Highland County two of Ohio's major state parks."

Then, there was this caveat: "All is not perfect in Hillsboro and vicinity. Lack of zoning permits rustic fishing cottages to sit next to $30,000 new homes."

I had to read that last part at least twice. It's hard to imagine a new home for $30,000. It's hard to imagine a single-wide for $30,000 in 2023. Heck, it's hard to imagine five acres and a tent for $30,000.

The article concludes by stating that Hillsboro is the way it is, and it intends to stay that way.

More or less, that's probably true of many Midwestern small towns. They add a few businesses here and there. They lose a few businesses. They see a small increase in population from one 10-year census to the next. Then, they see a small decrease on the next census.

I often think of one of my very good professors at Chatfield College, Fr. David Fay, who used to say that the proper size for a community was around 5,000 people. He supported that concept with Acts 4:4: "Many of those who had heard Peter and John preach believed the things they said. There were now about five thousand in the group of believers."

Maybe that's what we are all about as a community. A group of believers with a can-do spirit. I know that spirit has served many of our local, independent small business owners. Sure, there have been changes through the years. But the one constant has always been that can-do spirit of local employers and their coworkers. We get the job done.

Again, my thanks to Bob Hodson and Jim Lukens.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press, Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper.

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