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State Representative Jim Buchy
Mercer County a
Destination for All
West central Ohio is the best place in the world to live, work and rear
a family. I am fortunate that our local papers print Statehouse
Updates, but often we forget to talk about how great our local
communities are. For the past few months I have periodically
focused a column on the unique characteristics that make each county in
western Ohio the best place to live, work and rear a family. This
month I will discuss Mercer County.
The people of Mercer County are connected by the spires of the church
steeples which have provided a strong set of values that guide the
people of Mercer County in their work, play and charity. Mercer
County is on the map as one of the top agricultural producing counties
in the state and also known for the work ethic that allows
manufacturers to thrive. Grand Lake St. Marys punctuates all that
is good in Mercer County.
Grand Lake St. Marys is the largest inland lake in Ohio. Man-made to
provide area canals with water for the shipping of commodities and
other goods; that water helped to grow agriculture in the county by
creating an export path for agricultural commodities in the otherwise
land-locked county. In recent years challenges at the lake and in the
watershed have provided great opportunities for discussion and I am
committed to continuing work in the lake and watershed to protect the
history and future of Mercer County.
It is no accident that 73% of the population in Mercer County is Roman
Catholic. The county’s population grew with German immigrants choosing
the area as home in the late 1800’s. Many of these families tie
their roots back to areas of Germany such as Alsace, Bavaria and
Prussia. Their choice to move to Mercer county likely correlates
with the rise of anti-Catholic actions in the region that were part of
the “Kulturkampf”(1871-1878) which led to the closing of around
twenty-five houses of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
In Mercer County the Missionaries of the Precious Blood had already
solidified the local mission and it was natural for immigrants
displaced by religious persecution to come to Mercer County. The
society was first welcomed to the region in 1844 by John Baptist
Purcell, Bishop of Cincinnati. In 1861 the order opened St.
Charles Seminary in Carthagena which is now a part of the “Land of the
Crossed Tipped Churches” recognized on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Today tourism remains important as pilgrims come to visit the Shrine of
the Holy Relics in Maria Stein and water enthusiasts travel to enjoy
Grand Lake St. Marys. The location of the county intersects many
major east-west and north-south routes that have in recent years
attracted shipping and distribution companies.
The work ethic of Mercer County residents has led to home grown
manufacturing success such as; J&M and companies seeking good
employees from other parts of the country and world. Major
employers include Reynolds and Reynolds, Celina Aluminum Precision
Tech, Fort Recovery Industries and Pax Machine. On the
agricultural side Cooper Farms is the top employer with the cooking
plant in St. Henry, elevators and of course contract livestock
operations throughout the county.
In Mercer County there is no shortage of community and family pride and
rightfully so. The county is one more part of west central Ohio
that should be an example to the rest of the state. Hardworking
people who are guided by traditional values are what make families so
very strong in the region. We have the best schools, businesses,
and families in the state, and that is what makes west central Ohio the
best place in the world to live, work and rear a family.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyseptember2014.
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