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NaturalGal, you've got some beautiful pics! We lived in Doylestown for only a few short months as a transition to moving to NEOhio from MI, and I loved it! Wish I could have gotten more time down that way to explore and enjoy... It will have to wait, though, as we're getting transferred to NW Ohio this next month.
AlaskaPat... The job situation all depends on where you're going and what you need to get paid. The most likely situation is you would have to travel outside of Wayne County for decent jobs to Akron or Cleveland/C-land Metro. There are a handful of jobs in Wayne Co/Wooster, but majority are not in that area. And, at that point, you would have the balance the gas prices vs. what you get paid to figure out if the commute to where you could be working is worth the wage you're bringing home. However, housing is affordable! We had a 2bd/1bath townhome for $500/mth that was faily nice - not luxery, but not a dump either. You might have some luck finding a job with administration work that pays decent, but it might take some time to get the position. Panther II in Seville does hire dispatch people on a somewhat regularly basis at about $10.50/hr. I cannot offer any advice for your husband as I do not know what the electrician field has to offer out here.
I grew up in Orrville, but don't live there anymore. Let me say this: Orrville is a very unique place. I know every small town thinks they are special, but Orrville really is. Part of that is because many people in town are related to each other and have lived there for generations. Some people automatically assume this means the town is "backward" or "stuck in the past", but that is not the case. It just means that the community has deep roots. I went to school with people who knew that they were related, but weren't sure how. My family moved to Orrville when I was young, and we didn't have any relatives there. We were never treated as outsiders and were welcomed into the community (although some people at school just couldn't phantom the idea that my grandparents lived in another state!). Many of the people I went to school with went away for college and then moved right back to Orrville, where they will live for the rest of their lives.
Housing is affordable in Orrville...not as cheap as some places in Ohio, but not as expensive as others. There are plenty of starter homes and also the "new part" which is a development started in the 1980's that is pretty much full now and contains some really nice houses.
The job market goes up and down. Orrville used to be called the city with 7,000 people and 10,000 jobs because a lot of people would commute to Orrville from surrounding areas to work. Smuckers is definitely a powerhouse, especially for professional jobs. Some businesses have left and quite a few new ones have come in recently. The local government is very pro-industry ("a city of diversified industry) so they are always trying to woo new business. The biggest miracle--and disappointment--was Volvo/GM heavy trucks, which built tractor trailers in Orrville from 1986 to 1996. They were the biggest employer, with 3 plants in town, but they skipped out as soon as their 10-year tax abatement ran out. The main factory was purchased by Gradall, which was bought out by JLG (they make aerial lifts, forklifts, etc). Then Gradall left after a few years, the building was empty for a while, and now they are back (and a lot of jobs too!). Other big employers are Smith Dairy, Contours, Wilburt, the public schools, Dunlap hospital, the window factories, and Wayne College. Quality Castings has found it cheaper to employ hispanic immigrants rather than local people, so it isn't such a great place to work anymore. A lot of the jobs are posted on The-Daily-Record.com - Breaking News, World & Local News, Sports & Multimedia (the local newspaper). There is also a non-profit newspaper called the OrrViews, which is supported entirely through donations and the stories are written by people in the community (mostly about school-related stuff).
Sports are definitely big in Orrville, and quite a few of the high school sports teams have won state championships in the last decade. The football stadium (with new bleachers paid for by Bobby Knight) is usually full for home football games on friday nights.
The school system is going through some rather dramatic changes right now. Orrville used to have 3 elementary schools, one junior high, and one high school. The junior high has been replaced by a brand-new middle school. All three of the elementary schools are being sold/demolished and replaced by one new elementary school. The high school might also be replaced eventually. All of the schools will be located on one campus. The library downtown looks pretty new also, but I'm not sure when it was built.
During the summer, a lot of kids hang out at the public pool (which is pretty nice) or play basketball at the park, ride bikes, go fishing, etc. There is a bowling alley, but it is not open all that often. There aren't a ton of things to do, but it's safe enough that kids can have fun just wondering around. Bobby Knight said in his autobiography that Orrville was a great place to be a kid, and I think he was right. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of difference in what the richest kids did and what the poorest kids did. Some of my friends had parents making $200k a year and some had parents on welfare and I don't think I hardly even noticed at the time. There were a few teachers, coaches, etc that I remember going out of their way to really make a difference in the lives of kids who came from broken homes. Spending their own money to buy them new schools clothes and giving them rides to after-school events was not uncommon. I remember a teacher giving a kid his old car so that he would be able to have an after-school job, and a teacher paying for a girl's prom dress so that she could go to senior prom. At graduation, there were probably at least 100 scholarships given out to students from different people/organizations in the community.
As far as shopping, everyone buys their food at Buehler's supermarket. There is an Ace hardware store and a few autoparts stores. There are two nice furniture stores downtown. There is also a McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Subway, couple of pizza places, and some local restaurants. For anything else, people go to Wooster or Akron/Canton. You can get to walmart in about 15 minutes.
If you don't know about Orrville, you might find some things weird. For one thing the town has it's power plant--which it is EXTREMELY proud of. I guess it keeps the electric rates low for industry, but the pride factor is kind of weird. There is a statue of a cow perched high atop a milk tank at the dairy downtown (probably the highest point in Orrville). Trains roar through town every few hours, even though they haven't stopped there for almost 50 years. There is "grafitti bridge" that is continuously being painted (and is completely covered) by high schoolers with their names and jersey numbers--and everyone thinks it looks pretty. Amish buggies occasionally wonder into town and leave their road apples in the middle of the street.
Some things you would appreciate about Orrville are that there are no traffic jams, parking is always free, there are sidewalks everywhere to walk or ride your bike on. Most people are very meticulous about keeping their house and yard looking good. The city does a pretty good job of keeping things maintained and not turning into blight (unlike some small towns). If you don't mow your yard, the city will come and do it for you (and send you the bill).
Orrville has some VERY committed people who love the town and devote a lot of time to it. The people who run the city government really seem to care about the town. There are also a lot of people who volunteer. If you want to see the spirit of Orrville, come to the July 4th fireworks (usually held after July 4th)! The carnival is a bit of a redneck fest, but the fireworks are better than most large cities put on, and you can get really close to them. It supposedly attracts 50,000 people, and its the only day when traffic in town is bad. The 4th of July parade is also pretty good, and is better than what a lot of larger cities put on.
Orrville is a great place for families to live. There are a bunch of churches, and most people go. The school system is not ranked as high as some of the other ones nearby, but you have to look beyond the numbers and see what the benefits are of smaller schools, dedicated teachers, and community involvement.
Crime is pretty low in Orrville. I knew people who would go on vacation for 2 weeks and wouldn't even lock the door. I can only remember one murder occurring while I was there. There are, of course, the occasional robberies or vandalisms. The police seem to keep pretty good tabs on things, and will even drive by your house just to check on it if you request them to.
The general population of Orrville seems to be pretty friendly. Park downtown and open your hood and see how many people stop to help. Tell a stranger your dog ran away and they will probably help you look for it.
I have been gone for 12 years now, although I visit occasionally and keep up on the local news (my sister and her kids live there still). I have thought about returning, and someday I might, but I just love the weather in the south!
I grew up in Orrville, but don't live there anymore. Let me say this: Orrville is a very unique place. I know every small town thinks they are special, but Orrville really is. Part of that is because many people in town are related to each other and have lived there for generations. Some people automatically assume this means the town is "backward" or "stuck in the past", but that is not the case. It just means that the community has deep roots. I went to school with people who knew that they were related, but weren't sure how. My family moved to Orrville when I was young, and we didn't have any relatives there. We were never treated as outsiders and were welcomed into the community (although some people at school just couldn't phantom the idea that my grandparents lived in another state!). Many of the people I went to school with went away for college and then moved right back to Orrville, where they will live for the rest of their lives.
Housing is affordable in Orrville...not as cheap as some places in Ohio, but not as expensive as others. There are plenty of starter homes and also the "new part" which is a development started in the 1980's that is pretty much full now and contains some really nice houses.
The job market goes up and down. Orrville used to be called the city with 7,000 people and 10,000 jobs because a lot of people would commute to Orrville from surrounding areas to work. Smuckers is definitely a powerhouse, especially for professional jobs. Some businesses have left and quite a few new ones have come in recently. The local government is very pro-industry ("a city of diversified industry) so they are always trying to woo new business. The biggest miracle--and disappointment--was Volvo/GM heavy trucks, which built tractor trailers in Orrville from 1986 to 1996. They were the biggest employer, with 3 plants in town, but they skipped out as soon as their 10-year tax abatement ran out. The main factory was purchased by Gradall, which was bought out by JLG (they make aerial lifts, forklifts, etc). Then Gradall left after a few years, the building was empty for a while, and now they are back (and a lot of jobs too!). Other big employers are Smith Dairy, Contours, Wilburt, the public schools, Dunlap hospital, the window factories, and Wayne College. Quality Castings has found it cheaper to employ hispanic immigrants rather than local people, so it isn't such a great place to work anymore. A lot of the jobs are posted on The-Daily-Record.com - Breaking News, World & Local News, Sports & Multimedia (the local newspaper). There is also a non-profit newspaper called the OrrViews, which is supported entirely through donations and the stories are written by people in the community (mostly about school-related stuff).
Sports are definitely big in Orrville, and quite a few of the high school sports teams have won state championships in the last decade. The football stadium (with new bleachers paid for by Bobby Knight) is usually full for home football games on friday nights.
The school system is going through some rather dramatic changes right now. Orrville used to have 3 elementary schools, one junior high, and one high school. The junior high has been replaced by a brand-new middle school. All three of the elementary schools are being sold/demolished and replaced by one new elementary school. The high school might also be replaced eventually. All of the schools will be located on one campus. The library downtown looks pretty new also, but I'm not sure when it was built.
During the summer, a lot of kids hang out at the public pool (which is pretty nice) or play basketball at the park, ride bikes, go fishing, etc. There is a bowling alley, but it is not open all that often. There aren't a ton of things to do, but it's safe enough that kids can have fun just wondering around. Bobby Knight said in his autobiography that Orrville was a great place to be a kid, and I think he was right. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of difference in what the richest kids did and what the poorest kids did. Some of my friends had parents making $200k a year and some had parents on welfare and I don't think I hardly even noticed at the time. There were a few teachers, coaches, etc that I remember going out of their way to really make a difference in the lives of kids who came from broken homes. Spending their own money to buy them new schools clothes and giving them rides to after-school events was not uncommon. I remember a teacher giving a kid his old car so that he would be able to have an after-school job, and a teacher paying for a girl's prom dress so that she could go to senior prom. At graduation, there were probably at least 100 scholarships given out to students from different people/organizations in the community.
As far as shopping, everyone buys their food at Buehler's supermarket. There is an Ace hardware store and a few autoparts stores. There are two nice furniture stores downtown. There is also a McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Subway, couple of pizza places, and some local restaurants. For anything else, people go to Wooster or Akron/Canton. You can get to walmart in about 15 minutes.
If you don't know about Orrville, you might find some things weird. For one thing the town has it's power plant--which it is EXTREMELY proud of. I guess it keeps the electric rates low for industry, but the pride factor is kind of weird. There is a statue of a cow perched high atop a milk tank at the dairy downtown (probably the highest point in Orrville). Trains roar through town every few hours, even though they haven't stopped there for almost 50 years. There is "grafitti bridge" that is continuously being painted (and is completely covered) by high schoolers with their names and jersey numbers--and everyone thinks it looks pretty. Amish buggies occasionally wonder into town and leave their road apples in the middle of the street.
Some things you would appreciate about Orrville are that there are no traffic jams, parking is always free, there are sidewalks everywhere to walk or ride your bike on. Most people are very meticulous about keeping their house and yard looking good. The city does a pretty good job of keeping things maintained and not turning into blight (unlike some small towns). If you don't mow your yard, the city will come and do it for you (and send you the bill).
Orrville has some VERY committed people who love the town and devote a lot of time to it. The people who run the city government really seem to care about the town. There are also a lot of people who volunteer. If you want to see the spirit of Orrville, come to the July 4th fireworks (usually held after July 4th)! The carnival is a bit of a redneck fest, but the fireworks are better than most large cities put on, and you can get really close to them. It supposedly attracts 50,000 people, and its the only day when traffic in town is bad. The 4th of July parade is also pretty good, and is better than what a lot of larger cities put on.
Orrville is a great place for families to live. There are a bunch of churches, and most people go. The school system is not ranked as high as some of the other ones nearby, but you have to look beyond the numbers and see what the benefits are of smaller schools, dedicated teachers, and community involvement.
Crime is pretty low in Orrville. I knew people who would go on vacation for 2 weeks and wouldn't even lock the door. I can only remember one murder occurring while I was there. There are, of course, the occasional robberies or vandalisms. The police seem to keep pretty good tabs on things, and will even drive by your house just to check on it if you request them to.
The general population of Orrville seems to be pretty friendly. Park downtown and open your hood and see how many people stop to help. Tell a stranger your dog ran away and they will probably help you look for it.
I have been gone for 12 years now, although I visit occasionally and keep up on the local news (my sister and her kids live there still). I have thought about returning, and someday I might, but I just love the weather in the south!
Wow, thanks for so much information. I really appreciate it. Orrville does sound like the type of town we are seeking. You mentioned you live in the South. May I ask what state? I love the south; my mom was from W. Va. and my dad was from Tenn. What I don't love about the south LOL is the heat and humidity they get in the summer. I absolutely hate high heat and humidity; don't do well in it even though I grew up with it.
I will check out all that employment info you supplied. Again, thank you so much for your help.
orrvile is a dump don't move there i lived there for 25 years the schools suck the people are stuck up for no reason none of them are worth even talking to anyway you would have to be out of your mind to move there ooh yay there is smuckers a few foundries a buch of bs churches that teach you to talk about people behind their backs and a fertilizer plant the amish are more stuck up than the english people are they love talking in dutch about you thinking you don't understand them the police are a total joke they would be better off blowing the town up and turning it into a parking lot for a mega walmart there are no i repeat no decent people in the town of orrville they are all talk and no action
Awrrrright; everyone be nice or I'm gonna delete this thread!
LOL, what is so funny here is that this thread is over a year old. I had inquired about it way back last year. BTW we did go to Orrville a couple of times. The Smuckers store is really cute. I liked the restaurant they have in Hartville, Ohio as well as that large flea-market they had on weekends.
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I am from Orrville
