Text Box:   “Made in America”

Text Box: Smith Family Newsletter September 2008

Text Box: In between watching Hurricane Ike make landfall and the Presidential Campaign on television, Bob & I took a day to visit some local factories.  We took a tour of the Silver Stream Trailer Factory and the Kitchen Aid Factory.  We were quite impressed with both. Silver Stream has slowed down as has other similar factories, but continues to run a sound operation.  Kitchen Aid, a totally different type of factory, is going full steam and has grown with additional international sales.  One thing in common with both tours is that both have made some changes to keep up with the times, but some basic elements remain the same.  It reminds me of the saying, “If it isn’t broke, don’t try and fix it.”   We were parked in a military campground on the Wright-Paterson AFB in Dayton, OH.  From here, we took a day to take in the two tours.  The Airstream Plant is located in Jackson Center, OH approximately 50 miles from the base. The ride to get there was pleasant, riding through farm country.  This is one of the oldest RV manufacturing companies.  Some of the things that caught our attention was that a significant amount of hand tooling of components is done. The workers are trained to do several jobs and rotate, which is something the Harley Davidson plant does, as well.  The style of an outer aluminum shell has continued to be a trademark throughout.  It is clearly a well made product, with a long line of faithful followers. Our tour guide told us that they recently brought in  the first Silver Stream made, number 001, that someone donated.  It needs to be refurbished and added to the line of antiques.  That says a lot about the product.   Kitchen Aid, owned by Whirlpool is located in Greenville, OH.  This is a product that has clearly done, and continues to do, well.  There has been newer models, of this product, and new attachments to accomplish different tasks in preparing foods.  The basic motor base, that the additions are attached to, has not changed.  Therefore new attachments fit older versions without a problem - a quality product. We don’t have many pictures to show, as most factories frown on picture taking in their factories.   Before leaving the Dayton area, we encountered the wrath  of Hurricane Ike!  We expected some high winds, but not what we got.  By mid afternoon Sunday, I felt we were on a boat on high seas rather than a parked RV.  Those gusts hit 65 to 75 mph, but no rain.  We brought in our slides and dish down.  It was scary!  No one expected those high winds up where we were.  Needless to say the power went out and we went on generator power.

Text Box: ANOTHER STATE CAPITAL   Our next stop was Galloway, OH, just out side Columbus.  Columbus, of course is the Capital of Ohio.  We got here just as everyone was cleaning up from hurricane Ike with many areas still without power.  It was common place to find stores on one side of the highway open and the other side closed.  When we left Dayton, the campground on the AFB was still without power, and the campground we arrived at near Columbus had just got power back a couple of hours before we arrived.   When we went to downtown Columbus on Tuesday, traffic was light as some businesses were still closed.  The guy at the Visitor’s Center seemed really glad to see someone come in!  The Capital building was very close by so we took a chance and went over.  They usually give tours on the hour.  We were the only ones on the 1:00 PM tour and it didn’t appear there had been anyone before us.  There are two separate buildings, the Statehouse and the Senate Building, connected by an Atrium, which was added in 1993.  The Statehouse has a large Rotunda with a dome under a structure known as a cupola.  This prevents the dome from being seen from the outside.  Greek architecture was used to build the Statehouse and a dome was not compatible.  This building was completed in 1861 which predates the Civil War.  Through out the building, Ohio gives tribute to Abraham Lincoln who visited the Capital more than once.  In fact, following his death, he Laid In State in the Rotunda for eight hours during which time 60,000 people paid their respects.  It is not surprising that a great deal of symbolism is used throughout.  The use of circles in the Rotunda and throughout the building is an accepted symbol of eternity and represents the expectation that both the building and the democratic philosophy it represents will last.  It should also be noted that the state of Ohio has given us eight presidents.  Visiting the State Capitals is turning out to be such an interesting undertaking.  Each one takes on a very individual ‘personality!’   The Statehouse also held a very touching memorial to 22 Marines, and one Navy Corpsman, members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, out of Rickenbacker Air base in Columbus, who lost their lives in 2005 in Iraq.  The memorial was created by artist Anita Miller as a result of a vision she had to honor these men as heroes.  Boots rest below their painted pictures. “God Bless”.

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