A lot has changed in Madison County in the 50 years that I have resided in Central Indiana.
I first moved to the Anderson area from Long Island, following a plan hatched with a friend who was originally an Anderson resident.
We both worked in a home improvement store in New York that was similar to today’s Lowe’s and Menards.
Back in the 1970s, there was little doubt that Anderson was a GM factory town.
Our intentions were for the two of us to work the third shift at one of the factories and eventually open a home improvement store in Anderson.
I was never called to employment at GM and, after living in New York and Colorado for brief periods of time, returned to the Hoosier State and enrolled at Ball State University.
Working at the Anderson newspapers, we got to watch the loss of GM in the community and with it the subsequent job losses.
Back in the 1970s it was projected that the population of Anderson would reach 100,000, but with GM leaving that did not become a reality.
We have all watched economic growth travel north along Interstate 69 and make Fishers one of the fastest growing cities in the state, along with the growth along Ind. 37 that transformed the Noblesville area.
As GM slowly left Anderson, the administration of former Republican Mayor Thomas McMahan was tasked with bringing about an economic turnaround.
The McMahan administration tried to lure several businesses to the city but with little or no success.
Over the years, the administrations of Mark Lawler, Kevin Smith and Kris Ockomon worked to attract new industry.
The first success story was when Nestle’ located in Anderson. That has been followed by several industrial facilities over the years.
What has been encouraging is that the Anderson economy has become more diversified. All the economic eggs are no longer in the proverbial single basket.
Not surprisingly, much of the investment has taken place along the interstate corridor with its easy access to much of the country.
In recent years NTN, NTK, Italpolina and Interstate Cold Storage have located in Anderson. Lately, Sirmax has expanded twice, FITT USA is building a new manufacturing plant on Raible Avenue and Corteva Agriscience is building a distribution plant.
More change is certain to take place. Housing developments are needed and new homes are needed in the core of the city.
The only constant in life is change — and Anderson and Madison County will continue to see much more of that over the next 50 years.
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