Berlin, OH to Pigeon Forge, TN
September 26 - October 10, 2020
We left Berlin, OH on Saturday, September 26 and headed for Marion, OH. We used Boondocker's Welcome and stayed in the parking lot of a funeral home (50 amp hookup) right next to the President Warren G. Harding home and museum. Unfortunately the home and museum were closed because of the Wuhan virus. Someday we'd like to go back and see it but I think we'll stay somewhere else. The funeral home parking lot was a little noisy. Sorry, no pictures of the parking lot.
Our next stop Sunday, September 27-30 was in Archbold, OH at Sauder Village Campground. It was a very nice campground (full hookups in most sites) with an old and new section and very well maintained. We were in the old section and couldn't get satellite because of the trees.
Erie Sauder was born on his family’s farm south of Archbold to Daniel and Annie (Schrock) Sauder on August 6, 1904. As the oldest child, and only son, Erie worked on the farm from an early age. However, his true love was working with wood. At the age of 16, he built a wood lathe to use in the workshop on the farm. When you visit Sauder Village you can see that same lathe in the original shop from the Sauder farm now called Erie's Farm Shop. His reputation grew and neighbors would often bring woodworking jobs to him.
In 1927 Erie married his neighbor, Leona Short, and started a family. He worked several years at the Archbold Ladder Company, but in 1934 he decided to start his own woodworking business in a small building behind their home in Archbold. Leona, who probably intended to be the traditional housewife and mom, took a correspondence course in accounting and took on that job for the Sauder Woodworking Company until she passed away in 1974. The company suffered two serious fires, one in 1938 and a very devastating one in 1945. Erie’s uncle William Sauder died in that fire. Having lost everything in the fire, Erie was hesitant to rebuild. But the local bank and other businessmen in the community encouraged and supported the rebuilding process. Today, Sauder Woodworking is the largest maker of ready-to-assemble furniture in the United States and ships its product to many countries around the world. As Erie’s sons, Maynard and Myrl, took on more responsibility in the business and Erie was looking towards retirement, his genuine love of his community and its history came to the surface. He worried that future generations wouldn’t understand the hard work and sacrifices that our pioneer ancestors made in coming to settle in this swampy area in northwest Ohio, known as the Great Black Swamp. Erie believed that people would understand history from interacting with knowledgeable and welcoming guides in historic buildings far better than just reading it in books. In 1969, he purchased an initial 15 acres of the Grime farm to establish his living history village, which opened to the public on June 14, 1976. In February of that year, he married Orlyss Short, a widow from Stryker, Ohio, and she became his partner and a volunteer costumed guide in the historic village. Erie could often be seen working with his maintenance crew out in the village, but he was never too busy to stop and answer questions from guests of all ages. He especially enjoyed seeing the thousands of school children come on their class field trips.
Erie Sauder’s generosity extended far beyond his local community. He was one of eleven businessmen who formed the Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA) in 1953. After World War II, Russian Mennonites fled to Paraguay. MEDA’s initial mission was to help these refugees establish new lives there. In the process, Erie made 18 trips to that South American country and worked with the natives there by teaching them basic skills that could lead them to self-sufficiency. Erie often said that his work there was the most fulfilling of his entire life.
Erie continued to dream and build at Sauder Village into his 90s. When the Sauder Heritage Inn opened in the fall of 1994, Erie and Orlyss moved into a small apartment at the Inn where they lived until he died on June 29, 1997. Sauder Village is his living legacy for the community and the region. (from their website)
We visited Sauder Village and it was very interesting. There are numerous historical exhibits and buildings throughout the property from the Native Americans to the 1920s. You can see the original woodworking shop and the tools used, a basket shop, tinsmith shop, cooperage, spinning shop, weaving shop, printing shop and the list goes on. It was well worth the time and money and I would recommend it if you are in the area.
We left Goshen on October 4 and went to visit with my mom's cousin and her husband in Dayton. I was too busy talking and forgot to get any pictures. It was so good to get to visit with them.
It was a nice campground and we would go back. I was surprised how many children there were and then we found out that they were on Fall break (never heard of that one before).
On Wednesday, October 7 we went to Fort Boonesborough State Park (water/electric) for one night.
On Monday, October 8 we went to Indian Mountain State Park (full hookups) in Jellico, TN for one night. It was a nice campground and we would return. It was a beautiful day so sat outside and read.
On Friday, October 9 we drove to King's Holly Haven RV Park (full hookups) in Pigeon Forge, TN. I called several campgrounds in August when I planned this trip and this was the only one that had an opening. We've stayed here before and it's a nice park, just really tight.
We're planning on going to Dollywood and possibly the Titanic Museum. Until later...
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