MANSFIELD, Ohio – The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum is a special place for its president and curator, Jerry Miller.
“I’ve been working on this museum for eight years,” said Miller. “And it feels really good when people come in and see this amazing history and the way the stories are told.”
Miller spent decades in manufacturing but is now retired. His son Jeff runs Midwest Aircraft Products Company (MAPCO), in Lexington, Ohio.
These days, his mission is educating the public about the people and products that made Mansfield the center of manufacturing and trade in north-central Ohio.
“I think it’s important to recognize because there’s only three ways to create wealth in this country, and it’s farming, mining and manufacturing,” said Miller.
The museum, located inside the historic Ohio State Reformatory, recently added six new members to its Hall of Fame, bringing the total to 28 people.
Mansfield native Gayle Gorman Green was a member of last year’s inaugural class of 22 honorees. She’s the only woman among the 28 honored by the museum.
Manufacturing is in her blood. Her father started Manairco, and Gorman Green worked there for 41 years, lighting runways and taxiways near Mansfield’s airport.
“The Gorman-Rupp company was founded by my grandfather and Herb Rupp in the 30s,” said Gorman Green.
Gorman Green said she hopes the museum will bring new light to the importance of manufacturing in the north-central Ohio region and beyond.
“It’s wonderful to be able to show this to future generations. And I was very honored to be the only woman inducted. You’ll be able to show your children, your grandchildren what Mansfield is famous for. I still walk around this facility and say gosh I forgot that — that was made here in this area, makes me very proud,” said Gorman Green.
Although he’s spent a lot of time researching and digging up treasured artifacts, Miller said he’s embraced the role of curator at the museum. And he looks forward to what the future has in store for the next generation of manufacturers.
“We’re going to do some workforce training, working with these kids and trying to find out who’s really fit to come into manufacturing,” said Miller. “Because right now you look around town, everybody’s looking for people. Nobody can find people. And what’s going to happen when Intel comes, and that’s another four, five thousand jobs? So it’s really important to keep kids interested.”
