Out of my Mind by Travis Naughton

Change is the Only Constant

When my wife and I moved to Southern Boone County back in 1999, Ashland’s population was 1,252 according to the 1990 census. That figure is one-fourth of the estimated 5,000 people now residing within city limits. A lot has changed in our area in those 24 years.

At the turn of the millennium, locally-owned restaurants like Dave’s Diner, The Copper Kettle, Pizza Haus, and the Turtle Club were just about the only places in town to get a hot meal. Over the years, national chain eateries such as Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Subway, McDonald’s, and Scooter’s Coffee came on the scene while more independents such as New China, The Dandy Lion Café, Trail Boss BBQ, Word of Mouth Catering, and a pair of smoothie places also opened in Ashland.

Ashland Super Foods (at the corner where the police station and city hall now stand) served as the town’s grocery store until a vehicle crashed into the building’s façade and Moser’s and Dollar General opened across the highway. The buildings surrounding Moser’s have been occupied by a laundromat, a gun store, an Irish pub, a catfish restaurant, and a dentistry practice. Ashland was once home to two brick and mortar video rental stores and a pet store as well.

Ashland did not have a permanent public library when we moved here. Instead, the Daniel Boone Regional Library Bookmobile made regular stops in town until a storefront on Broadway was converted into a branch. Eventually, a permanent library building was constructed on Main Street, and if you haven’t already signed up for a library card, then you should run straight over there and do so.

Read full article in this week’s Journal…