I was very please to read in The Tribune’s Letter to the Editor from Mark Lail, a former Irontonian, now residing in Kansas, who recently visited Ironton after away for many years.

I do not know Mr. Lail but I certainly appreciate his taking the time to write and let our citizens and city leaders know of the positive changes that he saw in town during his visit.

I would like to springboard off of Mr. Lail’s letter and take this as an opportunity to brag on our town a bit.

Our Ironton headquartered company, PSG, will typically have between two and 10 customers per month stay a night or two in the Tri-State while they are visiting our Worthington, Kentucky, plant. Before Ironton got its Holiday Inn Express we were in the habit of directing our out of town guests to stay in Russell and Ashland hotels. I have recently started directing these visitors to the new Ironton Holiday Inn Express.

This past week we had four guests from Southern Company of Montgomery, Alabama, visit our plant. These clients stayed two nights at the new Ironton hotel and really bragged on their experience in visiting our town.

They had very positive things to say about the accommodations in the hotel itself. Likewise, they were very impressed with the Ironton old home and church architecture, and thought the people they met in town were exceptionally friendly. They also raved about the meal and experience they had at The Depot. They reported that The Depot food was wonderful and when the train ran past the building as they were dining well, that “made the meal.”

Hearing such positive comments from out of towners like Mr. Lail and these four folks from Alabama this week gives me great pride. I thank all of the people in our city who have continued to not give up and to try and lift our town from its economic and cultural low point 10 or more years ago.

Ironton is getting some of the pride back that it had during its heyday. Let’s keep up the momentum.

I can only imagine the positive changes that will come once the new bridge is in service.

 

Robert Rhett Slagel

Ironton