When Wal-mart came to Salem ...

There used to be an apple orchard and a farm across the road from Beth Ramsey’s house.

But in March 2003, the Wal Mart supercenter on East State Street opened its doors. Now Ramsey, a Salem Township, Columbiana County resident, can look across Butcher Road into the city of Salem and see the expansive back of the 183,000-square-foot giant.

There is no orchard now — there is still a field between Butcher Road and the store, but there is nothing in it to obstruct her view. A promised buffer zone — a mound and pine trees — never materialized, said John Wilms, a Salem Township trustee who was there nearly 10 years ago along with township residents who were against the building of that Wal Mart.

Wal Mart was buying 83 acres of land. The landowner wanted it annexed to the city of Salem, and Salem wanted the annexation as well. The Columbiana County Commissioners granted it, and though township trustees appealed that decision to the county common pleas court, they lost.

So today, Ramsey can see and hear the trucks as they unload merchandise behind the store.

“We don’t need night lights at our house,” she said, laughing a little. But back in 1999, many residents in Salem Township, population 5,200, weren’t finding the prospect of a giant Wal Mart to be at all funny.

For more, see Sunday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com