Greg Arnett was born on April 17, 1953, and raised in Columbus, Ohio, in a neighborhood characterized by small, family-run shops and a strong sense of community. In the 1960s, his family moved to the suburbs of Reynoldsburg, a rapidly developing area transitioning from farmland to suburban housing. After high school, Greg moved to Connecticut with friends, where he lived in a communal setting and worked various jobs. He married Francie in 1972, and they spent a few years in Connecticut before moving back to Ohio to manage a commercial fruit and vegetable farm in Norwalk. The couple eventually returned to Francie's hometown of St. Clairsville, Ohio, where Greg worked in a foundry, learning the intricacies of steel production. Greg spent 34 years working in the steel industry, primarily with Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, where he advanced from a second helper on an open-hearth furnace to an industrial electrician. Throughout his career, he experienced the industry's decline, marked by strikes, ownership changes, and eventual closure, which significantly impacted the local community and economy. After the steel mill closed, Greg transitioned to a role as a facility manager at Belco Works, a workshop for individuals with physical and mental disabilities and retired in n 2015.

Scope and Content Note
The interview with Greg Arnett, conducted on June 25, 2015, in Adena, Ohio, captures a detailed account of his life experiences and career. Greg discusses his early life in Columbus and the shift to suburban living in Reynoldsburg. He elaborates on his communal living experience in Connecticut during the early 1970s, highlighting his and his wife Francie's adaptation to a new lifestyle and environment. The interview covers their brief stint in commercial farming in Norwalk, Ohio, where they attempted to manage a fruit and vegetable farm, facing numerous challenges due to their inexperience. Greg provides an in-depth look at his long career in the steel industry, describing the various roles he undertook, the working conditions, and the labor strikes that marked his tenure. He reflects on the industry's transformation and its socio-economic impact on the local community, detailing the hardships faced by workers during and after the mill's closure. The interview also explores Greg's transition to working at Belco Works, where he found fulfillment in supporting individuals with disabilities. Throughout the interview, Greg shares personal anecdotes about his family life, particularly the birth of his sons and the family's efforts to maintain self-sufficiency on their farm. He discusses the environmental and social changes brought by the gas boom in the Ohio Valley, expressing a nuanced perspective on the industry's benefits and drawbacks. The interview concludes with Greg's reflections on the importance of community solidarity, the challenges of adapting to changing economic landscapes, and his hopes for the future.