Oral History Interview with John Ledford, January 3, 2001. Interview K-0251. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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Abstract
John Ledford, the sheriff of Madison County, North Carolina, describes his job and the changing role of county sheriff in a growing area. His job requires an understanding of the personal dynamics of the county, and many of its residents expect personal service. But Madison County is growing, and its growth is changing Ledford's job. In this interview, he describes the growing conflict between new arrivals and longtime residents; the political aspects of his position; the effects of a new highway corridor that brings business, but also crime, to the area; and the increasing complexity of a job that was once local and personal. In doing so, Ledford reveals his drive to keep pace with change and his regret that Madison County cannot remain the wooded paradise of his youth. This interview offers a thoughtful look at the challenges small communities face, caught up in an increasingly connected nation.
Excerpts
The rise of negative campaigning
Job performance as campaigning in sheriff's job
Bridging gap between new arrivals and longtime residents
Working to ensure that community change is fair
Community growth brings crime
Desire to retain small-town values
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Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
Subjects
Madison County (N.C.)
Express highways--North Carolina
Madison County (N.C.)--Social life and customs
Ledford, John
Madison County (N.C.)--Politics and government
Sheriffs--North Carolina
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