History and peace keep Karns City man surrounded by family in northeastern Butler County ‘compound’
The history of Erich Myers’ family in Karns City goes back to the borough’s beginnings. His love of the area and what it has to offer is what keeps him here.
Myers, born in Butler Memorial Hospital, grew up in Karns City. When he was 6 years old, his family moved to West Virginia for his father’s work, but they moved back to the area when Myers was 13 years old. He started a job three years later and has been with the company ever since.
“I work at Diehl Automotive Group in Butler,” Myers said. “I have worked there since I was 16 years old. I’m 38 now, so 22 years, I have been there.”
Myers describes his family as a “car family,” so the job at the dealership makes perfect sense.
“I was brought up being around classic cars and hot rods, and my grandfather and uncle own a used car lot, so it was kind of in my blood,” Myers said.
The Myers family and their history goes all the way back to Karns City’s development.
“My grandpa and his brothers were the first ones to build out here,” Myers said.
The history of Karns City goes back to late 1871 when landowners Hugh P. McClymonds and Samuel L. Riddle leased land to two Cooper brothers for farming.
“My great-grandfather bought the first piece of land here back in the ’50s,” Myers said. “He worked at the steel mills.”
The family owns 100 acres in Karns City. There are currently seven houses on the land, all occupied by Myers’ family. Erich Myers and his wife built their house on the land in 2016.
“We call it ‘the compound,’” Myers said.
The original home on the property was the farmhouse, where Myers’ grandfather and his brothers grew up. They began building on the property from there.
“Our family has been in the area for a long time, so we wanted to be close to the family and stay in the area,” Myers said.
Karns City offers many elements that keep Myers in the area, including the seclusion and privacy that he appreciates, along with the many outdoor activities that can be found in the area.
“I always loved the area. I like being out in the country with not a lot of people around, and (with) a lot to do — hunting, fishing, lakes, the river,” Myers said.
The convenience of still being close to Pittsburgh, but not too close, is not lost on Myers, who enjoys short trips to the city, including outings to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play, but is excited to return home afterward.
“(I) can’t wait to get back home, away from the city atmosphere, at the end of the day,” Myers said.
Short visits are great, but the city will never be a place he would choose to live.
“I would take a day in the woods over a day in a crowd of people any day. Northern Butler County has a lot to offer for the things my family enjoys doing. And I like the small towns the people you get to know in them,” Myers said.
Myers and his wife have talked about moving in the past, but know it is unlikely.
“My wife and I joke all the time about leaving everything behind and moving to places like Tennessee, Montana or the Carolinas. But I don’t see that ever happening. We will be here forever,” Myers said.
The couple figures, why move when you have everything you want and need right here.
“The areas we want to go to (have) the same things we enjoy here. It’s just a different flavor of the same grass,” Myers said with a laugh.
