On Dec. 3, 2025, a farewell event in Chillicothe honored the shuttered Pixelle paper mill with a photo exhibit, marking the region’s economic transition.

On December 3, 2025, the Greater Chillicothe & Ross County Development hosted its annual Celebration Breakfast, marking the region’s economic shift after the Pixelle paper mill’s closure. Local photographer Matt Day presented a framed photo of the mill’s final days—captured during a five-day access period—to GCRCD leader Susan Gearhart, symbolizing the community’s reflection on industrial change. The image, featuring an unidentified worker, was produced by Dard Hunter Studios and will be part of a spring 2026 book and gallery exhibition at The History Store. Day’s project is separate from another upcoming book by photographer Gunner Barnes. The event highlighted both the emotional toll of the mill’s shutdown and ongoing efforts to preserve the area’s manufacturing legacy.