By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

WILTON – Mayor Joe Fancher has served the town of Wilton for the past 40 years, and he plans to continue for another four.

“Wilton is my home. It’s all I’ve ever known,” Fancher said.

Fancher, 81, has been the town’s mayor for the past 15 years, and served on the town council for more than 40 years.

“Wilton is a Mayberry-type town,” he said.

Fancher, who has been married for 51 years, worked in a steel mill for 31 years.

“No matter who wins, Wilton will still be here,” he said. “We’ve come a long way. It’d take all day to talk about everything that has changed. We’ve got everything we need.”

Fancher said the town has always revolved around the railroad.

“The railroad is the main thing,” he said. “It’s a railroad town. People went down here for excitement and to meet the trains.”

Fancher said in years past the town had a school, meat market, store, two hotels and a café.

“Back in those days, (the University of) Montevallo was all girls, but they came down here to eat,” he said, laughing.

Fancher plans on being mayor for at least the next four years.

“I wouldn’t trade that for anybody,” he said. “There are not many changes I’d make either.”