Abandoned Industries

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Indiana

Farmers Grain Company

The former Farmers Grain Company elevator of Carlos, Indiana is located on the abandoned Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railway. Construction began in May 1920 and was completed later in the year at the cost of $33,500. ¹

Kentucky

Massachusetts

New Jersey

Baker Castor Oil Company

The Baker Castor Oil Company, later owned by CasChem and Vertellus, manufactured castor oil and other food oil products.

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

West Virginia

West Virginia Malleable Iron Company

The West Virginia Malleable Iron Company was incorporated in Heights (later North Point Pleasant) on September 11, 1902, and produced malleable iron castings. ³ Buildings included a foundry, finishing shop, boiler and engine house, pattern shop, carpenter shop, core room, offices, and storage.

Malleable iron initially cast is brittle and made malleable by a special heat treatment at high temperatures. ³ At the time the plant was built, the company produced bed castings and tank lugs, and later castings for other industries, growing to compass over 1,000 patterns. The largest consumers of the castings were the automotive, railroad, and farm equipment industries. Most of the customers were outside of the state, although some of the castings were sold to West Virginia entities, mostly in the mining and electrical industries. One of the most unique orders came from New York City for 25 miles of chain to be used in its sewer system. It was cast in six-inch lengths and hooked with pins.

In the early 1970s, the coal-fired furnace was replaced with two electrical furnaces to reduce pollution. ³ In September 1973, the Warren Tool Company acquired the Malleable Iron Company, which was operated as a subsidiary until the plant closed on February 11, 1983. At its height, Malleable Iron employed 250.

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Further Reading

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Sources

1. “Industrial and Financial.” Indianapolis News 20 May 1920: 29. Print.
2. “Historic Boneyfiddle Region (Entry 47).” Scioto County Government, 23 July 2007.
3. Williamson, Helen. “West Virginia Malleable Iron Co.” History of Mason County, West Virginia, Mason County Public Library, Point Pleasant, WV, 1987, pp. 463–464.