Exploring a disused military ammunition depot brings back thoughts of the Walking Dead. Perhaps it is because I have been binge watching the post-apocalyptic horror series on television, or rather that I have a fascination with post-human interactions. And because of that, I went through my archives and found some great images that I have never shared that evokes that resemblance.
Tag: Industry
Much thanks to everyone who came out to Old Crow Distillery along Glenns Creek in Kentucky! The weather was perfect – partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures provided the perfect exploring experience.
Revisiting an old friend at a whiskey bar, I was reminded of a Mark Twain quote. Just like the old friend, I repaid another visit to Old Crow Distillery.
Champion Paper, which later became Champion International Paper, International Paper and then SMART Papers, was a paper mill in Hamilton, Ohio. Once employing 5,000 and boasting the largest facilities in the nation, the factory was the bread-and-butter of the working-class city.
For decades, the Old Taylor Distillery near Frankfort has endured a precipitous decline from its halcyon days as a jewel of the Commonwealth’s bourbon industry.
I miss the January and Wood Company in Maysville, Kentucky. Dating to 1834, the firm was a cotton mill that diversified into synthetics. It closed in 2003.
Nestled amidst the storied distilleries that comprise the Kentucky Bourbon Trail lies Old Crow Distillery, a once-proud producer of such esteemed whiskey brands as Old Grand Dad, Bourbon DeLuxe, and Sunny Brook. Alas, the distillery’s operations fell silent in 1987 when it succumbed to a buy-out from the formidable Jim Beam corporation, its competitor.
The abandoned skeleton of Joseph & Feiss looms over the motorists along Interstate 90 in Cleveland, Ohio, a derelict that has only been a little more than a decade in the making.
The Frank Sherman Company was a former scrap metal dealer in Youngstown, Ohio that incorporated in 1947 and closed in 2001 after it was discovered that fraudulent transactions were occurring between the company and Valley Forge Inc. of Salem. Valley Forge had entered into an agreement to sell scrap metal produced from Valley Forge, which he was part owner, to the Frank Sherman Company for cash payments Swindell did not report as income. The Frank Sherman Company prepared false invoices, which did not bear the name of Swindell from Valley Forge.
Situated on the outskirts of Middletown, Ohio, the Harding-Jones Paper Company stood as a rare surviving vestige of early Ohio industry. This paper mill, predominantly under the ownership of the Harding and Jones families for generations, held a significant place in the annals of the state’s history. Its strategic location along the Miami-Erie Canal further underscored its importance.
A well known landmark for ruin, the Republic Rubber Company was located in Youngstown, Ohio and manufactured tires and hoses for the automotive and aerospace industries. At its peak, Republic employed 2,300 with a payroll of $4 million. The company merged with several companies over the years and nearly came to an end in 1978. Several employees bought out the remains of the business and formed Republic Hose Manufacturing, which lasted until 1989.
Wean United was located in Youngstown, Ohio. It was a manufacturer of equipment that was used to process and finish flat rolled steel, steel and iron rolls, iron castings, coupling boxes, annealing bottoms and boxes and steam hydraulic forging presses. It was equipped to produce castings and rolls weighing up to 100 tons.
A while back, I ventured to Krypton, Kentucky to visit a small closed surface coal mining operation. It is located along the CSX Eastern Kentucky Subdivision, which was formerly part of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.
Southwestern Pennsylvania was once known for its local breweries, with loyalty to specific beers often determined by one’s place of residence. The Victor Brewing Company, founded by Frank Maddas in 1907 with a capital of $400,000, exemplified this trend.
Nestled along the winding New River in Fayette County, West Virginia, lies Nuttallburg, a town forged from the ambitions of English entrepreneur John Nuttall. With foresight and determination, Nuttall acquired land rich in coal seams, anticipating the arrival of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in the early 1870s.
Some time back, I revisited Jeannette Glass in Pennsylvania as I came across an outdated article regarding its pending demolition. Fearing that Jeannette could be gone sooner rather than later, I packed my bags, hopped into my car, dialed up some music and pointed my compass east.
Shenango China was once one of America’s great restaurantware and dinnerware manufacturers. Located in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Shenango produced Incaware, “Castleton China” and “American Haviland,” along with other brands and styles.
The opportunity to document a significant industrial site facing the threat of demolition is a rare occurrence, as most sites are inaccessible due to security concerns, reluctant owners or property managers, or liability issues. However, nestled in a corner at the junction of Lisbon and Evins streets in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad and the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate) converged, stood a collection of businesses that left an indelible mark on Cleveland’s history, growth, and influence.
Situated along East 79th Street in the Kinsman neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, the Van Dorn Iron Works once stood as a bastion of industrial prowess.