Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Lever Soap Plant of Saint Louis was built in 1953 and lasted nearly 50 years in operation, before closing in 2001 as a result of restructuring.
"Lever Brothers was a British manufacturer founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever (1851–1925) and his brother, James Darcy Lever (1854–1910). The brothers had invested in and promoted a new soap making process invented by chemist William Hough Watson, it was a huge success. Lever Brothers merged with Margarine Unie in 1930 to form Unilever." - wiki
It had been a while since my last visit here.. Always a fun and dangerous place.
Update: Lever Soap Plant has been demolished.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Crunden-Martin manufactured woodenware and metal goods in this location from 1891 to 1990.
"As early as 1882, the St. Louis riverfront became the nation's chief distribution point of wooden and willow wares. The woodenware trade included an extensive variety of articles including buckets, casks, tubs, ladles, bread bowls and other household utensils. Willow ware included baskets and other articles. With the rising local industry came associated cordage, rope, brooms, wrapping paper, paper bags, stove polish and axle grease. During WWII, Crunden-Martin manufactured helmets, stoves, buckets and five-gallon gasoline 'jerry cans' for the U. S. military.jpg"
In 1990 Crunden-Martin filled bankruptcy and the buildings were sold at auction two years later.
On December 8, 2011, building #5 (constructed in 1912) caught fire. Luckily the majority of the damage was limited to the top three floors.
Source: https://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/05000013.pdf
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
"The Powell Square Building was constructed in 1916 as the headquarters for the John T. Milliken Pharmaceutical and Absorbent Cotton Plant. When Mr. Milliken died from pneumonia three years later, he was said to be the richest man in St. Louis. The buildings architect was William Wedemeyer, who's architectural firm is the predecessor of Wedemeyer-Cernick-Corrubia, which still operates today."
"In 1926, the building was purchased by the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill Company. The transaction was unusual in that as part of Fulton Bag's payment for the building on Cedar, their former building at 12 South Seventh Street was transferred to Milliken Pharmaceutical, who moved into the building and remained for several years. The building on South Seventh still stands and was renovated several years as the Fulton Bag Lofts. Photo above ca. 1930 from the Georgia Institute of Technology."
"In 1952 Fulton Bag added the truck dock addition to the east side of the building, also completely constructed of formed concrete. in 1956, Fulton Bag moved to a new building constructed for the company on Gustine Avenue. General Fibre Company purchased the former Milliken plant in 1957 and occupied the building for several years. Between that time and 2001, the building had numerous owners/tenants, one of which was the Dan Powell Co. Inc., which gave the building its current name Powell Square."
All research credit goes to (and above text shamelessly word for word copied from) Paul @: Vanishing STL
