|
|
This particular factory outside Chicago has gone by many names over the years, and served many purposes. But the one constant in the life of this factory is that it dealt in death in some form or another, and that there seemed to be a long chain of misfortune centered around this factory. Though not much beyond the superstructure remains, this place is interesting because of its history more so than its aesthetics.
 IMG_6857 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
It all started during World War II with a company known as the Fencil Gasket Company, which made refrigerator parts. During the change to a wartime economy the Fencil Gasket Company switched its factories to produce mortar fuzes. It was during this time this abandonment was constructed. Several munitions bunkers were built on site, indicating that mortar fuzes were definitely stored here, but it is unknown if the main building itself was actually directly involved in fuze production.
 IMG_6805 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
By 1947 the building had been sold to a company known as D.K Products, which operated as a grease rendering plant. But what was not well known at the time was that it also operated as a ranch and slaughterhouse. Horses were raised on the property before being killed on site and rendered down in the factory. As anyone who's ever been near a grease rendering plant knows, rendering plants smell horrific, and can stink up entire towns. Those horses were essentially raised from birth to death in the shadow of the slaughterhouse, constantly smelling their rendered down relatives.
 IMG_6813 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
The practice of raising horses on site came to a halt in 1952. A scandal caused an uproar in Chicago when it was discovered that horse meat was being passed off as beef in the city. Though it was never definitively proven that D.K Products was part of this scandal, it was close enough to Chicago that a lot of suspicion was cast their way, and D.K Products soon shut down the rendering plant.
 IMG_6826 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
The factory sat abandoned for an unknown period of time, likely several years, until it was purchased in 1963. Illinois Reduction Inc restarted grease rendering operations at the factory before selling it again after a few short years. The next owner would be its last.
 IMG_6810 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
In 1970 this factory was sold to Fox Valley Grease Company, yet another rendering plant that was looking to open a replacement factory after their original location got shut down by an environmental lawsuit. One of their workers had lost his house and began living in a trailer on the property.
 IMG_6848 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
Late one night in February 1979, that worker set fire to the factory. The fire started in the grease vat room and rapidly spread throughout the entire plant. Firefighting efforts were further delayed by a passing freight train blocking the road and a firetruck overturning. On a side note, a paramedic housemate of mine told me that in the emergency services world, superstitious EMTs believe that if a train delays first responders enough to cause a patient's death, then that person was destined to die. Given that the "fate train" (as she calls it) delayed firefighters long enough for the fire to destroy the factory, it makes you wonder.
 IMG_6853 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
If the worker who burned down the factory ever privately confessed why, there is no record of it. He never publicly stated why he set the fire. He was struck and killed by a passing freight train while walking home from work a few years later, thus killing the only person who knows what really happened that night.
 IMG_6844 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
The owners tried to rebuild what they could, but the factory never reopened. Instead they rented it out as a storage facility, where it was burned down a second time by an arsonist in 1985. After this fire the factory was abandoned for good, where it sits to this day.
 IMG_6846 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
Now, I'm not a superstitious man, but if curses exist then this place is definitely cursed. Steeped in death from it's construction, no business could stay open for long at the property, and it was burned down twice- with misfortune following those involved in it.
 IMG_6851 by Forgotten Interstices, on Flickr
"Sorry, I didn't know I'm not supposed to be here," he said, knowing full well he wasn't supposed to be there.
| |
Beautiful location
| |
Really cool spot.
| |
A dark and intriguing history indeed...thanks for sharing. Looks like a cool explore!
"When you've truly done something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." | |
What a haunting and fascinating story, and well told.
I come and go like a comet; we are wanderers.
Reports of our eradication have been somewhat exaggerated. |
Add a poll to this thread
This thread is one of your Favourites. Click to make normal.Click to make this thread a Favourite.
| This thread is in a public category, and can't be made private. |
Powered by AvBoard AvBoard version 1.5 alpha
Page Generated In: 42 ms
|
|
Ethics
