The Foundry Marshall, TX - Thread - Urban Exploration Resource

I'm not a full member so I can't edit the original post but I did some extensive research on this place last week while in Marshall.

The gps location given was spot on but not for this building. The one given was for an existing company that has been there since 1973. I explained to some of the people working there what I was looking for and they had no idea what I was talking about. The manager brought me into a control room with a bunch of guys who had no idea where the location was. He called in all of the workers from the shop, showed everyone the photos and one guy remembered it. I was shocked at this guys kindness in shutting down the operations of the entire company to help me find an abandoned building!

I managed to locate the lot where the facility used to be. Its now just an overgrown field with cracked slabs and junk. The actual location is 33.5503826, -94.3622294

I then explored a nearby grain elevator and headed downtown. I was directed by the county clerk to a city historical library where an 80 something year old man looked up info on the foundry and the grain elevator. Below is the text of what he was able to dig up:

(Unreadable)
By John Woods

The Marshall Car Wheel and Foundry was first known as the Marshall Manufacturing Company. It was originally established in 1875 by John F. Dickson and associates. Mr Dickeson came from England to Marshall.

The institution has always been a gray iron foundry. At first the castings were mainly used for job castings for railroads and sawmills in the Marshall. (sic).

Charles Cobb Sr. became a major stock holderand partial owner in the company in the year 1880. The name of the corporation was changed to the Marshall Car Wheel and Foundry Company, Inc. In the early 1884 company began casting railroad car wheels and break shoes (sic.). In the year 1885 Charles Cobb Jr. became connected with the corporation as an officer during the early 1890's. The Marshall Car Wheel and Foundry Company added to their present lines of production logging cars and team cars for handling timbers for sawmills in this locality. At about this time E. J. Fry Sr. Was president and Charles Cobb Jr. Was Secretary and Treasurer.

In the early 1900's the Foundry increased its capacity further by adding a general line of jobbing castings of gray iron. The institution went along on this basis until the year 1936.

The castings of cast iron soil pipe and cast ironsoil fittings was added to the Foundry's general line of production in 1936. Since then they have gradually expanded from time to time their production on these two items has increased very, very materially. Soil pipe and soil fittings now are one of the chief (the rest is unreadable).

There was an article published August 31, 1884 in the New York Times with the following:

TEXAS CAR WHEEL WORKS BURNED
Galveston, Texas, Aug. 3(?). - A special to the News from Marshall, Texas says, "Fire this morning destroyed the Marshall Car Wheel and Foundry Works, seven residences, one hotel, and one store. The loss on the car wheel works is $100, 000; insurance 22, 000. Two hundred men are thrown out of employment. The car wheel works will be rebuilt at once. The total loss is estimated at $120, 000; insurance $40, 000."

It was pretty cool talking to the old man about the historical aspects of the buildings and what life was like back when these old buildings were in their prime. I always try to imagine what it was like being there and look past the graffiti and crumbling structures. People spent years of their lives living and working in these places, supporting their families and had the same worries we did.

Im glad someone was able to grab some photos of the place before it was torn down. At least now it will not be forgotten.