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UER Forum > US: Pacific Northwest > Swampy Brick Factory (Viewed 4057 times)
TunnelRunner33 


Location: Seattle
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 143 likes




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Swampy Brick Factory
< on 9/12/2014 6:16 AM >
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I got a tip a while back from a friend, who told me about a set of abandoned buildings in a small town in western Washington. He described them as "cannery buildings." I drove by a few weeks ago on a scouting trip, and could tell right away by the small silo on the back that the place was more likely a small cement plant or something like that. It looked to be quite easy to access, so I let Ganesha know and we made plans to check it out soon.

We went back a few days ago, in the middle of the morning on a workday. I'm sure a few people saw us stroll onto the property from the nearby park, but nobody looked too concerned. We moved towards the nearest building and discovered a small swamp of algae-covered water blocking our access to its doors, the kind that looks like little tiny lily pads. It appeared to be only six or eight inches deep, but since we were unable to see beneath the surface, neither of us was very interested in stepping in. Near us was a large water tank, on the ground in the algae-covered swamp, and from behind it in the distance we could hear the sound of running water. It appeared to be coming from a small outbuilding which was partially flooded.

We walked around the building's east side, searching for another way in. This led us to a small paved area between three buildings that probably once served as an outdoor loading dock. In the center of the dock, over what had previously been a parking and vehicle area, another swamp was busy settling in. Creatures we didn't see jumped down into the water, leaving ripples and bubbles behind them:

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It was interesting to me that the algae here was different, looking more like clumps and ropes of seaweed. We spent a lot of time here taking in the sights, and although we were visible from the busy highway nearby, the place felt too peaceful for something lame happening like the cops showing up. Ganesha remarked that once his tripod was set up, he was no longer anxious at all. At one point, three ducks flew in and spent some time relaxing themselves, ignoring us as they bathed.

We moved down to the end of the dock and checked out the forklift sitting there. Ganesha also got a nice shot of the marsh's reflections from that angle:

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One of the buildings was mostly featureless, save for an old machine of some sort (maybe a mill) that appeared to have splattered by a can of paint. The next room was partially inhabited by plants and vines, including what Ganesha's wife later identified as nightshade:

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The remainder of that structure was a cavernous, mostly empty warehouse containing a few pallets of bricks and cinder blocks, along with several pallet-sized plastic containers that all appeared to be empty. As we moved through, we discussed the building's potential as a nightclub location or a site for quality mural art. Just outside, we found a few more pallets of bricks, each carrying what seemed to me to be a sad message:

8. Poor Drew Barrymore


The smallest of the three buildings appeared to be locked up tight, and we were unable to find a way in. That left us the largest building to explore, the one we had originally approached from the opposite side. Access was simple, and just inside, we ran into the first of a few large machines. A dirty panel identified it as a "VIBRAPAC MODEL V312":

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The next room contained a few more machines, including one that seems to have been turned off in mid-production and never restarted:

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In one corner of the building, we found an exit landing that opened above the smaller swamp, the one we had encountered at the beginning of our visit. Beneath our landing, a series of three bricks formed a very widely-spaced bridge to the flooded outbuilding, from which we could still hear the tinkle of running water. I lowered myself to the bricks and made my way across:

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Inside, I found a huge water pipe, which was leaking. Clearly, this was the source of our swamps. I wondered at how long it must have been here, continually feeding all the plants and animals of the marshes. I also found a collection of bricks, which I used to expand our bridge. Ganesha and I switched spots as he checked out the room and took some photos:

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Finally, we went back inside the main building and checked out the upstairs. It was mostly trashed, and filled with crappy graffiti. We did find one room, which if I stumbled across it at night, would have probably creeped me out:

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Also on the upper floor, way in the back of a series of rooms and eventually closets, we found what had been decorated as the room of "King Boi." Outside the final door was painted "Get Out" and "I will kill you." Inside, we found a small pile of archery magazines, including "Primitive Archer" and "Bowhunter," two empty .30-06 shell boxes, and the outside jacket of one of the Hunger Games novels. Clearly, one of the building's ex-inhabitants had fancied themselves as quite the hunter. There were no actual weapons, though, and it didn't look like King Boi had been around for a while.

This site was really neat, and it had a nice mix of nature, industry, and squatter influences. It turned out to be a lot better than I had expected at first glance, and has been the best explore I've taken part in for a while.




If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire... Tunnelrunner33!
Ganesha 

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Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Gender: Male
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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 1 on 9/13/2014 5:08 PM >
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Two remarkable things about this site:
1. My wife and I have driven past it for years. It never made an impression on me, and I never thought of exploring it until TR pointed it out. I'm paying attention now!
2. Pallets of bricks in perfect condition are sitting around everywhere. There must be thousands of bricks here. Shreds of shrink-wrapping are still draped around some of them. How could the business owner never have sold them?

A few more shots:

1. The SE side of the machinery building; the "tank" and its swamp are here. We couldn't figure out whether water was passing into the tank from the ground, or from the ground into the tank. I didn't see a pump. There is a lake nearby; maybe it's an artesian spring? Or else somebody is looking at a huge water bill.


2. Greenery entering the nightshade room.


3. The lonely chair. Not staged (by us, anyway).






[last edit 9/13/2014 5:09 PM by Ganesha - edited 1 times]

"The beauty of mediocrity is that anything can make you better." -Jeff Mallett
Wheedle 


Location: Northwest Georgia, USA
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 200 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 2 on 9/14/2014 4:06 AM >
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Posted by TunnelRunner33
6.
351202.jpg (117 kb, 640x480)
click to view




That is a really old lathe.




*insert witty quote here*
JMEseattle 


Location: Seattle, Wa
Gender: Female
Total Likes: 18 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 3 on 9/16/2014 4:46 PM >
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Wow, this looks a lot different these days! Good shots boys! Keep it up!




JMEseattle on Instagram and Flickr
runawaygypsy 


Location: The Emerald City of Oz
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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 4 on 9/18/2014 4:41 AM >
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Never been there... nice shots!




Dweller in the realm of all possibilities...
Maglyte 


Total Likes: 15 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 5 on 9/18/2014 2:59 PM >
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13 is very cool




mmmm. mandias.......
aaronni 


Location: South Puget Sound
Total Likes: 81 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 6 on 9/20/2014 8:57 PM >
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Anyone else take the forklifts for joyrides?




never know until you go
billgeorge 


Location: Burnaby
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 96 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 7 on 9/23/2014 4:18 PM >
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Posted by Ganesha
My wife and I have driven past it for years. It never made an impression on me, and I never thought of exploring it ... I'm paying attention now!


Isn't that the great thing about this hobby, feeling like you've awoken to your surroundings?





Ganesha 

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Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 216 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 8 on 9/25/2014 1:57 AM >
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Posted by billgeorge


Isn't that the great thing about this hobby, feeling like you've awoken to your surroundings?




Yes, I do watch for abandonments now as I ride around. I read news stories about failed businesses and neighborhood eyesores. I look for incautious comments on photos in Flickr. I try doorknobs in buildings I never would have dreamed of entering. I spend hours in Google Maps, scrolling thru satellite photos and driving my virtual car around. And I look at fences in a whole new way.




"The beauty of mediocrity is that anything can make you better." -Jeff Mallett
ShadowLurker 


Location: Seattle
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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 9 on 10/17/2014 3:27 PM >
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has anyone taken pictures of this during the winter? looks like an amazing place!




Life, Love, Stress, & setbacks.
TunnelRunner33 


Location: Seattle
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 143 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 10 on 11/6/2014 8:27 PM >
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Posted by AaronNi
Anyone else take the forklifts for joyrides?


I never even thought about trying to turn it on. I guess I just assumed that it wouldn't work, would require a key, or both. There was a truck parked on the property as well that clearly hadn't moved in a while.




If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire... Tunnelrunner33!
bbyman 


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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 11 on 12/22/2014 2:15 AM >
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Reminds me of a place I stopped at on Vancouver Island a few years back, and a place me and Redux checked out awhile ago...1.


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Ganesha 

Former Moderator


Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 216 likes




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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 12 on 12/23/2014 2:46 AM >
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The VI brick factory looks like a really good one; lots of machinery, catwalks, etc. In very good shape. And so many bricks; an awesome waste.

TR and I found a huge amount of abandoned bricks at another Seattle-area site too. As a Seattle homeowner I know that brick structures (excluding facades) cost extra to insure against earthquakes, to which this area is vulnerable. Could be why so many brick manufacturers failed.




"The beauty of mediocrity is that anything can make you better." -Jeff Mallett
Triodug 


Location: Seattle, WA
Gender: Male
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Triodug used Bodyslam

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Re: Swampy Brick Factory
< Reply # 13 on 12/26/2014 9:06 PM >
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Awesome find!

I love the look of the swamp lingering outside the entrance.
2spooky4me.




Bananas are good. Always bring a banana to a party.
UER Forum > US: Pacific Northwest > Swampy Brick Factory (Viewed 4057 times)


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