Manistee Iron Works facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Manistee Iron Works Machine Shop
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Manistee Iron Works, July 2012
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | 254 River St., Manistee, Michigan |
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| Built | 1906 |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000477 |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 2010 |
The Manistee Iron Works, also known as the Excello factory, was a company that built things in Manistee, Michigan. Even though the company isn't around anymore, the factory building they made in 1907 is still a famous spot in Manistee's old downtown area. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
Contents
History of Manistee Iron Works
The Manistee Iron Works started in the 1870s. It was a place where metal was melted and shaped (a foundry) and where machines were fixed or built (a machine shop). In the late 1880s, the factory began making large machines. These included pumps and special pans used for the growing salt industry in the area.
Fires and New Construction
A building that was there before burned down in July 1901. At that time, a newspaper called The Ludington Chronicle said the iron works was "one of Manistee's best industries." It was doing a very big business.
In 1904, the Manistee Iron Works got a huge job. They were hired to build "a complete salt-making plant" for a company in England. This order was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. People at the time said it was probably the biggest order ever placed by an English company for American-made goods.
The factory building you see today was built in 1907. It's located at the corner of Jones and River Streets. This rectangular brick building is two and a half stories tall. It is 120 feet wide and 270 feet long. It has a pointed roof (gabled roof) and is still a well-known landmark in Manistee.
Life at the Factory
During the 1930s, some workers from the factory were part of the Manistee Iron Works Band. This band played music in parades and at other events in the area.
In June 1947, a fire badly damaged the main part of the factory. Another fire in January 1948 destroyed the section where machine parts were made.
The plant finally closed down in 1981.
Cleaning Up and Rebuilding
In April 2003, the State of Michigan called the property a "brownfield redevelopment project". A brownfield is an area that might have pollution from past industrial use. This special name helped get money to clean up heavy metals and other pollution at the site. It also helped encourage new building projects there. The property was also part of Manistee's tax-free Renaissance Zone, which helps new businesses.
In 2010, the machine shop part of the Manistee Iron Works was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In the late 2000s, a movie company called 10 West Studios used the factory. In 2009, 10 West filmed parts of their movie "What If...?" in Manistee, including at the old iron works.
About the Manistee Iron Works Building
The Manistee Iron Works Machine Shop is a rectangular building. It measures 260 feet long and 120 feet wide. It has a pointed roof (gable roof) with a tall, wide, gabled section on top. The whole building is seventy feet high.
The building has a steel frame inside. It is divided into three parts. There's a wide middle section with two lower, narrower sections on each side. The front and back walls are made of dark red brick. The south corner of the building used to have a two-story office area. This office had its entrance on the southeast side.
