Friends,
The archival set of photographs that Moving Pillsbury Forward delivered to the Lincoln Library Sangamon Valley Collection last month is now available online at this link:
The full set of 100 photographs was composed and produced by Central Illinois photographer Ben Halpern. He worked on-site with our team members from November of 2022 to until November of 2024 to fully document the structures prior to final demolition. The archival set of photos was taken with a traditional 4” x 5” box camera on film plates. Each photo was then carefully labelled and digitized in high-resolution. Both the original film and digital sets are now permanently archived at the Lincoln Library Sangamon Valley Collection.
Additionally, the Pillsbury Historical Context report (2025) can also be found within the Sangamon Valley Collection and on our website.
Progress toward full demolition at the site continues (7/23/26). The 10,000-pound wrecking ball and crane are working this week on the north silos. A viewing area on North 15th St. right across from the silos allows for a great view. We appreciate all the community members that have stopped by to watch the work and visit with us. It is certainly impressive to see the big equipment take down these massive structures.
Thanks for being a part of this important community project!
~ Team Pillsbury