History of the Site is Now Available

Friends,

We are excited to announce that the Pillsbury Historical Context report has been finalized and is now available to read on our website. Robert and Curtis did a fantastic job bringing this together and creating such a thorough report. The interwoven details are remarkable.

The Springfield Pillsbury site represents perhaps the last large-scale remnant of mid-twentieth century manufacturing in our community. Buildings that housed Hobbs, Weaver, Allis-Chalmers, and Sangamo Electric all met their end years ago with little archived documentation.

With the Pillsbury Project, we have done our best to reasonably account for what took place within these buildings and document what that meant for the greater community. We hope you enjoy our work on this endeavor. We are grateful for the many people who have worked on the project, providing us with historical information and the many items of memorabilia. A hard copy of the report has been delivered for curation to the Lincoln Library Sangamon Valley Collection (SVC). In the coming weeks, our full set of archival photography will also be delivered and made available through the SVC.

“Pillsbury Mills in Springfield lasted only three generations. Now, as the physical plant faces demolition, the legacy of Pillsbury endures—not only in the city’s economic history but also in the lives of the employees and their families, who benefited from the health care and educational opportunities provided by the company. As people gather to share their memories, the old factory transitions from a ruin to an enduring part of Springfield’s history.”

Thanks for being a part of this important community project!

~ Team Pillsbury