Moving Pillsbury Forward hosted a series called “Tuesdays at the Dock” last year in August and September. We invited former Pillsbury employees and families to come and share their stories with us. The response was great. We learned a lot about the site and what made it such a great place to work. We recorded several interesting interviews during the series.
On Tuesday, October 15 at 5:30pm the Sangamon County Historical Society has invited us to talk about what was learned and why it was important for our overall project. The presentation will take place at the Springfield Art Association at 700 N. 4th St. This is free and open to the public.
Springfield has a rich history of manufacturing. The Pillsbury Plant is perhaps the last, and certainly the largest, remaining example of Springfield’s mid-twentieth century manufacturing at its best. And it will soon be physically gone. We are grateful for this opportunity presented by the Sangamon County Historical Society. We hope you can attend.
Thanks for being a part of this important community project.
Wow! We still can’t hardly believe an original Springfield Illinois labelled wooden barrel, likely dating to the 1930’s, still exists and has been donated this month to Moving Pillsbury Forward. With the fire on Adams St. last month, our collection of artifacts took a big hit. This, however, is an incredible addition!
We have a bit of research to do on the origin of the barrel. The top of the barrel is labelled: To Pillsbury Flour Co. Springfield Ills. in black ink handwriting. In the same black ink, the top is also stamped with Stout Faulstich (sp) Baking Supply Co. (see attached photo) Clearly, the wooden barrel was sent to the Springfield Pillsbury plant in the early years of operation, likely between 1929 and 1940. If anyone out there can help add to our knowledge of this barrel we would be grateful.
Our story with the barrel begins when our donor purchased the wooden barrel at an auction about 40 years ago in Central Illinois. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Wisconsin and kept the barrel until a Central Illinois relative informed her of our project. She then reached out to us and decided to donate the barrel. We gladly accepted the donation because of the clear connection to the Springfield Pillsbury site.
One of the things we love most about the Pillsbury Project is the community pitching in and helping us learn more about the Springfield PIllsbury plant and its rich history. The positive impact this plant had on Central Illinois for several decades is just amazing.
Thanks for being a part of this important community project.
In the early years of the Springfield Pillsbury Bowling League, the basement lanes at the Orpheum downtown were home. Many teams competed throughout the season. In later years, after the Orpheum’s demise in 1965, Spillway Lanes became home for the league until 1984 when fire destroyed the building.
Pillsbury Bowling League 1948
Many thanks to the family of Ernest “Ernie” Philmon (Pillsbury employee for 42 years, and League Secretary for many years) for sharing a bit of great local memorabilia with us. The guys on the 1948 “Bohemian Rye” team sure made it look fun…even with their button up shirts and ties!
For more information on local bowling establishments visit the Greater Springfield Bowling Archives website:
The existing water tower at the former Springfield Pillsbury plant sits at a height of 210 feet atop the AB-Mill just as it has since 1929 when the building was constructed. A second water tower was added at the plant atop the C-Mill sometime between 1955 and 1965. The height was about 40 feet shorter, but it matched the look of the original almost perfectly. Many people in Springfield remember the days when both water towers stood at the plant as beacons of our manufacturing strength.
Closeup of AB-Mill water tower. Photo taken in October 2023.Pillsbury circa-1940 taken from the corner of 15th St. & Phillips Ave. The AB-Mill water tower is shown. Photo courtesy of an employee’s family.Photo of Grocery Mix Building (foreground) and AB-Mill with AB-Mill water tower. Photo by Ben Halpern (2022)
Click on an image above to see full size.
The water towers served two primary purposes. On-site storage of water at elevation created the necessary head pressure in the water lines below for both manufacturing processes and for fire sprinkler systems in the buildings. The on-site storage also allowed for continuous workflow if water service was disrupted due to water main breaks or short outages at the city water plant.
As the Springfield Pillsbury plant rapidly expanded in size during the late 1940’s and into the early 1960’s, a second water tower became necessary. Expansions during the late 50’s and early 60’s included the massive Warehouse #9 (now removed), the Turbo and Bulk Storage Buildings (attached to the South side of the AB-Mill) and the 8180 Building (now removed from the west side of the C-Mill).
Pillsbury water tower top ball from C Mill.
When the former Pillsbury/Cargill plant was sold for scrap in 2008, the water tower atop the C-Mill was cut into pieces and recycled for the value of its metal. This happened sometime between 2008 and 2013. Recently, however, the discovery of the top ball from the water tower was found on a 4th floor roof at the plant. It had apparently been cut off during the scrap operation and dropped onto the roof. There it laid for over 10 years. Now, it is part of the MPF collection.
MPF is often asked: Can we save the remaining AB-Mill Water Tower? The reasonable answer, unfortunately, is no. MPF has consulted multiple demolition professionals, and it simply is too large to bring down in one piece. Dismantling, lowering down, relocating, and reassembling the water tower would be a costly addition to an already dauntingly large project of demolition and renewal at the 18-acre site.
So…Where does this leave us? MPF is still working on the best alternative to saving the AB-Mill Water Tower. At a minimum, we have it well documented in photographs. And perhaps we can save the top ball and display it with its matching younger sibling. We are currently open to ideas. Please, give us your best constructive considerations on reasonable alternatives.
Thanks for being a part of this important community project.
East wall of 1929 built Warehouse #4 as seen Dec.2, 2022, just a month prior to its demolition due to instability. For those who took the historic tours this past year, you were able to stand in the footprint of this structure...very near the center of the plant...where even today the height and mass of the surrounding structures leaves many of us awe-struck. Photo taken by Ben Halpern.
Friends,
Moving PIllsbury Forward engaged in a preservation photography project shortly after we were able to take possession of the former Pillsbury site in March of 2022. After we spent the bulk of 2022 clearing the site grounds of unwanted vegetation and debris, we began taking a series of high-resolution exterior photos. With good sightlines open for the first time in years, this was the best opportunity we would have to capture the site and structures in their fullest before they are gone.
The complete series of photos will eventually be archived and made available within an accessible public institution. They are of archival quality and are being prepared at this time with appropriate descriptive captions. Thanks is due here to many community members, primarily former employees, for helping us understand and accurately describe what we were seeing. With your help, we are building a photo archive that honors the history of the plant and Springfield manufacturing in general. It is yet another aspect of the Pillsbury Project that is community centered and focused on getting the job done as right as we reasonably can.
Thanks for being a part of this important community project.
~ Team Pillsbury
Ben Halpern prepares to take Pillsbury preservation photo of east wall of 1929 built Warehouse #4 as seen Dec.2, 2022, just a month prior to its demolition due to instability.
Artistic and historic aspects of the Pillsbury site.
Friends,
Moving PIllsbury Forward is pleased to announce that our art and history coordinator/curator, Robert Mazrim, has created a new web location to explore the artistic and historic aspects of the Pillsbury site. Yes…these aspects of the Pillsbury Project have taken on a life of their own! Well done Robert – thank you for being such a talented and enthusiastic partner in this unique journey!
And…please know that we are still working diligently through the review process so that buildings can be fully remediated and demolished in the coming months. Our final round of historic site tours will likely be in April…stay tuned.
Thank you for being a part of this important community project!
Many of us are stuck inside with the cold weather this weekend. Now may be a good time to view a few Springfield Pillsbury videos.
The Springfield Pillsbury site has several videos that can be readily found on-line. Many were produced prior to Moving Pillsbury Forward acquiring the property. Others were produced afterwards but without permission. The first four on the list were produced as a part of the Pillsbury Project. The remaining videos are worth a look as well. They help demonstrate just how far we have come with the project.
Have a warm day!
~ Team Pillsbury
Moving Pillsbury Forward video presentation from August 2022. Locally produced award-winning video by The Storyteller Studios. 6-Minutes
Doughboy Panel from the Bakery Mix area of the Pillsbury plant.
Friends,
The Springfield Pillsbury plant was so much more than just flour milling. The local company newsletter was known as The Communicator. Over the course of several months in 1968, the newsletter had a section that highlighted each department (see attached document). The descriptions are full of visuals and information about the plant. Reading through each section gives us a broad understanding of how the plant functioned and what was produced 55 years ago. It’s hard to believe just how many products the plant made and shipped throughout the world.
masthead of the Pillsbury Springfield Safety Circle
Friends,
The Springfield Safety Circle was a monthly newsletter for the Springfield Pillsbury employees and their families. The December 1955 cover page gives us a taste of the times.
The top graphic showing the Springfield Plant as a ship is an interesting visual. The artist for the newsletter is Wynn “Wilky” Wilkins and he almost assuredly created this graphic. He was a local guy that joined the Navy during WWII then went back to work at Pillsbury after he returned. It captures the feeling of being a part of something big that takes everyone working together.
Christmas turkeys for all eligible employees and retired people. What a great company gesture for the holiday season. The distribution was south of the Bakery Mix Dock. This is the same area where our main entrance is today for tours and events…68 years later.
1161 members of the American Federation of Grain Millers Local #24 turned out for the election of officers on December 1, 1955. This was during the highest employment period at the Springfield Pillsbury plant. At that time, total employment peaked at about 1500. This included the Local #24 members, clerical staff, supervisors, and management team. The economic impact of the Pillsbury plant for Springfield was enormous.
The annual Pillsbury Hobby Show call for entries is advertised. We had a local family show us ribbons won at the hobby shows in the mid-1950’s. With prizes valued at more than $300.00 it is easy to imagine a large number of entries. If anyone can tell us where the Auditorium was located, please contact MPF, we would be glad to know.
We hope you enjoy this little piece of Springfield history as much as we have. Thanks to all the families that have participated in the Pillsbury reunion project this year. We have had a great time listening to the stories and collecting information. Stay tuned…more stories will be shared throughout the winter months!
We have had a great response to Tuesdays at the Dock. We will continue hosting community members and past employees each Tuesday through the end of September. Open hours are from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
Employees have come and given us insights into many of the tools and items we have collected. We have also taken them into the plant on several occasions and walked with them to their old work locations. It has been a wonderful learning experience and the stories are continuing to come in. This week we highlight the Wheat Rush.
The Wheat Rush at the Springfield Pillsbury plant was a big deal. Beginning in early July and lasting for several weeks, grain trucks would come from miles around to deliver wheat to the plant. The plant held more than 3 million bushels when filled to full capacity. Each of the 160 silos held 18,000 bushels. The 108 spaces between the silos held another 1500 bushels each.
Grain trucks would line up along 15th Street for several blocks. Sometimes, the line of trucks would stretch as far south as Clearlake Ave. Each truck would get tested, weighed, and dumped on the north side of the plant. A typical day during the Wheat Rush would see 700-1000 grain trucks unloaded.
The Pillsbury Neighborhood looked forward to the Wheat Rush. Children in the area would set up lemonade stands. Sandwiches and snacks were commonly sold to the farmers and truck drivers along with lemonade. The Wheat Rush was an annual summertime activity that everyone looked forward to being a part of.
