Category: News

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward will host an open house at Pillsbury from 9am to Noon on Memorial Day, May 27. The dock area (16th St. & Phillips Ave) will be open for viewing of the “Roll Call” wall and a new street art tribute to former Pillsbury workers. 

We now have over 1300 employee names on the “Roll Call” wall. Local artist and granddaughter of a long-time Pillsbury worker, Jen Santarelli, has been keeping up with additions to the wall this past month and we have had many requests for another opportunity to gather with friends and family for photos. Well…we decided Memorial Day is perhaps the best opportunity for a community gathering. Come on out and enjoy this impressive tribute to the workers.

Engraved Pillsbury bricks will be available for purchase for $20 each. We have a limited supply in-stock. And, a site history and discussion about the Pillsbury Project will take place starting at 11am. We look forward to seeing you on Memorial Day!

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

Team Pillsbury 

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward has partnered with the Pillsbury Neighborhood Association, SIU-Med School Students, and the City of Springfield to initiate a Spring cleanup in the Pillsbury Neighborhood. 

Friday morning from 9:30 to Noon we will be picking up litter in the neighborhood and collecting bulky items (tires, televisions, furniture, etc.) in an effort to improve the quality of life for the neighborhood residents. 

Here are the details:

• Meet at the corner of 15th St. and Phillips Ave. (Pillsbury’s front yard) starting at 9am.  
• Trash bags, gloves, safety vest, and bottled water will be provided.
• Sign-in tent volunteers will be prepared to get you started.

This is MPF’s 5th year in partnering in this Spring cleanup initiative. Please join us if you can.

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

~ Team Pillsbury

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward is celebrating Earthday with a huge effort to have our bricks from Warehouses #4 & #5 recycled for use in new buildings. Over the course of the next two weeks over 200 tons of brick from the Pillsbury Plant will be sorted, stacked on pallets, and hauled to new construction sites where the bricks will be re-used. We are working with a midwest brick recycler that brought in a crew and all the equipment to get the job done at no cost to us.

The overall project is aimed at recycling over 95% of the bulk materials (concrete, wood, brick, and metal) from the structures as they come down. Last year we recycled over 40 tons of wood timbers and 100 tons of metal from the site. It is great to see the forward progress with a project design that is earth friendly. 

Thanks for being a part of this important community project!

~ Team Pillsbury

Friends,

Jen Santarelli, local artist and granddaughter of longtime Pillsbury employee Walter Santarelli, has utilized our compiled list of nearly 1200 employee names to create a wonderful memorial to the PIllsbury workers. The memorial wall on the east side of the Bakery Mix Building will be accessible for viewing and photo opportunities during our tours. Jen will be present and available on Saturday during open tour hours (11am to 3pm). She will have our existing list for families to view and make additions as needed. We want as many employees represented as possible. Jen has named the memorial piece “Roll Call”.  Wow! What a powerful and inspiring addition to the overall Pillsbury Project.   

Free public tours are this Saturday, April 6th at Noon and 2pm. Tours begin in our south dock entrance (at the corner of 16th St. & Phillips Ave.). Tours last about one hour with several stops within and around several buildings. The tours are on a generally level concrete surface but sturdy shoes or boots are still recommended. Last Fall our tour guests ranged in age from 2 to 90 years old…everyone is welcome to attend! No reservations are necessary. There is ample parking in our south lot and along 15th St.

The guided tours have a focus on the Historic Pillsbury Era (1929-1991) at the site. Many former Pillsbury employees have been interviewed this past year. They have generously shared their knowledge of the site so that it could be shared with tour guests during the tours. 

Engraved “Pillsbury” bricks will be available ($20). Donations for tours are encouraged but not required.  And, micro-pantry food donations will be accepted. Our Pillsbury Neighborhood micro-pantry has been a great success. Download a recommended donation list…

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

~ Team Pillsbury

Friends,

Pillsburied promises to be an immersive experience like no other…Mark your calendar…Bring your friends.

Thursday (3/28) 6-9pm & Friday (3/29) 6-9pm.  413 E Adams St – Downtown Springfield 

“Pillsburied” is a new pop-up art exhibit and installation that serves as a sequel to the popular “Visitors”
event held at the abandoned Pillsbury factory last November. This time, over 2 tons of artifacts, art, and
curiosities have been installed in a long-unused space in downtown Springfield. The result is an
immersive experience that reflects the history, decay, and unique art-making activities found at the
Pillsbury site over the last year. Guests will be able to experience a new version of the energy and
mystery that has been created by several artists working at the factory, and will also have the
opportunity to purchase art made at, from, and about the Pillsbury site. Like the “Visitors” event,
“Pillsburied” represents a unique art project in the Springfield community.

The Pillsburied exhibit is sponsored in part by Moving Pillsbury Forward and Highlander Renewables
and was curated by Robert Mazrim.

The exhibit is located on an upper floor of 413 E. Adams Street in downtown Springfield. It will be free
and open to the public for two nighttime gatherings on March 28 and 29 from 6pm to 9pm. Admission
is free, but donations to support the artists are encouraged.

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

Team Pillsbury

fossilaerosol.com/pillsburiedhome

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward will host Spring tours on Saturday April 6th at noon and 2pm and again on Saturday April 13th at noon and 2pm.

These are anticipated to be the last two days of guided historic tours on site. As in the past, the tours are FREE and Open to the Public. Tours begin in our south dock entrance (at the corner of 16th St. & Phillips Ave.) Tours last about one hour with several stops and photo opportunities within and around several buildings. The tours are on a generally level concrete surface but sturdy shoes or boots are still recommended.  Last Fall our tour guests ranged in age from 2 to 90 years old…everyone is welcome to attend! No reservations are necessary.  There is ample parking in our south lot and along 15th St.

The guided tours have a focus on the historic Pillsbury Era at the site. Many former Pillsbury employees have been interviewed this past year. They have generously shared their knowledge of the site so that it could be shared with tour guests during the tours.  Yes…tour guests will also see a good bit of quality street art/graffiti. Our resident artists have been busy!

Engraved “Pillsbury” bricks will be available ($20).  Cash donations for tours are encouraged but not required.  And, micro-pantry food donations will be accepted both tour days. Our Pillsbury Neighborhood micro-pantry has been a great success. 

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

~ Team Pillsbury

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward has been in the news and making progress this month.  Last week we secured contracts for $1.5M with the City of Springfield. Dean Olsen with the Illinois Times wrote a great article explaining our financial progress on the overall Pillsbury Project.

https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/moving-forward-with-demolition-18122743

We also took advantage of great weather last week to advance our preservation photography project.  It was dry in the AB-Mill basement so we took a few pictures of the Millwright workbenches. This is the area of the plant where the Millwrights kept their tools and planned for upgrades and repairs throughout the entire facility.  Mid-Twentieth century manufacturing at our Springfield Pillsbury plant included in-house design, maintenance, repairs, and metal fabrication that was truly impressive. 

Thanks for being a part of this important community project.

~ Team Pillsbury