While researching
a building that looked like it might have been a freight house, I learned that the industrial area between Water/Brunner Street and the IR/.../CB&Q/
IV&N railroad was occupied by the Illinois Zinc Company in 1916. By 1939, much of the smelting operation had been torn down. But the rolling mill still looked operational.
I have not been able to find any additional info on Illinois Zinc. When I Google it, I get results for the other zinc smelting plant in La Salle, Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company.
Michael Nieslawski
posted three photos with the comment: "Few Zinc Works Shots."
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I analyzed Sanborn Maps from 1888, 1897, 1906, 1916, and 1926. The apex of the plant was reached by 1916 and that configuration remained until 1926. The following two sheets are from 1926.
Comparing the 1909 and 1916 maps shows Kiln 4 and Furnace 1 were built during that interval. And the Oxide Storage building was added on the north side of the Acid Building.
There were significant changes between 1888 and 1889 and between 1889 and 1906 so I include both of the 1800s maps. Unfortunately, the clockwise rotation that I did on the screen is not reflected in the TIFF file that I downloaded. Also note on the 1888-06 and 1897-10 Sheets the "Chas. Brunner's Peru Foundry & Machine Shop M'rs of the ACME Scale." Obviously, the street along the river was named for Charles Brunner. I remember that the scale that was in the
IC Freight House in Mattoon, IL, was an ACME Scale.
Update:
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Roger Kujawa posted
Illinois Zinc company Peru, Illinois early 1900's. Probably Rock Island or Burlington served industry.
I'm glad I wasn't living downwind from that plant.
This wasn't even the only zinc mill in the neighborhood...The Mathiessen & Hegeler Zinc Mill right next door in LaSalle was even bigger. Served by the LaSalle & Bureau County. There was also New Jersey Zinc down the river a ways in DePue. |
Very nice discussion. I recently found the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps for Illinois online in color at https://digital.library.illinois.edu/collections/6ff64b00-072d-0130-c5bb-0019b9e633c5-2
ReplyDeleteBecause all the buildings are color coded by material type it is nice to have the color for better info.
Thanks so much for all your efforts, this is a great source for helping to put together a family history
ReplyDeleteMy great great grandfather Archibald Means was one of the five original stockholders of the Illinois Zinc Company and later became general manager, and his son (William Ellison Means) became assistant general manager. Found a little information on this stock photo site (apparently taken from book called "Notable Men of Illinois and Their State) : https://www.alamy.com/notable-men-of-illinois-their-state-illinois-zin-ne-of-the-most-important-industries-in-peru-111-and-one-of-the-largestplants-of-the-kind-in-the-country-is-the-illinois-zinc-company-which-wasincorporated-feb-3-1870-the-original-stockholders-were-calvin-wellsaaron-french-william-mullins-james-d-layng-and-archibald-means-all-pittsburg-men-except-mr-means-who-came-from-steubenville-othe-latter-was-the-companys-first-general-manager-after-his-death-in-may-1898thomas-f-noon-succeeded-to-the-position-the-first-president-was-calvin-wells-who-retained-the-office-until-his-image370002351.html
ReplyDeleteI wish I could find more photos of Illinois Zinc, I’ve emailed several Universities and so far no luck
ReplyDeleteI just acquired an acme scale that was Meg’s by a runner. Don’t know how to attach a picture to this thread
DeleteSend photos to bruler@xnet.com, and I'll add them. Please include "Illinois Zinc" in the subject line so that I don't mistake it for spam.
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