Acme Steel, Chicago Coke Plant
I first found two related prints in the coal bunker a while back. I was thrilled to find them and they were in almost perfect condition. I don’t remember but I’m pretty sure I never found any in that building again. I started finding them, a couple a week, in the main office and I […]
I first discovered this item in the BP office weeks (or months?) ago. It was tipped over and right in the middle of the room, resting on it’s side. I wasn’t shocked that some animal had felt the need to kick it over, but it did seem odd it was in the middle of the […]
Bitterly cold morning, but not nearly as cold as it could have been. I think it was around 15F by the time I got to the plant but I was well dressed and ready to go. As usual I came in around the quench station. It might be questionable to do so when I intend […]
I came across John’s card during my business card exploration recently. But I just filed it along with all the other coal/coke sales related cards (of which there were a few). That is, until I found a fax last weekend. As was expected at the time, a proper cover sheet would have to be filled […]
Slept poorly Friday night for unknown reasons but knew I needed to get myself up and at ’em. A big snow storm was in the works, so I knew I had to leave the plant by 2pm. I had two distinct missions for the day. The first was to get back into Dick O’ Hearn’s […]
It was quite an undertaking to collate and research some 150+ cards found in the assistant division managers office, but that is exactly what I have accomplished. There were a number of interesting cards – interesting for a number of reasons – which I’ll cover here. They shed more light on the plant operation and […]
I guess things have really gone off the rails when you have to make a ‘to do’ list in outline format before you visit the coke plant. But on my 12th visit, that is exactly what I did. It starts innocently enough – you think about all the fun activities that await you the following […]
Very excited to share another great contribution from my friend Doug. Doug worked for Interlake/Acme from the mid 70s until the plant closed. At that time he was area manager for ovens. After more than two decades between the coke plant and Riverdale mill, Doug has seen it all and again he shared info that […]
I have been lucky enough to find a total of three lidman training guides. The most recent, was a giant 50 page binder, complete with quizzes for each chapter and an answer page. I first watched the video above a couple months ago. Even at less than a minute long, I am fascinated. But after […]
I have used Google Maps satellite view as a tool for exploring the property since before my first serious visit. This overhead view reveals details of every structure including the remains of other since fallen or destroyed. More than once, I have been unable to see or understand a structure even when I was nearly […]