Budweiser Brewery
St Louis, MO Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here is the historic Budweiser Brewery in St Louis, MO. This St Louis location is one of its 12 breweries that offer public tours (5 locations offer these tours).
Sanders Plant (Demolished)
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's the old Sanders Confectionery Plant in Detroit, MI. Even sitting abandoned, it's easy to imagine the days when this massive factory was busy turning out chocolate, hot fudge, and other sweet treats that became a Michigan tradition. By the time this photo was taken, the famous Sanders lettering had already disappeared from the front of the building. 06-07
For generations, Sanders was one of Detroit's best-known names. The company built a loyal following with its candy, baked goods, ice cream toppings, and dessert shops throughout the region. This Oakman Boulevard plant served as the heart of the operation for many years before production eventually moved elsewhere.
After Morley Candy Makers purchased Sanders in 2002, manufacturing was relocated to the suburbs, leaving the old factory behind. It didn't take long for the vacant building to begin showing its age, and without the large Sanders sign across the front, the place lost one of its most recognizable features.
It's always a little sad when an old factory like this goes quiet. Buildings that once smelled of chocolate and candy somehow seem even emptier after the machines stop running.
UPDATE: Sanders was a Detroit tradition for over a century when they closed down all the stores. The company that took over the Sanders name has started reopening them. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for update. 02-08
Sanders Plant
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the old Sanders plant is gone. The abandoned building was destroyed by fire in 2012 and later demolished, leaving the site vacant. The Sanders name lives on, but this longtime Detroit factory is now just a memory. 07-26
Cardiff Hill
Hannibal, MO Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's the marker for Cardiff Hill in Hannibal, MO. As the sign proudly points out, this is the hill made famous by Mark Twain in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. If you've read either book, it's easy to picture Tom and Huck roaming these same hills overlooking the Mississippi River. 07-08
When Mark Twain was growing up in Hannibal, this was known as Holliday's Hill. He later renamed it Cardiff Hill in his novels, forever connecting the real place with two of America's best-known fictional characters.
A walk to the top is well worth the climb. The hill is home to the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse, reached by a long staircase that rewards visitors with sweeping views of the Mississippi River and downtown Hannibal. At the base of the hill, you'll also find the well-known bronze statue of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn welcoming visitors to one of Missouri's most famous literary landmarks.
For anyone exploring Hannibal, this is one of those stops that helps bring Twain's stories to life. It's easy to see how the town inspired so much of his writing.
UPDATE: Cardiff Hill remains open and continues to welcome visitors, although the historic metal marker shown here has reportedly disappeared. The lighthouse, statue, and scenic overlook are still popular stops for anyone following in Mark Twain's footsteps. 07-26
Colgate (Closed)
Clarksville, IN Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's the giant Colgate Clock in Clarksville, IN. If you're anywhere near Louisville, it's almost impossible to miss this enormous timepiece overlooking the Ohio River. Measuring 40 feet across, it's one of those roadside attractions that makes you do a double take. 02-08
The clock has quite a story. It was originally built by the Seth Thomas Company in 1906 for a Colgate warehouse in Jersey City, New Jersey. When a larger clock replaced it there in 1924, the original was carefully taken apart, shipped to Indiana, and mounted atop the Colgate-Palmolive factory in Clarksville, where it's been keeping time ever since.
For decades, the giant clock watched over the busy factory below as toothpaste, soap, and other household products rolled out the doors. When the plant closed in 2008, the future of both the building and the clock became uncertain. For several years the famous landmark sat dark, leaving a pretty noticeable hole in the skyline.
Fortunately, the clock wasn't forgotten. After years of planning and restoration, it was relit in 2025, bringing one of southern Indiana's best-known landmarks back to life. Seeing those red neon outlines glowing again had to bring a smile to a lot of longtime residents.
The old factory itself is getting a second chance as well. Plans are underway to transform the massive complex into a mixed-use development with restaurants, shops, housing, and public gathering spaces. It's always nice to see an old industrial property find a new purpose instead of disappearing altogether.
UPDATE: The giant Colgate Clock is once again operating and lighting up the skyline after its 2025 restoration. The former factory is now the focus of a major redevelopment project that will give new life to one of southern Indiana's most recognizable landmarks. 07-26
Annheuser-Busch
Grand Rapids, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's the old Anheuser-Busch Icehouse in Grand Rapids, MI. At first glance it looks like a handsome old brick warehouse, but a closer look reveals a few clues to its past. The original Anheuser-Busch terra cotta medallions are still built into the exterior, making it easy to recognize the building's connection to the famous brewery. 07-08
Completed in 1905, the building wasn't a brewery at all. Instead, it served as an icehouse and cold-storage depot where refrigerated rail cars carrying Budweiser could be re-iced before continuing across Michigan. Long before refrigerated trucks, this was how beer stayed cold on its journey from St. Louis to taverns throughout the Midwest.
Annheuser-Busch terracotta building
Grand Rapids, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Buildings like this were an important part of Anheuser-Busch's growing distribution network. While local breweries were making beer nearby, the company was shipping its product hundreds of miles by rail, using facilities like this to keep everything cold along the way.
Fortunately, this building escaped the fate of many old industrial structures. Rather than being demolished, it was carefully restored and adapted for a new use. During the renovation, many of the original features were preserved, including the heavy timber framing, stable doors, and even the old roof cupola.
Annheuser-Busch logo
Grand Rapids, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The Anheuser-Busch medallions are still the highlight. It's always fun finding details like these that connect a building to its original purpose more than a century later.
UPDATE: The old icehouse has been beautifully restored and now serves as the headquarters of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The historic brickwork and original Anheuser-Busch terra cotta medallions have been preserved, making this one of Michigan's best surviving reminders of the company's early distribution network. 07-26
Sanders Plant (Demolished)
UPDATE
Cardiff Hill
Colgate (Closed)
Annheuser-Busch
Annheuser-Busch terracotta building
Annheuser-Busch logo
