Tiger Stadium

Nicholson File Company (Demolished)
Anderson, IN
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Check out this old smokestack from the Nicholson File Company in Anderson, IN. Rising high above the old factory, it's the kind of thing that makes you slow down for a second look. Even without a flashy sign, this was a roadside landmark in its own way. 02-08

The factory started out as Arcade File Works before Nicholson bought the operation in 1900. Over the years the plant expanded and eventually became the company's main manufacturing facility after production moved from Providence, Rhode Island, in 1959. The factory remained busy until it closed in 1978.

There's just something about an old brick smokestack. Even after the factory was abandoned, it was a reminder of the thousands of people who once worked here.

UPDATE: The factory and smokestack have both been demolished, so this is now just a memory. 07-26

Starship Enterprise Barn
Delta, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The Starship Enterprise Barn outside Delta, Ohio, takes barn decoration into another galaxy. A giant mural of the USS Enterprise covers the side of an otherwise ordinary farm building, giving passing motorists something besides cornfields to look at. Captain Kirk probably wasn't expecting this stop. 02-08

The mural depicts the ship from the original Star Trek television series, which debuted in 1966. Its familiar saucer and engine nacelles make an unusual match for a rural Ohio barn, but that's part of the appeal. Sometimes an unexpected subject is all it takes to turn a farm building into a roadside attraction.

UPDATE: The barn has been reported as retaining its Enterprise mural, although its current condition hasn't been independently confirmed. The painting date also remains uncertain. It's certainly a memorable addition to northwest Ohio's back roads. 07-26

Coral Farmers Elevator & Co-op (Demolished)
Coral, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's the Coral Farmers Elevator & Co-op towering over Coral, Michigan. The weathered wooden structure was once a busy agricultural stop, with railroad tracks running alongside for loading grain. Even after the rails disappeared, the elevator remained one of the town's most noticeable landmarks. 02-08

In 1909, a train took an unexpected detour onto the elevator's loading siding. Mistakenly switched from the main line, it broke through a barricade and came to rest across Bailey Road. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. The elevator continued serving farmers for many years, eventually depending on trucks instead of railcars.

UPDATE: The old wooden elevator has been demolished, and the site is empty. Its disappearance changed Coral's familiar skyline, removing a structure that had long connected the little community with the surrounding farms. 07-26

North Side Boat Club
Quincy, IL
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The North Side Boat Club in Quincy, Illinois, could almost pass for an old interurban station. Its tower, original lettering, and prominent 1909 date give the building an unusual look along the Mississippi waterfront. This one deserves a closer look, boat or no boat. 07-08

Founded in 1894, the club was part of Quincy's competitive rowing tradition. Its first clubhouse opened on Bay Island in 1896, then traveled by barge to its present location in 1909. Architect Martin Geise redesigned the building with a Mission-influenced facade, giving it the distinctive appearance that still catches the eye today.

UPDATE: The North Side Boat Club remains active, and its historic clubhouse survives along the riverfront. The old lettering and distinctive tower are still part of the scene—a fitting landmark for a boat club whose own building once arrived by water. 07-26

Elks Club (Demolished)
Findlay, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's the old B.P.O. Elks Lodge No. 75 clubhouse in Findlay, Ohio. With its substantial brick facade and decorative details, it looked more like a downtown hotel than a meeting hall. Buildings like this gave a lodge a presence well beyond the front door. 02-08

For generations, the clubhouse brought members together for meetings, meals, and community activities. Its downtown location eventually placed it in the path of Marathon Petroleum's headquarters expansion, which reshaped the surrounding blocks with new offices, parking structures, and other facilities.

UPDATE: The historic clubhouse was demolished during Marathon's expansion, but Findlay's Elks continue elsewhere. A new lounge opened in 2019 with major financial support from longtime member Roy Schwinn. The organization found another home, although the grand old brick building is gone. 07-26

Delhi Bridge
Delhi Mills, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's the Delhi Bridge over the Huron River near Ann Arbor, Michigan. The narrow iron truss and wooded surroundings make this crossing feel a long way from the interstate. It's easy to appreciate why neighbors wanted it repaired rather than replaced. 05-08

The crossing's iron-bridge history dates to 1883, when the Wrought Iron Bridge Company supplied a replacement for an earlier wooden span. Storm damage later complicated its history, and researchers disagree over whether the original truss was repaired or replaced. After a 2005 closure, local preservation efforts helped secure rehabilitation in 2008.

UPDATE: The bridge continues serving traffic across the Huron River, with additional maintenance helping keep the crossing in use. Its roughly 109-foot truss remains a distinctive part of Delhi Mills and a welcome survivor among Michigan's old iron bridges. 07-26

Medusa Cement (Demolished)
Detroit MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's a look at the Medusa Cement silos along the Detroit River. The towering concrete bins are hard enough to miss, but it's the giant "grain top" sign that really catches your eye. Industrial signs like this don't get much bigger. 07-08

Although this wasn't a manufacturing plant, the terminal played an important role in moving cement around the Great Lakes. Ships unloaded powdered cement into the massive silos before it was transferred to trucks for delivery throughout the region.

By the time this photo was taken in late 2005, the property's days were numbered. The City of Detroit had purchased the site as part of the riverfront redevelopment project that would eventually become today's Detroit Riverwalk.

UPDATE: The silos and their giant rooftop sign have since been demolished to make way for the Detroit Riverwalk. It's a shame the sign couldn't have been saved. 07-26