Society of Industrial Archeology

St Paul, MN
May 30-June 2, 2013

Web Site: http://www.sia-web.org/

A few Industrial sites visited

Faribault Woolen Mills
established 1865 - Made in America

Web Site: http://www.faribaultmill.com/

An early "keypunch"!

Northfield Woodworking Machinery
Northfield, MN
established 1920 - Made in America

Web Site: http://www.northfieldwoodworking.com/

Industrial grade machinery

Still making Babbitt bearings!

Ford Steam Plant
St Paul, MN
 

Part of Ford's Twin Cities production, this steam plan was built on the banks
of the Mississippi R in 1925 to provide steam, power & heat to the Ford plant. 
The entire facility was closed in 2011. It was the oldest Ford plant
in operation at the time.  (And, birthplace of my Ford Ranger!)

 

Old coal handling equipment

Saint Anthony Falls

Essentially the upper limit for commercial barge traffic on the Mississippi R, the falls has
been home to many early, water powered industries, notably sawmills, textile
mills and flour mills. 

From the other side of the river, and just below the falls is the famous Stone Arch Bridge,
built in 1883, originally for the Great Northern
Railroad.  You can see one of the numerous water channels which were built to
provide water to power the factories in the foreground.