Armour Meat Packing Plant, June 23, 2012. Update: Finally demolished in the spring and summer of 2016. The roads shown in the maps were mostly built as shown.
A couple of years ago, the new Mississippi River Bridge website published the following satellite image of the path of the Illinois approaches to the new bridge. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that only a portion of the historic stockyards around the old mule pens were in the way of the new road. My favorite ruin in the St. Louis area, Armour Meat Packing, sat uncomfortably close, but nonetheless safe for the time being.
You can understand my chagrin when I recently visited the site and found this new satellite image had been uploaded. If you look closely, you can see that new access road planned to be perpendicular to the new I-70 ends right in front of the main buildings of Armour. I would assume they plan on extending that road further, which of course would go right through the plant. Perhaps it’s time for you to see it before it’s gone.
Chris: You wrote: " satellite image of the path" but didn't give a link to where the photo/graphic came from. I'ld like to have a look at that URL/site, please.
http://www.newriverbridge.org/images/I70connection.jpg
Hey Chris. My plant is right there on route 3. I'll ask around and see if I can get any information on their plans. I know that Darling International is planning on expanding their plant right next to Armour and will be buying a good deal of the old stock yards property.
Nick:My name is Gary Brown, a member of the National Steam Engine Preservation Society. I have read recently that the 100+ year old Armour Plant in Fairmont City has been purchased and demolished by a third party.
My interest is in the preservation of the machinery within the facility. Though I have known of the existence of these machines for some time, I was just recently made aware of the demolition of the structure.
Can you please provide any information you may possess as to the disposition of this machinery? If the machinery within the building has not been removed, destroyed or sold, our organization would like to take steps to purchase and recover these machines.
Your time and any information you may have is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Gary Brown
National Steam Engine Preservation Society
Gary, the engine was acquired by a historical society in Illinois. They will be restoring it and putting it on display.
Is there any sort of address? I would really like to visit but I have no idea how to get there.
Technically, the address is 2 Exchange Ave, East St Louis, IL 62201. The current “caretaker,” really just a scrapper who has laid claim to the structure, will throw you out if you visit.
Also, St. Louis Patina does not endorse or otherwise encourage the visiting of vacant buildings on private property.
Thank you, I’ll remember to keep my distance.