Nebr Trip

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

I have kind of been planning my Trade Fair trip and was wondering if anyone had the address of where the old Fairbury plant is or was? As most of you know I am a picturehaulic and I enjoy taking recent photos of historical sites to compare with vintage ones. I can see Dempster from Googleearth so I can find it, what about any other factories in the area? I know there were several mills built in that part of the state but I am just starting my research, thanks

[Wayne]

Have you checked with Christopher at the Windmillers' Gazette? If anybody has an address i bet he would be one of them.

[topcop491]

Not sure about the Dempster plant, I was there a couple years ago. They were talking about tearing down most of it. I was given a tour of most of the plant, it was not in the best of shape. I think that the city was wanting to revitalize that section of town. The plant has not been in use for some time. Wish I would have had a camera with me that day. J.D.

[Dave Straub]

There is nothing left of the Fairbury plant in Fairbury. I had an old timer stop by here about 12 years ago with his son and said he worked there for about 1-1/2 yrs. He was now 93 yrs old now. His job was to prepare molds and pour gearbox castings for 14' Fairburys that were being shipped to Oklahoma. He was supposed to do 4 of these a day.
One day a fellow employee next to him spilled molten cast Iron on the floor next to him and spattered on his shoes and caught fire. He suffered severe burns on his feet. After he was released from the hospital he came back to work and went to his boss and said I'm not working here no more. I quit. He also told of other things that went on at the plant and he was very interesting to listen to. I told the son he should write down all the memories he could remember of working at the plant and email that to me. I really pushed the idea for him to do that and gave the son a business card. Alas, I never heard back.