RUST BELT IN INDIANA-PAGE 2
INDIANA RUST BELT PAGE 1
Nov. 2008 image by author
One of the last remaining buildings from the Studebaker factory in South Bend, IN. I think this
was the foundry.
>Nov. 2008 image by author
Detail of the Studebaker foundry.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Inside the Studebaker foundry. The last time car parts were manufactured here was 1963. 45 years later it looked like this.
Nov. 2008 image by author
This ex-Studebaker assembly building is typical of early 20th century manufacturing architecture: Multi-level masonry construction with hundreds of glass pane windows. 21st century
auto plants look nothing like this.
Nov. 2008 image by author
The remains of the Wilson Brothers Shirt Company, next to the remains of the Studebaker factory, in the remains of South Bend.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Homes on the hill above the Studebaker factory in South Bend. Note the old fashioned TV antennas. A remote control
box in the house could control the motor to change direction of the antenna (see below).
Nov. 2008 image by author
Our Lady of Hungary Catholic Church - South Bend.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Behind the Hurwich Iron Company, also in South Bend.
Nov. 2008 image by author
A bar in a former Polish neighborhood in South Bend. In the background is St. Casimir's Catholic Church.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Rail cars next to the former Bendix Corporation plant in South Bend. Thankfully the attractive structure has
been maintained over the years. Bendix made automotive and aircraft parts. The facility is now occupied by Bosch and Honeywell, also aircraft parts companies.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Behind the former Bendix plant in South Bend.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Another side of South Bend: Notre Dame.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Hummer factory in Mishawaka. "AM General" was originally the defense contract arm of American Motors.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Elkhart County, Indiana is the location of over a dozen RV manufacturers. None of these plants are very photogenic, but here
is a typical one: Gulf Stream in Nappanee.
Nov. 2008 image by author
Detail of downtown Nappanee, IN.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Living next to the General Electric plant in Fort Wayne, IN.
Nov. 2009 image by author
One of the G.E. factory buildings in Fort Wayne. In 1969 10,000 people were employed
by General Electric in Fort Wayne.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Detail around the General Electric buildings near downtown Fort Wayne.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Superior Essex wire factory along the Saint Mary's River in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
>Nov. 2009 image by author
Elevated water towers are ubiquitous in the Midwest, because of the need for "head" for
water pressure. These Fort Wayne houses are in the shadow of a water tower that serves the Paragon Tube plant, which was originally one
of the General Electric factories of Fort Wayne.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Former International Scout factory in Fort wayne. The workers were represented by U.A.W. Local 2357.
>Nov. 2009 image by author
Another Fort Wayne scene is Uncle Lou's Steel Mill Tavern across Taylor Street from the Valbruna Slater Stainless
Steel mill.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Ward Aluminum Casting foundry in Fort Wayne.
Nov. 2009 image by author
Auto parts supplier Dana maintains this Fort Wayne plant. Perhaps this is the factory where
Dana made their famous Dana 44 rear axle.
Nov. 2009 image by author
The neighborhood around the Dana plant in northwestern Fort Wayne looks like some kind of Levittown.
Nov. 2019 image by author
U.S. Steel's Midwest Plant near Portage, Indiana.
Nov. 2019 image by author
Part of the huge steel mill at Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan. This was the last integrated steel plant built in America in the 1960s by
Bethlehem Steel. It is now operated by Arcelor-Mittal, and remains and integrated plant with ore yard, coke ovens, blast furnaces, and steel finishing plants.
Google Street View image
General Motors Metal Fabricating plant with downtown Indianapolis in the background.
Google Street View image
GM Metal Fabricating Division plant was actually built in the 1930's, although you can't tell it by
looking at this picture.
Google Street View image
UAW Local 23 office beside the now-closed GM Metal Fabricating Plant in Indianapolis. Before they
closed the facility, GM did have a buyer for the plant - JD Norman Industries - but the buyer wanted such deep concessions from the
union, including throwing out the existing contract and a 50 percent wage cut, that they overwhelmingly voted to prevent
Norman's purchase. A Local 23 union member was quoted in the news as saying, "You just can't live on $15.50 an hour. I lived
on twice that for the past 4 years." The GM Metal Fabricating plant closed in 2011.
Google Street View image
Railroad and rail sidings running beside GM Metal Fab toward
downtown Indy.
Dec. 2011 image by Brian Anderson
Indianapolis Coke was a merchant coke plant that was slated for demolition at the time of this photo.