Hey Instinct!, been subbed to you for a few month already. Love your videos. Youre kind of cute too. Profile pic makes you look like some guy who uses his own private jet or something, & maybe you do? ( its the sunglasses! lol) Wont lie, thats what drew me to you lol. hah.
@@MobileInstinct Im in a puddle of emotions right now.. not lol. Hey, always wanted to say that i really like your travel Vlog intros, how you have it split into 4 screens. Very creative..
I as well as many family members worked here for many years. The xrays ypu saw were from us employees breathing in the asbestos dust etc and were continually checked during our course of employment Yes i am now 63 and still own four complete different sets of everyday dinnerware and also fine china that were purchased while working there at discounted prices I have so many wonderful memories of working here
@Alexa Thank you. I was going to comment too but then I figured why waste my time. Trump supporters have got to be some of the most ignorant people. Democrat vs Republican isn't even the issue. His supporters just don't see the damage Trump has done or what an embarrassment he is to our nation. Sad and scary at the same time. Be well, keep safe.🥰
Mr. Jackson. My. Aunt. Worked. In. This. Factory. She. Worked. In. Inventory. Control. And. Was. Very. Up. Set. She. Talked. To. My. Mom. Her. Sister. That. The. Place. Was. Going. Under. She. Worked. There. 20. Years. It. Was. A. Sad. Year. For. Many. People. Who. Lost. Good. Jobs. To. Foreign. Competition.
Way cool, totally cracked me up when you said that you bet everyone in the surrounding area has a dinner set at home from pillaging the factory LOL. Always good to watch your channel, great original work!
Normally with mills/plants shut down it’s a out of the blue decision as far as the employees are concerned. But even still that’s a insane amount of inventory to just leave.
After seeing so many of these types of videos it seems like when businesses go under people seem to just walk away, but I'm still overwhelmed of the waste of products 😪
America is littered with sites like this. We worship the wealthy and allow them to exploit vast regions of land and huge segments of the population. When the wealthy are done exploiting the area, they move to another site! Like an infection
@@jeremiahguy32 Not so in this case. They operated for almost a century in one place and made livings for tens of thousands of people. When the Chinese were given "Favored trade nation" status the death warrant was signed. They could not compete with slave labor at 25 cents an hour. The "Wealthy" made this region wealthy one small person at a time. I am sure they closed unwillingly.
@@RRaucina that region has never been wealthy... Have you been to the place you are describing? Because I've lived it for nearly 40 years... I'm sorry, but you don't have a clue
I can see in my mind a lowly factory employee standing there kneading that lump of clay and the boss calling a meeting of all the workers to tell them that the factory is now closed. So they all leave the building somewhat shell shocked and confused. In the meantime there sits that lump of clay looking then like it does now.
I lived there and my next door neighbor worked there for years. Bittersweet to get an inside glimpse into where she worked. She has passed on. Now I'd love to ask her more specifics about what she did there.
This is fantastic! I love the contrast between the collapsing structures, and the fragile china sitting untouched in some spots. Great coverage of the place. Might have to check this place out next time I'm in PA
It kills me I'm 47 and I lived in a mill town and I was a mill (rat) worker as were my parents American industry was powerful and now it's all over seas because we want outrageous wages though I believe we certainly deserve competitive and fair wages .This is what killed all these wonderful factories .we have lost so many skills ..We would be helpless in some areas if China and other upland coming countries cut us off wake up people before it's too late I miss the noise of working mills ..You should too.God bless America.
take a closer look at the math what do the companies save on labor? what are the increased shipping and import taxes? what are the taxes? what are the regulatory expenses? when you look into these topics, you will be outraged. My hope is that your outrage is directed where it belongs and not at China.
I agree that one of the big mistakes the U.S. did was raise prices to outrageous, including what people make an hour. I have met so many rich people who make enormous amount of money at their jobs and all they do is sit in chair and answer the phone and they have so much money that they could never spend it all in a lifetime. Raising the wage this high is craziness.
Bringing back that type of manufacturing is nearly impossible. Mostly because Americans will no longer work assembly line jobs. In my area, every manufacturer has help wanted signs and no takers. Hell, American colleges graduate hundreds of thousands yet we need to import tech and medical workers. Face it, young Americans mostly just don't want to work.
@@XANDRE. I read an article from 1992 La Times 10 Companies sued for lead in china...they listed some high end brands, Fitz n FLoyd, Mikasa,Plztgraff??Sp, not shenago but it stated that certain glazes can have lead, some things labeled lead free still contain lead just under 90pp?? The ceramic itself is not toxic is would be the glazes, if there was a danger.
For me, this is one of the saddest videos, of yours. It truly does speak to the problem with/in America. We used to be great at making, building, so many things. We used to be a huge exporter. Certainly, American products, particularly American-made tableware, were in use in all American homes. I bet the steel frames, ceilings, walls, and kiln frames, in this building, were made in Pittsburgh. In fact, why would they not set-up in PA, with the steel capitol being so very close? Americans used to do things, like this, because there was an entrepenurial spirit, within us all. Sadly, the low-cost of Chinese (Indian, Bolivian, Guatamalen, etc..) imports being so accessible (via Walmart, Amazon, for instance) to the average American, and that most will not pay the few extra dollars, to support other Americans, is what has killed this country. This is one reason it's been so easy for the gmen to close down our businesses; all we are, anymore, is a service industry (and political corporation.) Take away services, and we are relying on other nations to bring, to us, all we (think we) want or need. However, Americans have a chance, right now & with everything shut down, to get this figured out and worked out . How many will take that chance? Less than 1%, I bet, will even try. Btw; World Series 1958; I was born right after the Yankees won game one, against the NY Dodgers (yes, NY had three teams, Mets, Dodgers, and my faves, Yankees.)
Totally agree with you. Lesson learned that China makes all the PPE for our medical staffs around the country and we're at China's mercy to get it because greedy corporations won't pay American workers to make it here. That's what we get. We did it to ourselves.
@@outsider238 sad but so true. I agree that we need to begin yet again making ALL that we need/consume. If the top brass of the companies would require 1000 Times the salary of those actually doing the work, we could do it.
@Brian Landers Sure, but, cars take as long to pay off, today, as they did back then.. Trump'le is the same as other POTUS', as all he wants is what Israel wants. He will NEVER put America, first, and this is why I despise him, too. I felt the same about all of them, in my lifetime, with the exception of the ineffectual Jimmy Carter. He was a good man, unable to get much done. The rest, since him, have been actors (ALL of them), and CIA (like Bill CLinton and Obama. Awful folk, the lot of them, including the Donald.)
From New Castle... As I recall the last Co. that bought them almost immediately closed them down. It was basically a raid to get all their contracts & moved the work to the new parent Co's plant. Huge hit on the local economy. 2 uncles & my grandfather once worked there...
Chest X-rays were pretty common in factories that used some kind of hazardous material in their manufacturing process. In this case probably silica. There was probably also a lot of asbestos used. They didn't start requiring abatement until the late 80s, if I recall correctly. I did see some pipe insulation that looked like asbestos. Cool video 👍. Thanks for sharing.
The sand was used to keep the plates from warping in the kilns. That place was Massive! Such a shame to see the boxes of dishes toppled over. It takes a lot to break the dinnerware for diners! I have some old Buffalo China. I swear that you could play hockey with the bowls and never chip one. I can't imagine the heat from the kilns! Just to think that so much work was done by hand! This was an incredible explore! Stay safe and healthy! Thank you for sharing a part of your day with us!
1991 was not so far back and I thought there would be alot of comments from people that worked this factory. Such great work you are doing exploring these places. Thank you.
One of the best exploration videos I’ve seen! Thank you for showing us. I do feel sad because they closed down in 1991. Very melancholy feeling, to wonder about all the wonderful people who made such beautiful chinaware art, and where their lives took them. 🇺🇸❤️🙏🏼
The ones with the flowers are from the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphuric Springs,WV. It’s there signature design. I bet they would love to get their hands on those. Great video.
I was just thinking last night wow I wonder where Chris is. I hope he’s ok. Hope you’re doing good. And I love this video. I want a set of those dishes. Lol. And the weird part is they just got up and walked away. Even the clay was left where it was when they were working it. It’s a literal time capsule. Just incredible. It’s a live museum.
This video has to one of the best video I have ever seen on exploring a abandoned business that looks like a snapshot of the 1950’s. I enjoyed this video as you guys did a great job. Also this former factory looks like an environmental hazard as the large bags with black sand look like Hazmat bags used in removing hazardous materials such as asbestos related materials. I have seen this type of Hazmat bag used before removing floor storage tiles made with asbestos. The men who worked in this completely contained former retail store(TG&Y) had to be dressed in Hazmat environmental protection suits in which they had to go thru a decontamination prodigal which included dressing down with full showers and deposing all protection suits every time exited the store.This is one place to everyone should stay clear of this old china factory due environmental and structural hazards!
I've just read thru all the former comments thinking the same, and why it hasn't been mentioned until YOU! The building is obviously condemned and dangerous, I would love to get my hands on some of those fixtures and would even pay for them, but it has to be owned by the city or county now and the asbestos is one huge risk. The black cylinders look like crucibles, and there were holding or mixing tanks which once held liquids, so other potential contaminants are there... mercury and lead probably.
Usually when a place like that closes you'd see a liquidation sale of some sort. Astonishing. Only the plant's last operators could explain why there wasn't. One of your best!
Absolutely incredible place! Allot of areas that you were looking in were DEFINITELY from the 30s-40s, maybe earlier! It was clear from the plumbing and brick work that a lot of that factory was built in that era
Shenango was sold in 1968 to Interpace Corporation, and then resold again to the Anchor Hocking Corporation in 1979. All Shenango production stopped in 1991, as the company couldn't rise above increased labor costs and the popularity of inexpensive imported china.
Hi Chris. Thank you for this fascinating tour. I hope you are staying safe. I sure did enjoy visiting one of the best channels on UA-cam once again (Iceland is still my fav). 👍☮️
My favorite UA-cam channel by far. I really love your vlogs you make where you visit movie sets.. Keep up the good work, and if you ever decide to feature something in the nw arkansas area, I've got some ideas on that my guy...
Still a lot of value in that old factory. I don't know who owns it now, but if they were smart they could probably make a few bucks just letting people pick through it.
@@PnwOnTour When you consider that an investment of 50 cents could yield $5, that's quite a potential profit on a larger scale. The place is admittedly risky, but I still think it's a potential goldmine.
Mind boggling how it looks as if everyone punched out one day and never returned! How does a company leave forklifts and other expensive equipment behind? The lack of vandalism and scrapping is pretty amazing too! Obviously there's been some but from other abandoned vids I've seen, other locations wouldn't have left one single dish unbroken! Great video, thanks! 👍
I'd like to point out that those plates are not finished (only biscuit fired and not yet glazed) so are not suitable for sale or use as dinner ware. The company was merged/consolidated with 2 others and production moved to Syracuse China in NY. Indeed the company required chest x-rays to verify whether employees had lung damage as exposure to silica dust was prevalent amongst those in the pottery industry. Thank you for filming this abandoned facility, and recommend others to stay away unless you know how to protect yourself from the potential threats (lead, asbestos & silica etc.)
Great video! Sad to see all that good china go to waste, and thanks i noticed the respect of putting back things in the same place after handeling , thanks.
Hi, Chris and Jay. Always a pleasure to watch your adventures. Dear Lord, couldn't they have donated that inventory to those who needed it? What a sinful waste. Makes me weary of this disgusting side of the human race. Awful! Charles
When our factory closed I had to throw out NEW laptops, tools , new phone’s, it was sickening the amount of new equipment we threw out because we can not donate. Because people would sue the company
fantastic work as usual, i really am amazed that all those plates, cups etc are still there when there's charity places that could find a home for them, or even a local museum could be interested in saving some of the better stuff
this was a high volume operation - there is no museum that wants more than a very small sample ...and no charity shops could handle this volume ... in fact, the china charity shops get already sits around on shelves for years - it's among their least salable items. Give it to the poor, you're thinking? Who's going to pay to buy it (yes, some creditor corporation still owns these assets), wash it, repackage it, transport it, distribute it, legal fees, etc.? You? Sometimes junk is just junk
The Lawrence County Historical Society in New Castle, where this factory was located, has various displays of the products produced there. (I have numerous pieces due to my grandfather being a foreman there....started out in the mixing vats)
@@uncleTedK who's not a coward, you can lung infection from mold an fungus in the abandoned places, so he can be not a coward without lung cancer, or other respiratory issues. Think before you do safety first.
You know what's crazy? I was looking for thick restaurant plates and bowls to use at home. They get bucks for used, scratched up Shenango china on Ebay. There are actually people who collect it.
I remember this pottery when it was thriving. I applied for a job here in 1983 as a Ceramic Engineer. This bring back so many memories and makes me very sad to see
The asbestos in there will be off the chart!! Did you see the slabs of it lined up in the kiln? A mask is a good idea for future - stay safe and thank you for yet another amazing video
I'd also be careful in the section that you think was closed down even while the rest was in operation. Pretty sure arsenic was used in the coloring of china years ago
It's nice to have someone walk you through that has SOME KNOWLEDGE of what they are looking at.... and YES, you were correct most of the time. this really is an excellent and interesting video.
speaking from the collector and nerd part of me, that paper work should kept and documented. some historical society would love this including some of the back markings that should be documented along with the plates themselves. Might be some unknown marks. This is the stuff I look for when picking. This is important history.
6:12 Judging from all that white "dust" on the floor from the making of china, it's reasonable to assume that lung problems were common, hence the large number of xrays. At least they were aware and had medical help onsite.
yes that was a big problem with a lot of stuff in the '80s many many places like that that made stuff used asbestos products and workers were exposed. hair dryers to coffee pots to China to a whole lot more mesothelioma lawsuits everywhere still.
Honestly? I’ve watched tons and tons of urban exploration videos from various channels and this specific video.. it lives rent free in my head. It boggles my mind how much untouched stuff there is.
I can relate!! , haha.. We have portigese\italians and germans in my family. Everything resolves around different dinnnerwear and food they talk about food! and constantly bake... Family gatherings are freaken crazy, but i dont know if id change anything in the world for it..
Interesting, I've been past past the factory many times. My dad grew up nearby. I knew it closed, but always saw security. Not china, basic pottery-ware, not worth much .
Welcome to northern Pennsylvania. Lots of these old factories our way , most of them steel though this is great , I never knew about this in the old mafia town . Good job .
Anyone else a little freaked out around 10:40? Those ovens... immediately I was arrested by the thought of being caught in there when they were cut on, and no one knowing.
I was going to ask how you managed to find snow, but then I read your comment. I know that when exploring you're supposed to leave nothing but footprints, and to not take anything... but maaaaan those bricks would make great landscaping around my flowerbeds, and those black pot-things would make great planters!!
Great tour. I worked in Aerospace and have visited many factories but never would have imagined such a huge complex for dinnerware. It's truly a waste to see all the inventory that could have been liquidated. Those shelves would also be in demand even today. Like you said, no one cares.
People care, they are just locked out by environmental and safety laws, which also create tremendous expense should you choose to legally operate...... even a reclamation effort. The building is obviously condemned now also...
@@deendrew36 No , I was just guessing the possibilities of why someone would abandon such a huge inventory. Especially to not even offer it all to soup kitchens, shelters, etc.
Jan Wells ah...got it. It’s possible, although he doesn’t mention it. Just said they went out of business. I wonder if anything could be found out online?
You can't beat the old restaurant plates. They were meant to be banged around by dishwashers, thousands and thousands of times. I was one of those dishwashers in 1974 and believe me, there was no gentle handling.
How are you guys feeling 8-9 months later after filming this video? The chest X- Rays concerned me even more then i was before you found them. I searched this place on Google, and did not find any thing related to Health Complications, but I would be cautious about MOLD, BACTERIA, AND TAINTED AIR CONTAMINATES
Oh there's definitely Asbestos in that building which is fine to be around if it's not disturbed but if parts have fallen down then they move it around in any way creating just a little amount of dust and that's it's they are exposed. You're so right they must start where N95 masks or better while ruffling through these old places or they will get serious lung problems if not Mesothelioma Cancer!
Found the following about the reason of the shut down: "In 1968, Shenango was sold to Interpace Corporation, and 11 years later sold again to Anchor Hocking Corporation. The company was shut down, and the factory was closed in 1991, as they could not keep up due to increased labor costs to produce fine china while popularity of inexpensive imported china grew."
@BaldBippy The Chinese government is creating jobs for Chinese people. That is what governments are supposed to do, take care of their own people. It is not China's fault that the US government cares more about the fake stock market than American workers.
@BaldBippy Amen. The pollution in China is probably worse than the heyday years of Coal-fired Pittsburgh, too. The contamination and pollution there now, is worse than ours ever was.
the "water tower" area at 14:52 looks like it was destroyed by fire from where you were standing to the "water tower" part of the building. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing place with us! Keep 'em coming, but stay safe!!!
thousands of manufacturing facility's where abandoned during the 80-2000s the main reasons where economics and federal regulations but truth be told unions started adhering to employees quest for health and safety. if it is manufactured it contains by-products that effect humans health and safety. that china dinnerware factory most likely could not afford to manage regulation put forth by federal regulators. close down and abandon the building probably the lowest cost.. BUT with the amount of by product leeching into the surrounding soil over the years it will never be cleaned up. unfortunate this is a common practice in past years. a good example is the cerro wire manufacturing plant on long island and grumman plume on long island.... check out whats polluting your state here.. scorecard.goodguide.com/index.tcl
As sad as I am that our manufacturing left to go to China, it took all the pollution and contamination with it. Back in the 70s, every river in the country was poisoned by it and they are still trying to clean up the sites where the factories stood.
This video was filmed in early winter 2020. I never posted it but given all this down time I thought you all might like to see it.
Hey Instinct!, been subbed to you for a few month already. Love your videos. Youre kind of cute too. Profile pic makes you look like some guy who uses his own private jet or something, & maybe you do? ( its the sunglasses! lol) Wont lie, thats what drew me to you lol. hah.
@@PopCultureFan_ Haha thank you! No jet unfortunately.
Think you meant winter 2019 dude. Cool video 👍
@@MobileInstinct Im in a puddle of emotions right now.. not lol. Hey, always wanted to say that i really like your travel Vlog intros, how you have it split into 4 screens. Very creative..
EMH that’s just what I was thinking. I would love to have a couple of things. Shame...such a shame!
I as well as many family members worked here for many years. The xrays ypu saw were from us employees breathing in the asbestos dust etc and were continually checked during our course of employment
Yes i am now 63 and still own four complete different sets of everyday dinnerware and also fine china that were purchased while working there at discounted prices
I have so many wonderful memories of working here
why this factory got abandoned ???
why this factory got abandoned ??
gurpreet singh I guess they went out of business. 🤷🏼♀️
So interesting Michelle, would love to hear more history on it.Couldn’t imagine what xray’s we’re doing in a china plant.
Computer printouts for what?
What a shame. Can't understand why the dishes weren't donated or why the company wasn't forced to clean up...Thanks for sharing!🥰
Dale Hansen stupid
Dale Hansen yer stupid
Such a waste!! Clean it up and sale what you can.
@Alexa Thank you. I was going to comment too but then I figured why waste my time. Trump supporters have got to be some of the most ignorant people. Democrat vs Republican isn't even the issue. His supporters just don't see the damage Trump has done or what an embarrassment he is to our nation. Sad and scary at the same time. Be well, keep safe.🥰
@@iloveglobalwarminggodbless5059 Who said anything about cleaning it all up??? It just seems a pity that they aren't being used.
A crying shame, that's important industrial history left to rot.
Alex Jackson Industrial heavy duty waste site for the most part😟
Mr. Jackson. My. Aunt. Worked. In. This. Factory. She. Worked. In. Inventory. Control. And. Was. Very. Up. Set. She. Talked. To. My. Mom. Her. Sister. That. The. Place. Was. Going. Under. She. Worked. There. 20. Years. It. Was. A. Sad. Year. For. Many. People. Who. Lost. Good. Jobs. To. Foreign. Competition.
Sadly most of the jobs were lost to China much like the textile industry in North Carolina. Maybe one day we will wise up.
Ironic, no? China made in America has americans go to China to make China for America and China. Woah, my head hurts
well your parents and grand parents let it happen , ask them
@@sterlinsilver Oh damn that hurts. I need some Excedrin now--thanks.
Interestingly enough, I seen an exploration video similar to this of a textile plant that also closed down due to industry lost to China.
Shutup! Loser!!!!!
What a shame.. so many dishes and some were really pretty... such a waste... Thank you for sharing.
It's so sad seeing this I grew up in New Castle and my grandmother worked there before it closed down in 1991.
Way cool, totally cracked me up when you said that you bet everyone in the surrounding area has a dinner set at home from pillaging the factory LOL. Always good to watch your channel, great original work!
Haha I would not be surprised! Quality stuff and it's right there
Normally with mills/plants shut down it’s a out of the blue decision as far as the employees are concerned. But even still that’s a insane amount of inventory to just leave.
After seeing so many of these types of videos it seems like when businesses go under people seem to just walk away, but I'm still overwhelmed of the waste of products 😪
America is littered with sites like this. We worship the wealthy and allow them to exploit vast regions of land and huge segments of the population. When the wealthy are done exploiting the area, they move to another site! Like an infection
Collect and gather the good one then sell it in the market rather then waste it like that in the warehouse.
@@jeremiahguy32 Not so in this case. They operated for almost a century in one place and made livings for tens of thousands of people. When the Chinese were given "Favored trade nation" status the death warrant was signed. They could not compete with slave labor at 25 cents an hour. The "Wealthy" made this region wealthy one small person at a time. I am sure they closed unwillingly.
@@RRaucina that region has never been wealthy... Have you been to the place you are describing? Because I've lived it for nearly 40 years... I'm sorry, but you don't have a clue
@@jeremiahguy32 Watch a few videos in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India to discover just how wealthy the poorest guy in Pennsylvania is.
Haha and here I am eating off paper plates cause I can’t find good cheap dish ware 😂 time for a trip
Mister Brent I’m coming too. Meet ya there?
I use paper plates because I can't afford a dishwasher lol but I would like to get my hands on these dishes 😁
You and thousands of others no doubt - so annoying and wasteful!!
Ha haha...
Brent Rykala field trips
I can see in my mind a lowly factory employee standing there kneading that lump of clay and the boss calling a meeting of all the workers to tell them that the factory is now closed. So they all leave the building somewhat shell shocked and confused. In the meantime there sits that lump of clay looking then like it does now.
Lol 6:31
No
i missed the forklifts when we were there. kinda regret not walking through the kiln too. this came out soo awesome
Is this place in Pennsylvania?
@@C.dieslevonankwek7 yes
The snow falling is poetic
Winter of American manufacturing....
I lived there and my next door neighbor worked there for years. Bittersweet to get an inside glimpse into where she worked. She has passed on. Now I'd love to ask her more specifics about what she did there.
This is fantastic! I love the contrast between the collapsing structures, and the fragile china sitting untouched in some spots. Great coverage of the place. Might have to check this place out next time I'm in PA
It kills me I'm 47 and I lived in a mill town and I was a mill (rat) worker as were my parents American industry was powerful and now it's all over seas because we want outrageous wages though I believe we certainly deserve competitive and fair wages .This is what killed all these wonderful factories .we have lost so many skills ..We would be helpless in some areas if China and other upland coming countries cut us off wake up people before it's too late I miss the noise of working mills ..You should too.God bless America.
take a closer look at the math
what do the companies save on labor?
what are the increased shipping and import taxes?
what are the taxes?
what are the regulatory expenses?
when you look into these topics, you will be outraged.
My hope is that your outrage is directed where it belongs and not at China.
I agree that one of the big mistakes the U.S. did was raise prices to outrageous, including what people make an hour. I have met so many rich people who make enormous amount of money at their jobs and all they do is sit in chair and answer the phone and they have so much money that they could never spend it all in a lifetime. Raising the wage this high is craziness.
Bringing back that type of manufacturing is nearly impossible. Mostly because Americans will no longer work assembly line jobs. In my area, every manufacturer has help wanted signs and no takers. Hell, American colleges graduate hundreds of thousands yet we need to import tech and medical workers. Face it, young Americans mostly just don't want to work.
@@Automedon2 You are absolutely correct .
Circle-jerk of idiocracy on this thread not rooted in fact, just feelings - absolute absurdity.
Unbelievable. This is our wasteful world.
Yup.
The company was sued for lack of lead warnings on their dishware: all this is toxic.
@@XANDRE. Oh my goodness that makes it even worse. Glad they got sued at least.
@@XANDRE. I read an article from 1992 La Times 10 Companies sued for lead in china...they listed some high end brands, Fitz n FLoyd, Mikasa,Plztgraff??Sp, not shenago but it stated that certain glazes can have lead, some things labeled lead free still contain lead just under 90pp?? The ceramic itself is not toxic is would be the glazes, if there was a danger.
The waste is staggering! Great walk through thanks.
For me, this is one of the saddest videos, of yours. It truly does speak to the problem with/in America. We used to be great at making, building, so many things. We used to be a huge exporter. Certainly, American products, particularly American-made tableware, were in use in all American homes. I bet the steel frames, ceilings, walls, and kiln frames, in this building, were made in Pittsburgh. In fact, why would they not set-up in PA, with the steel capitol being so very close?
Americans used to do things, like this, because there was an entrepenurial spirit, within us all. Sadly, the low-cost of Chinese (Indian, Bolivian, Guatamalen, etc..) imports being so accessible (via Walmart, Amazon, for instance) to the average American, and that most will not pay the few extra dollars, to support other Americans, is what has killed this country.
This is one reason it's been so easy for the gmen to close down our businesses; all we are, anymore, is a service industry (and political corporation.) Take away services, and we are relying on other nations to bring, to us, all we (think we) want or need.
However, Americans have a chance, right now & with everything shut down, to get this figured out and worked out . How many will take that chance? Less than 1%, I bet, will even try.
Btw; World Series 1958; I was born right after the Yankees won game one, against the NY Dodgers (yes, NY had three teams, Mets, Dodgers, and my faves, Yankees.)
Totally agree with you. Lesson learned that China makes all the PPE for our medical staffs around the country and we're at China's mercy to get it because greedy corporations won't pay American workers to make it here. That's what we get. We did it to ourselves.
@@outsider238 sad but so true. I agree that we need to begin yet again making ALL that we need/consume. If the top brass of the companies would require 1000 Times the salary of those actually doing the work, we could do it.
@Brian Landers 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@@outsider238 We did do this to ourselves. Absolutely. Thanks for your reply.
@Brian Landers Sure, but, cars take as long to pay off, today, as they did back then.. Trump'le is the same as other POTUS', as all he wants is what Israel wants. He will NEVER put America, first, and this is why I despise him, too. I felt the same about all of them, in my lifetime, with the exception of the ineffectual Jimmy Carter. He was a good man, unable to get much done. The rest, since him, have been actors (ALL of them), and CIA (like Bill CLinton and Obama. Awful folk, the lot of them, including the Donald.)
I love the documentary style intro!
Also, waste like this is disgusting to me. All that china should be donated and recycled.
From New Castle... As I recall the last Co. that bought them almost immediately closed them down. It was basically a raid to get all their contracts & moved the work to the new parent Co's plant. Huge hit on the local economy. 2 uncles & my grandfather once worked there...
I can't believe this is all just sitting here. I watch reseller vids that love all this old dinnerware.
Chest X-rays were pretty common in factories that used some kind of hazardous material in their manufacturing process. In this case probably silica. There was probably also a lot of asbestos used. They didn't start requiring abatement until the late 80s, if I recall correctly. I did see some pipe insulation that looked like asbestos.
Cool video 👍. Thanks for sharing.
The sand was used to keep the plates from warping in the kilns. That place was Massive! Such a shame to see the boxes of dishes toppled over. It takes a lot to break the dinnerware for diners! I have some old Buffalo China. I swear that you could play hockey with the bowls and never chip one. I can't imagine the heat from the kilns! Just to think that so much work was done by hand! This was an incredible explore! Stay safe and healthy! Thank you for sharing a part of your day with us!
I was a dishwasher in a restaurant in the 70s. That stuff is made to be knocked around thousands and thousands of times by pissed off staff
Wow. Those slip moulds are worth 10s of thousands
This is absolutely incredible and heartbreaking at the same time!
So much damage... Almost like there was a... Bull in a China shop... Aha hahaha...
I'll let myself out
No stay, I'd like to catch the next show. That was spot on funny!!!
Sometimes I say I'm a China in a bull shop
Same
😆😆😆
Shouldn’t think the people that lost there jobs are laughing
Reminded me of a Proper People explore. Nice job
1991 was not so far back and I thought there would be alot of comments from people that worked this factory. Such great work you are doing exploring these places. Thank you.
One of the best exploration videos I’ve seen! Thank you for showing us. I do feel sad because they closed down in 1991. Very melancholy feeling, to wonder about all the wonderful people who made such beautiful chinaware art, and where their lives took them. 🇺🇸❤️🙏🏼
This is really one of the most incredible things I have seen on You Tube. Just can’t get my head around this one.....
The ones with the flowers are from the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphuric Springs,WV. It’s there signature design. I bet they would love to get their hands on those. Great video.
I was just thinking last night wow I wonder where Chris is. I hope he’s ok. Hope you’re doing good. And I love this video. I want a set of those dishes. Lol. And the weird part is they just got up and walked away. Even the clay was left where it was when they were working it. It’s a literal time capsule. Just incredible. It’s a live museum.
Ed Trenn I’m 3-4 hours drive away and could go. I want a set, Not like they’re gonna miss anything taken
This video has to one of the best video I have ever seen on exploring a abandoned business that looks like a snapshot of the 1950’s. I enjoyed this video as you guys did a great job. Also this former factory looks like an environmental hazard as the large bags with black sand look like Hazmat bags used in removing hazardous materials such as asbestos related materials. I have seen this type of Hazmat bag used before removing floor storage tiles made with asbestos. The men who worked in this completely contained former retail store(TG&Y) had to be dressed in Hazmat environmental protection suits in which they had to go thru a decontamination prodigal which included dressing down with full showers and deposing all protection suits every time exited the store.This is one place to everyone should stay clear of this old china factory due environmental and structural hazards!
I've just read thru all the former comments thinking the same, and why it hasn't been mentioned until YOU! The building is obviously condemned and dangerous, I would love to get my hands on some of those fixtures and would even pay for them, but it has to be owned by the city or county now and the asbestos is one huge risk. The black cylinders look like crucibles, and there were holding or mixing tanks which once held liquids, so other potential contaminants are there... mercury and lead probably.
Shocking to see all that great china just wasting away! There is a similar place in Germany that was deserted too! I wish lived near there!
You got guts my friend,I don't think I would have trusted that upper floor.Another interesting video,keep up the great work!👍
it was definitely weak up there, most likely why it was practically untouched.
Awesome find. Thanks for the adventure!!! The snow added to the ambiance!
Those "How Yawta Tawk in Texas" plates sell for $60 a piece on Etsy. And as a Texan i'd love to have a set!
This is 3 minutes from my house. This is cool that its getting the recognition
Usually when a place like that closes you'd see a liquidation sale of some sort. Astonishing. Only the plant's last operators could explain why there wasn't.
One of your best!
There was. This is what’s left
@@alandockery9592 Bloody hell...
I believe a lot of that stuff was unfinished not glazed so pretty much worthless
Absolutely incredible place! Allot of areas that you were looking in were DEFINITELY from the 30s-40s, maybe earlier! It was clear from the plumbing and brick work that a lot of that factory was built in that era
Wow that last set of plates (brown Circle band) were used extensively in the casinos restaurants.... Quite common in the 70s and 80s forward.
Shenango was sold in 1968 to Interpace Corporation, and then resold again to the Anchor Hocking Corporation in 1979. All Shenango production stopped in 1991, as the company couldn't rise above increased labor costs and the popularity of inexpensive imported china.
This video actually makes me sad. Hope someone donates this stuff before it’s all destroyed
Hi Chris. Thank you for this fascinating tour. I hope you are staying safe. I sure did enjoy visiting one of the best channels on UA-cam once again (Iceland is still my fav). 👍☮️
Hey now. I graduated high school in 1991.. things from back then aren’t that old. 😂
Cool
Sorry Kev - YOU'RE that old. I graduated in '73 and I KNOW I am.
@@Automedon2 says who? 😂
@@crazykev6491 Don't take my word for it, ask any 20 something - they'll set you straight.
Why is a 20 something’s opinion more valid? If anything, they know the least.
My favorite UA-cam channel by far. I really love your vlogs you make where you visit movie sets.. Keep up the good work, and if you ever decide to feature something in the nw arkansas area, I've got some ideas on that my guy...
Still a lot of value in that old factory. I don't know who owns it now, but if they were smart they could probably make a few bucks just letting people pick through it.
Come to the disgusting run down factory 🏭 and pay .50 cents per item, still not worth it
@@PnwOnTour When you consider that an investment of 50 cents could yield $5, that's quite a potential profit on a larger scale. The place is admittedly risky, but I still think it's a potential goldmine.
Mind boggling how it looks as if everyone punched out one day and never returned! How does a company leave forklifts and other expensive equipment behind? The lack of vandalism and scrapping is pretty amazing too! Obviously there's been some but from other abandoned vids I've seen, other locations wouldn't have left one single dish unbroken! Great video, thanks! 👍
Kiln bricks can't handle water and freezing while wet. so they are subject to collapse when abandoned.
I'd like to point out that those plates are not finished (only biscuit fired and not yet glazed) so are not suitable for sale or use as dinner ware. The company was merged/consolidated with 2 others and production moved to Syracuse China in NY. Indeed the company required chest x-rays to verify whether employees had lung damage as exposure to silica dust was prevalent amongst those in the pottery industry. Thank you for filming this abandoned facility, and recommend others to stay away unless you know how to protect yourself from the potential threats (lead, asbestos & silica etc.)
Great video! Sad to see all that good china go to waste, and thanks i noticed the respect of putting back things in the same place after handeling , thanks.
Hi, Chris and Jay. Always a pleasure to watch your adventures. Dear Lord, couldn't they have donated that inventory to those who needed it? What a sinful waste. Makes me weary of this disgusting side of the human race. Awful!
Charles
When our factory closed I had to throw out NEW laptops, tools , new phone’s, it was sickening the amount of new equipment we threw out because we can not donate. Because people would sue the company
Yep. We sell Motorcraft parts. Occasionally we have to throw away brand new parts. It's insane
Why would people sue the company? Why could the company not donate?
I would be tempted to throw it out but also tip off a lot of people where it was being thrown. Lol
@@deendrew36 people sue for everything. Part of the problem with our country
fantastic work as usual, i really am amazed that all those plates, cups etc are still there when there's charity places that could find a home for them, or even a local museum could be interested in saving some of the better stuff
this was a high volume operation - there is no museum that wants more than a very small sample ...and no charity shops could handle this volume ... in fact, the china charity shops get already sits around on shelves for years - it's among their least salable items. Give it to the poor, you're thinking? Who's going to pay to buy it (yes, some creditor corporation still owns these assets), wash it, repackage it, transport it, distribute it, legal fees, etc.? You? Sometimes junk is just junk
The Lawrence County Historical Society in New Castle, where this factory was located, has various displays of the products produced there. (I have numerous pieces due to my grandfather being a foreman there....started out in the mixing vats)
Wow... it's mind boggling to imagine the value of all that's left there 🤯🍽️‼️
Such wonderful locations you find!! Well done again👍👍
Hey, please wear respirators on your adventures so you won't have lung issues like I do from doing the same thing your doing, protect yourself.
He’s not a coward.
@@uncleTedK who's not a coward, you can lung infection from mold an fungus in the abandoned places, so he can be not a coward without lung cancer, or other respiratory issues. Think before you do safety first.
@@jasonyoung5923 safety is for cowards.
@@uncleTedK Wow your ignorant lol
@@uncleTedK bro you don't want mesothelioma. It's a nasty way to go...
Man you would think they would sell off the inventory and equipment.
Thanks for bringing us along.
You know what's crazy? I was looking for thick restaurant plates and bowls to use at home. They get bucks for used, scratched up Shenango china on Ebay. There are actually people who collect it.
Someone that worked there should post some information on the process. Looks like silkscreens at 19:55. What a museum! Save it.
When my old ass hears 1991 I’m thinking “ that’s not that long ago”
We're closer to 2050 than 1990 😂
I remember this pottery when it was thriving. I applied for a job here in 1983 as a Ceramic Engineer. This bring back so many memories and makes me very sad to see
The asbestos in there will be off the chart!! Did you see the slabs of it lined up in the kiln? A mask is a good idea for future - stay safe and thank you for yet another amazing video
Rewatching this and still think its one of your best explores! 👍
I'd also be careful in the section that you think was closed down even while the rest was in operation. Pretty sure arsenic was used in the coloring of china years ago
It's nice to have someone walk you through that has SOME KNOWLEDGE of what they are looking at.... and YES, you were correct most of the time. this really is an excellent and interesting video.
I'm the only one thinking about having all those finished dishes, cups and cleaning them up to sell at a flea market
I was thinking that
Chris, this was awesome!
Very interesting and a wonder in and of itself.
Thanks for the slide in information. As, always, well done! :)
speaking from the collector and nerd part of me, that paper work should kept and documented. some historical society would love this including some of the back markings that should be documented along with the plates themselves. Might be some unknown marks. This is the stuff I look for when picking. This is important history.
That place looks otherworldly. The quality of the ceramics, looks really good.
6:12 Judging from all that white "dust" on the floor from the making of china, it's reasonable to assume that lung problems were common, hence the large number of xrays. At least they were aware and had medical help onsite.
Did they do that on site?
yes that was a big problem with a lot of stuff in the '80s many many places like that that made stuff used asbestos products and workers were exposed.
hair dryers to coffee pots to China to a whole lot more mesothelioma lawsuits everywhere still.
Honestly? I’ve watched tons and tons of urban exploration videos from various channels and this specific video.. it lives rent free in my head. It boggles my mind how much untouched stuff there is.
Looks like the Greek-festival came to town early!
LMAO good one
I can relate!! , haha.. We have portigese\italians and germans in my family. Everything resolves around different dinnnerwear and food they talk about food! and constantly bake... Family gatherings are freaken crazy, but i dont know if id change anything in the world for it..
hahaha. good one. :)
I can not look further. Totally shattering , heart braking to watch.
Interesting, I've been past past the factory many times. My dad grew up nearby. I knew it closed, but always saw security. Not china, basic pottery-ware, not worth much .
Welcome to northern Pennsylvania. Lots of these old factories our way , most of them steel though this is great , I never knew about this in the old mafia town . Good job .
Anyone else a little freaked out around 10:40? Those ovens... immediately I was arrested by the thought of being caught in there when they were cut on, and no one knowing.
Richard Hartness me too! I thought that exact same thing. Wow-great minds think alike.😊
6 million people were with you on that one.
I was going to ask how you managed to find snow, but then I read your comment.
I know that when exploring you're supposed to leave nothing but footprints, and to not take anything... but maaaaan those bricks would make great landscaping around my flowerbeds, and those black pot-things would make great planters!!
Yeah there was a lot of really interesting stuff in there. Jay's video shows some other things that I didn't even see.
those black things probably weighed a lot. but you're definitely right a good way to repurpose that stuff.
A person I went to school with owned Royal china in Sebring Ohio I think they owned Shenango at one time.
Great tour. I worked in Aerospace and have visited many factories but never would have imagined such a huge complex for dinnerware. It's truly a waste to see all the inventory that could have been liquidated. Those shelves would also be in demand even today. Like you said, no one cares.
People care, they are just locked out by environmental and safety laws, which also create tremendous expense should you choose to legally operate...... even a reclamation effort. The building is obviously condemned now also...
It looks like a bunch of those just need to be cleaned! Someone could probably scoop them up and make some bucks!
If you want to go to jail for trespassing and Theft!
Thanks again Chris. Find the time clock. Walked away, that was it...incredible
Do you suppose they went bankrupt from workers who sued them? Perhaps they were poisoned by fumes from the kilns, glazes or clay?
Jan Wells did he talk about a lawsuit by the workers? I must not be there yet, or missed it.
@@deendrew36 No , I was just guessing the possibilities of why someone would abandon such a huge inventory. Especially to not even offer it all to soup kitchens, shelters, etc.
Jan Wells ah...got it. It’s possible, although he doesn’t mention it. Just said they went out of business. I wonder if anything could be found out online?
Very interesting tour of the China plant. Thanks guys!
uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh I live in the German city of Rosenthal Factory - Selb/Bavaria :-) The world is small *smile*
I was just here last week! Last time I went was 5 years ago and so many dishes were gone but there are still TONS left.
Sweet Thang wanna go back and grab me a dinner set? I’ll pay!
I want some new 30 year old plates!
You can't beat the old restaurant plates. They were meant to be banged around by dishwashers, thousands and thousands of times. I was one of those dishwashers in 1974 and believe me, there was no gentle handling.
Wow what a find after all them years great explore thank you for sharing
How are you guys feeling 8-9 months later after filming this video?
The chest X- Rays concerned me even more then i was before you found them.
I searched this place on Google, and did not find any thing related to Health Complications, but I would be cautious about MOLD, BACTERIA, AND TAINTED AIR CONTAMINATES
Oh there's definitely Asbestos in that building which is fine to be around if it's not disturbed but if parts have fallen down then they move it around in any way creating just a little amount of dust and that's it's they are exposed. You're so right they must start where N95 masks or better while ruffling through these old places or they will get serious lung problems if not Mesothelioma Cancer!
What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger
Great channel and great content. I must say, you must have had a smashing time filming this video.
Found the following about the reason of the shut down:
"In 1968, Shenango was sold to Interpace Corporation, and 11 years later sold again to Anchor Hocking Corporation. The company was shut down, and the factory was closed in 1991, as they could not keep up due to increased labor costs to produce fine china while popularity of inexpensive imported china grew."
That's not China's fault. They merely took advantage of an opportunity we threw away.
@BaldBippy The Chinese government is creating jobs for Chinese people. That is what governments are supposed to do, take care of their own people. It is not China's fault that the US government cares more about the fake stock market than American workers.
@BaldBippy Amen. The pollution in China is probably worse than the heyday years of Coal-fired Pittsburgh, too. The contamination and pollution there now, is worse than ours ever was.
the "water tower" area at 14:52 looks like it was destroyed by fire from where you were standing to the "water tower" part of the building. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing place with us! Keep 'em coming, but stay safe!!!
More lost jobs to China...no pun intended
I’m fascinated watching your videos Chris. Thank you for such interesting and unique posts🌟
The story of their success and demise is on google.. Killed off by unions, lawsuits, over expansion and not enough financing, etc etc.
I found a seller on eBay who probably goes in there and grabs a few boxes of stuff and lists it. 🤣
thousands of manufacturing facility's where abandoned during the 80-2000s
the main reasons where economics and federal regulations but truth be told unions started adhering to employees quest for health and safety. if it is manufactured it contains by-products that effect humans health and safety.
that china dinnerware factory most likely could not afford to manage regulation put forth by federal regulators.
close down and abandon the building probably the lowest cost.. BUT with the amount of by product leeching into the surrounding soil over the years it will never be cleaned up.
unfortunate this is a common practice in past years. a good example is the cerro wire manufacturing plant on long island and grumman plume on long island.... check out whats polluting your state here.. scorecard.goodguide.com/index.tcl
Looks like goodguide went out of business too...
Thank you Biden!
As sad as I am that our manufacturing left to go to China, it took all the pollution and contamination with it. Back in the 70s, every river in the country was poisoned by it and they are still trying to clean up the sites where the factories stood.
Thank you for the informational snippets you provide. I admire your intelligence, also. Such a loss of beautiful china.