Ball & Socket Manufacturing Co. | From Civil War Buttons to an Arts Complex

Image
This one stings a little. Not every location hands you a story worth telling and then slams the door before you can photograph it, but the Ball & Socket factory had other plans for J and me that day. The cold was the first thing I remember. A sharp Connecticut chill that had absolutely no interest in our ambitions. We worked our way into the inner courtyard, feeling reasonably optimistic, and then hit a wall literally. Locked doors on every side. No entry points that weren't either sealed or watched. The only building we managed to get inside looked less like a historic factory and more like a very long parking garage that had given up on itself. Even the boiler house was off the table. We circled, debated, and eventually made the call that every explorer has to make when a site is still secured and possibly still monitored: we walked. Some days you document. Some days the building wins. We never went back, and before we got a second crack at it, word came down that the complex...
Post a Comment

From Shoe Manufacturing to Music Studios: A Factory’s Past








On May 20, 2024, a 117-year-old former factory building experienced a partial collapse of its roof parapet, damaging five parked cars. The five-story building, vacant for two years, has been a concern for the local community, especially since scaffolding went up in 2022. Residents reported issues with the building’s condition since then.


The roof parapet, now wrapped in plastic as a temporary measure, is awaiting further repairs. This isn’t the first time the building has had trouble. In 2022, the Department of Buildings fined the property owner $6,250 after part of the facade parapet fell onto the sidewalk, signaling ongoing structural problems.










When the collapse occurred, over 100 firefighters responded to what they classified as a "major collapse matrix." This type of response involves both building experts and medical teams to assess the situation. Fortunately, no one was injured, and no one was trapped inside the building, which remains unoccupied.


The Department of Buildings has since ordered the owner to hire an engineer and complete a thorough inspection of the building to ensure its safety moving forward.





Over the years, the 117-year-old building has housed a variety of businesses, each contributing to the area's rich history. Some notable tenants included Elkay Brassiere Company Inc., which specialized in brassieres and girdles, and Horn Shoe Manufacturing Company, alongside other shoe companies like Rialto Shoe Manufacturer Company Inc. and Stuttgart Footwear, Inc. There was also S. Munich & Company, known for its real rock crystal cut glass, and D and E Steel Corporation.


Beyond manufacturing, the building also welcomed creative ventures such as Kyme Music, Vinyl Connect Inc., MetroSonic Studios, Aberdeen Building Consulting, and the Roebling Tea Room restaurant.








One business that stands out in particular is the Benzer Auto Corporation. During its time, Benzer retailed glare lights for $3.50 a pair. These lights were designed to provide good distance visibility and strong side lighting, a crucial feature during a period when car lights were far less advanced than today's LED headlights. Driving at night was riskier back then, and Benzer's no-glare lens lights aimed to reduce accidents in low-light conditions.


Benzer also produced rear-view wind deflectors, made from heavy plate glass and priced at $25. These deflectors were installed at the corners of a car’s windshield, where small mirrors helped deflect wind away from passengers, making for a more comfortable ride.


As of September 2024, the building remains unrepaired, with the owner, 143 Roebling Pref Investor, slow to address the significant violations following the partial roof parapet collapse. Despite the Department of Buildings’ orders and the visible damage, no substantial repairs have been made, leaving the structure in continued neglect. Residents and passersby can still see the scaffolding and temporary plastic covering the parapet, while the owner delays resolving the building's long-standing safety issues.








Sources:



1. The Corset and Underwear Review. (1927). United States: Haire Publishing Company. p.58

2. Automobile Trade Journal. (1920). United States: Chilton Company. p.530, 555, 563

3. Motor Land. (1921). United States: (p.48). 

4. Automobile Dealer and Repairer: A Practical Journal Exclusively for These Interests. (1920). United States: Motor Vehicle Publishing Company. p.67

5. Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Bulletin. (1920). United States p.5

6.  Boot and Shoe Recorder. (1910). United States: Chilton Company. p.316

7. Automobile Trade Journal. (1920). United States: Chilton Company. p.307

8. Brooklyn building that had partial collapse has history of problem. ABC7 New York.

9. Rama, K. (2024, May 20). Roof of 100-year-old vacant factory partially collapses in Brooklyn: FDNY.  Yahoo News.

10. (n.a). (2024, May 20). Building in Williamsburg has second partial collapse of roof in two years. abc7.

11. Leather and Shoes Blue Book of the Shoe and Leather Industry. (1925). United States: Rumpf Publishing Company. p.619.

12. Aldama, A. (2024, May 30). Parapet Falls on Hope. North Brooklyn News. 

Location: 143 Roebling St, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Potter Hill Mill: Inside Westerly, RI's Abandoned Textile History (Photo Tour)

Image
  In my extensive ventures across various businesses, churches, factories, and plants, I've encountered a plethora of remnants from bygone industrial eras. Yet, none have left as profound an impression as the sight of the leftover machinery at the former Potter Hill Mill. Nestled amidst its surroundings, these aging relics stand as silent witnesses to a vibrant industrial past, their once-potent functionality now subdued by the relentless march of time. The manufacturing equipment, once the lifeblood of cotton goods production, remains steadfast, firmly bolted to the floor, slowly succumbing to the relentless embrace of rust and decay. It's a scene frozen in time—a rare glimpse into the mechanical marvels of the 1800s, preserved in their original state, untouched and unscathed by modern interventions. As I gaze upon the weather-worn structures and rusted machinery, I'm struck by the poignant juxtaposition of past and present. The former textile mill, once a bustling hub of...
Read more

Hotchkiss Brothers Factory Complex

Image
Photo courtesy of Loop.net The One That Got Away: A Lumber Mill, Some Idiots, and a Call I Don't Regret Some stories don't have a satisfying ending. This is one of them. And I've been carrying it around long enough that I just need to put it down somewhere. J and I drove out to Torrington on what should have been a straightforward documentation run in 2023. The target was the former Hotchkiss Brothers Lumber Mill on Water Street, sitting on the east bank of the Naugatuck River. We scoped it on the way in, circled the block, found our parking spot, and liked what we saw. Entry looked manageable. The building looked intact enough to be worth the effort. We were ready. We crossed through the Stop & Shop parking lot in the full summer heat, shoppers drifting past us with their carts, completely indifferent. We clambered over a wall, pushed through branches that swatted us in the face, and followed the sound of the Naugatuck moving over rocks somewhere below. The grass...
Read more

Former Sonoco Paper Mill

Image
  Long before Amsterdam, New York, earned its title as the “Carpet City,” its story was written in water. The restless energy of the Chuctanunda Creek, a modest stream tumbling through the Mohawk Valley, was the city’s first engine. By the early 1800s, its currents were powering the fledgling mills, setting the stage for a transformation that would define not just a city, but an entire era of American industry. The real revolution, however, arrived on a man-made river. The opening of the Erie Canal in the mid-19th century, followed by the iron arteries of the railroad, was like a jolt of lightning. Suddenly, this small upstate city was plugged directly into the world. The goods crafted in its workshops, from linseed oil and simple brooms to intricate buttons and ironworks, could be shipped anywhere with astonishing speed and economy. Amsterdam was no longer just a town; it was becoming a hub. Yet, among its many trades, one industry rose to define its identity. The city’s name beca...
Read more

Inside the Abandoned Horsman Doll Factory in Trenton

Image
  You’ve got to move when the chance is right. That’s something I keep telling myself—but just as often, I forget it. Or ignore it. And then I end up learning the same lesson all over again. It happened on a quiet afternoon when I pulled up to the old Horsman Doll factory. The place has long been abandoned, but it still holds stories—ones I try to capture through my lens. The main gate was slightly ajar. Not wide open, but just enough for me to slip through with my gear. It was one of those rare opportunities. But across the street, half-hidden behind a rundown house, a group of men sat drinking and shouting over each other. The kind of scene you don't want to get caught up in—especially alone, carrying expensive camera equipment. I hesitated. I debated. I bailed. My gut told me to walk away, so I did. I figured I could find another way in. I circled the block, hoping for a back entrance or even a broken window low enough to climb through. I found one window that looked possible—bu...
Read more

Ball & Socket Manufacturing Co. | From Civil War Buttons to an Arts Complex

Image
This one stings a little. Not every location hands you a story worth telling and then slams the door before you can photograph it, but the Ball & Socket factory had other plans for J and me that day. The cold was the first thing I remember. A sharp Connecticut chill that had absolutely no interest in our ambitions. We worked our way into the inner courtyard, feeling reasonably optimistic, and then hit a wall literally. Locked doors on every side. No entry points that weren't either sealed or watched. The only building we managed to get inside looked less like a historic factory and more like a very long parking garage that had given up on itself. Even the boiler house was off the table. We circled, debated, and eventually made the call that every explorer has to make when a site is still secured and possibly still monitored: we walked. Some days you document. Some days the building wins. We never went back, and before we got a second crack at it, word came down that the complex...
Read more