Veedersburg

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FUN FACT

$1.00 in 1909
had the same purchasing power as
$24.41 in 2008

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FUN FACT

1909 Prices:
Stamp - - - - - - - 2 cents
Hershey Bar - - - 2 cents
Coca-Cola - - - - 5 cents
Gal. Of Gas - - - 6 cents
Corn Flakes- - -10 cents
New Car - - - - - $1,280
New House - - - $2,650

The West Brickyard can be seen in this photo on the right (background.) The road is currently U.S. 136 (a.k.a.: Second Street in Veedersburg.)

Beside the marker on the left, click the photo to see the horse on the roof of the "Fountain County Livestock" building.

The town of Veedersburg is inter-woven with its paver bricks and railroads. This is the South brick yard, another one existed on the West edge of Veedersburg. Bricks from Veedersburg built many places including the Indianapolis 500 mile track, the Chicago "Loop", and many other streets throughout the U.S.. Some names stamped on the bricks are: Wabash Clay, Poston, Culver, and Veedersburg(h).

One of the owners in 1909 of the Indianapolis 500 Race Track -and- one of the buyers of the Bricks at Veedersburg. (See the following contract.)

(Click photo to see details) In 1909 the Veedersburg, Indiana brick yard was known as the "Wabash Clay Company" producing the "Culver" paving bricks (which was then called "blocks"). Carl Fisher, President of the "Indianapolis Motor Speedway" visited the Veedersburg brick yard plant on September 12, 1909. (Continued in next photo)

(Click photo to see details.) This proposal was made dated September 14, 1909 by the "Wabash Clay Company" to supply exclusively all the "Speedway Bricks" based on special terms (advertising). The proposal was accepted and dated September 16, 1909 by Carl Fisher, President and James Allison Sec/Treas. - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Inc.. The rest is history.....

This facility made a number of items. [Located next to the current location of Second Street (a.k.a. U.S. 136).] With the railroad location next to the West Brick Yard while in operation, product distribution was not a problem.

A number of clay type products including bricks were made by this "West Brick Yard". It was owned and operated under a number of names. The "West Brick Yard" (as it is locally called) sat on the West Edge of Veedersburg along Second Street (a.k.a.: U.S. 136). This 'Oct. 1924' map is photographed in a large "Sanborn Map Company" book which shows that the maps were last 'up-dated' in 'January 1950'. As per this map photo, there were ten (10) drying kilns existing.

Bricks and "Paver Bricks ("Blocks" as they were called then)" were the prime items made at this "South Brick Yard". It too was owned and operated under a number of names. The "South Brick Yard" (as it is locally called) sat on the South Edge of Veedersburg along Mill Street as it leads into the rural area. This 'Oct. 1924' map is photographed in a large "Sanborn Map Company" book showing that the maps were last 'up-dated' in 'January 1950'. As per this map there were twenty nine (29) drying kilns existing.

This is a picture of the old West brickyard in Veedersburg, Indiana.

In 1909, 1,727 people lived in the brickyard town of Veedersburg, Indiana. Two shale pits, one north and one south of town, supplied enough clay to operate two large brick yards owned by Culver. The south brickyard’s prime item made was the “paver”. An Oct. 1924 map photograph identifies 29 drying kilns. The west brickyard produced a number of clay products including ornamental bricks dried in 10 kilns.

In addition to the 500 Mile Track Veedersburg bricks built many places including the Chicago “Loop” and many other streets throughout the United States.

Bricks Arrived & Construction Began

Phenomenal speed was displayed in Carrying out the job, the record for a nine hour shift being 140,000 bricks! One enthusiastic worker was found to be averaging over 11 tons during his nine hour shift. Efforts such as this resulted in the entire job being completed in only 63 days.