MEDORA – Medora Brick Plant and Historical Sites Inc. will host their annual Memorial Day celebration on Monday, May 29th from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the brick plant at 8202 West County Road 425 South in Medora.
The public is invited to come out and enjoy free hot dogs, chips, and drinks. There will be children’s games and live music.
The office will be open to view artifacts and purchase items.
A special invitation is extended to all past employees and their families.
The history of the Medora Brick Plant:
A 50-man workforce once produced 54,000 handmade bricks a day at the Medora Brick Plant. Founded in 1904 the company built the initial components of a plant and began brick production with its first batch of paving bricks burned in March 1909.Â
The company had chosen a parcel of land one mile outside city limits southwest of the small town of Medora. The plant was surrounded by hills containing a ready supply of material for brick production.Â
The B & O Railroad tracks at the edge of the plant complex carried Medora brick to pave streets throughout the Midwest initially.
In 1925 after financial troubles stemming from an economic slowdown prior to the Depression, the plant went into bankruptcy. It was then purchased at auction by the owners of Jackson Brick & Hollow Ware Co. of Brownstown, Indiana.
Thereafter the Medora plant concentrated on wall brick for facing new buildings while the Brownstown company focused on drain tile. Joseph Robertson served as President of both companies until about 1941. After WWII James P. Heller became President.
The “green” bricks will be put into a kiln and burned for five days, giving them their red color. Photo provided.
The plant operated between nine and ten months out of the year producing standard and custom brick until it officially closed on January 31, 1992. Medora resident today, Bernard A. Gray worked the plant since 1946 and was Superintendent for the plant’s last 24 years of operation. His father Ralph was superintendent before him beginning in about 1935. His brother Erridine served as the plant’s salesman. Bernard Gray knows brick. Especially Medora Brick! Several interviews with Mr. Gray are included in this website along with photos from his personal collection as well as from others.
The company had over the years built a complex of 12 brick kilns with 7 tall square stacks complimenting them. The round, domed (beehive) kilns have arched doors on two sides along with 10 small openings at their base for feeding the kiln’s fire. A long, covered storage shed was constructed parallel to the rail siding. A smaller shed sat in the middle of the complex. Also still standing is a horse barn with an employee changing and showering addition with an accompanying 2-holer frame outhouse, a machine shop and power plant building, walls of another brick building, and a small office. The large frame shale processing and brick-forming building were dismantled after the plant ceased operation. The mechanicals and equipment were taken to other brick plants in Indiana.
In 2004, the site was named to the 10 Most Endangered Landmarks list by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Eleven domed kilns remain with 5 stacks (the ‘five sisters’) along with four small buildings.
In May of 2008, a state historical marker commemorating the brick plant is set in downtown Medora for the most people to see.
December 2017 – local brick plant owner Troy Darkis transfers the plant property over to the Save the Medora Brick Plant non-profit organization.
The plant site points to our proud industrial and local heritage with a special bow to the plant workers and their families.
