East Jordan Iron Works
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Brian O
Re: East Jordan Iron Works
The former East Jordan Iron Works, now known as ej to reflect it's global operations, purchases it's raw materials from Northern Michigan scrap metal dealers. There is a large scrap metal dealer in East Jordan that has been in business since the 1940's that had been a large supplier to ej in the past. ej would purchase various grades of scrap metal including scrap vehicle engines. The various grades of scrap metal were kept in separate large piles next to the plant and used as needed. As far as I know, the new plant in Elmira, MI plans on using similar sources for raw materials
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Raildudes dad
- Posts: 19
- Joined: March 12, 2010, 7:15 pm
Re: East Jordan Iron Works
You're a bit off on the East Jordan Southern. The last run was in 1961. It was a logging road that ran out of logs in 1930's and was switched to passengers and freight. When the Iron Works switched to trucks, that was the end of the RR. This is from google search.
From here on is from my own history.
My parents rented a cottage on Lake Charlevoix on M-66 1 mile north of the intersection of M-32 starting in 1957. We rented that place for years until about the late 70's then rented various places on Lake Charlevoix until 2002. When my dad was a kid in the early 1930's he worked for Sam VanRee that operated a chicken slaughter house (among other businesses) across the street from his house in Grand Rapids.
Sam would make trips up to the East Jordan - Ellsworth area to buy and sell to various farms. My dad helped drive taking turns with Sam. My dad started driving truck for Sam at 14:). Keep in mind the state department of highways didn't help fund "main" highways until the 1920's.
Fast forward to 1957-58. On Sunday my parents packed the family into Dad's new 1957 Ford and drive to the Christian Reformed Church in Ellsworth. My parents were visiting after church and my dad was talking about his truck driving trips up there to various farms. The lady says I remember Sam and some boy my age visiting our farm. So she and her husband say we live in East Jordan (red brick house - west side of M-66 south of M-32) so stop over for coffee. Well, she is married to Henry Drenth who was the controller of East Jordan Iron Works at the time. From then on, the Drenths and my folks were friends.
My dad liked fishing so he bought a boat to take to Lake Charlevoix.
The lake is fairly sandy or rocky. The marshy mucky bottom was confined to the south east end of the south arm, off shore of the Iron Works.That was where you could fish the weeds. There were old pilings etc there which would indicate the use of water to transport materials / product from the Iron Works. It was evident that the docks had been abandoned many years before.
I only remember seeing the train a couple times. Once switching the foundry and one coming into town from the south. I'm guessing the trucks took M-32 over to US 131 rather than M-66 south to Mancelona. I don't remember many trucks on M-66. However it needs to be kept in mind the foundry was small. It has been expanded many times. There was a competitor in Traverse City, the Traverse City Iron Works. I don't remember if there were any on the east side of the state back then.
I can remember the original EJIW distribution center in Grand Rapids. It was on Market St just west of the RR bridge (now a trail) over the river and Market Street. It was a RR warehouse, truck docks street side, RR docks track side. I'm pretty sure Van's Delivery Service operated it. It caught fire and burned. I remember the newspaper photos with piles of castings sitting with all the building pretty much gone. I'm pretty sure the move to Sunfield happened after that. Scrap was railed in but I'm pretty sure that ended years ago.
From here on is from my own history.
My parents rented a cottage on Lake Charlevoix on M-66 1 mile north of the intersection of M-32 starting in 1957. We rented that place for years until about the late 70's then rented various places on Lake Charlevoix until 2002. When my dad was a kid in the early 1930's he worked for Sam VanRee that operated a chicken slaughter house (among other businesses) across the street from his house in Grand Rapids.
Sam would make trips up to the East Jordan - Ellsworth area to buy and sell to various farms. My dad helped drive taking turns with Sam. My dad started driving truck for Sam at 14:). Keep in mind the state department of highways didn't help fund "main" highways until the 1920's.
Fast forward to 1957-58. On Sunday my parents packed the family into Dad's new 1957 Ford and drive to the Christian Reformed Church in Ellsworth. My parents were visiting after church and my dad was talking about his truck driving trips up there to various farms. The lady says I remember Sam and some boy my age visiting our farm. So she and her husband say we live in East Jordan (red brick house - west side of M-66 south of M-32) so stop over for coffee. Well, she is married to Henry Drenth who was the controller of East Jordan Iron Works at the time. From then on, the Drenths and my folks were friends.
My dad liked fishing so he bought a boat to take to Lake Charlevoix.
The lake is fairly sandy or rocky. The marshy mucky bottom was confined to the south east end of the south arm, off shore of the Iron Works.That was where you could fish the weeds. There were old pilings etc there which would indicate the use of water to transport materials / product from the Iron Works. It was evident that the docks had been abandoned many years before.
I only remember seeing the train a couple times. Once switching the foundry and one coming into town from the south. I'm guessing the trucks took M-32 over to US 131 rather than M-66 south to Mancelona. I don't remember many trucks on M-66. However it needs to be kept in mind the foundry was small. It has been expanded many times. There was a competitor in Traverse City, the Traverse City Iron Works. I don't remember if there were any on the east side of the state back then.
I can remember the original EJIW distribution center in Grand Rapids. It was on Market St just west of the RR bridge (now a trail) over the river and Market Street. It was a RR warehouse, truck docks street side, RR docks track side. I'm pretty sure Van's Delivery Service operated it. It caught fire and burned. I remember the newspaper photos with piles of castings sitting with all the building pretty much gone. I'm pretty sure the move to Sunfield happened after that. Scrap was railed in but I'm pretty sure that ended years ago.
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Alex
Re: East Jordan Iron Works
For the East Jordan location, it's right on the south arm of Lake Charlevoix which could've provided resources by water in the past and the town did have rail til the 80s, after that it's been all trucking for ingoing and outgoing. The same for the new foundry in Elmira, all truck.Guest wrote:How did the East Jordan Iron Works in East Jordan get raw materials? It would seem they would need at least some iron. Did they ever send in pig iron or scrap via vessel? I know MC and EJ&S had rail lines at one point to the foundry. After this was it by truck? At the new Elmira EJ foundry do they truck raw materials in? I know Great Lakes Central has rail near by but I don't think they've made a spur to the plant.
Thanks
Re: East Jordan Iron Works
The current foundry operates a distribution terminal on CSX in Sunfield, MI (half way between Grand Rapids and Lansing). Trucks bring finished product down to the distribution terminal where they are hauled away by truck or rail. Pig iron was coming into the distribution terminal by rail and was backhauled up to the foundry. But some of all of the pig iron may arrive at Sunfield by truck now. Coke was being unloaded in Selma? yard (the old Ann Arbor RR yard) in Cadillac and trucked to the foundry.
I doubt things will change much once the new foundry is in operation other then there will be no need for any coke since the new foundry is going to have an electric furnace.
The distribution terminal in Sunfield was probably built around 1985 (a guess). What they did before that I'd be curious to hear as well.
I doubt things will change much once the new foundry is in operation other then there will be no need for any coke since the new foundry is going to have an electric furnace.
The distribution terminal in Sunfield was probably built around 1985 (a guess). What they did before that I'd be curious to hear as well.
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Guest
East Jordan Iron Works
How did the East Jordan Iron Works in East Jordan get raw materials? It would seem they would need at least some iron. Did they ever send in pig iron or scrap via vessel? I know MC and EJ&S had rail lines at one point to the foundry. After this was it by truck? At the new Elmira EJ foundry do they truck raw materials in? I know Great Lakes Central has rail near by but I don't think they've made a spur to the plant.
Thanks
Thanks