_Rusty_

Found this article on FB.. Interesting "home remedy" plant I see all the time. 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2602731139757704&id=958807097483458&sfnsn=mo

11 hours ago, Guest Dennis B. said:

Michael Sabarich was the artist that had painted those murals on the former Ideal Building. ............  RIP Uncle Mike!

Thanks for that info! I didn't think those could be saved the way they were painted on.

On 1/22/2020 at 7:38 AM, pwacm said:

.... Since this was WW II. Also interested in what other local manufacturers made for the war effort....

Jeffers Electronics made parts for the "Manhattan Project". My father worked there and I asked him once why they had barbed wire fence around. He said it was "required" for defense plants at that time. Jeffers was purchased by Airco Speer who closed and moved to Mexico in '70 or '71. We didn't relocate although some did.

Airco gave the building to the City in hopes they could attract a business to replace the loss. The City sold it to the Rola Jensen Corp. Who made speakers here for a short time. When Rola closed, the plant manager ended up with the deed. He later sold it to Paris for a tidy sum... so much for caring for the community. Barbed wire still there today ( in case someone tries to steal my work uniforms ).

On 1/18/2020 at 5:59 PM, Harvey Mungaknuts said:

Wonder what happened to the murals that were on the side of the building

I worked for Ideal the summer they installed and painted those murals. I don't remember artists name but he was from sykesville and friend of Calvin Beam (or Bean) owner at the time. Anyway, the large front doors of the building were replaced with cinder-block walls and stucco - like material. He then painted directly onto that. I doubt this could have been disassembled and saved.

My parents talked about "Vulcan Soot" being in that building. What they made I don't know, but Vulcan Soot is still in business today manufacturing valves and blowers for industrial applications. They also had a reason for leaving this area but never said when BF Goodrich took over.