Bottom Box

A primitive intercom system connected the various wards to their respective nurse’s stations. They looked hand-made and likely originated, in part, in the FFSH carpentry shop. They were often placed high, like this one, to be out of patient reach.

A furnace control panel, cut off its subordinate before the plant closed, no doubt to be replaced. I like this shot because it shows that many of the smaller machines were engineered by the plant itself.

This building cleaned the barrels that transported ingredients through the plant.

I am sure even the workers had trouble remembering which pillar hid the phone. Note the “ON” written on the electrical socket, too.

Standing between pockets 1 and 2. You brought hearing protection, right?

Near the lower portal of the tunnel, a manhole cover seals the electrical connection for the streetcar line. Twin Cities Lines is the predecessor for Twin Cities Rapid Transit.

Most of the control panels were faceless. No doubt, they were parted out to keep other sugar mills alive.

Work never done.

The control room was used through the mid-1990s as the plant was used to stabilize the power grid.