American Brass Mills

[northeast_train_guy_1965]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have recently gotten back into the hobby and as I model the industries in my layout I want to honor my grand Dad's and Dad. I have found many resources on textile mills and lumber/logging facilities but I cannot find any resources or references on American Brass Mills. My Grand Dad worked for Anoconda Brass in Torrington CT and I cannot even find photos to work from.

 

Does anyone have any leads for Brass mill references? It would be much appreciated.

[cuyama]

Welcome to the forum. A google search turned up a few things. Apparently the makers of Winchester firearms had a brass mill. The website of the union related to this facility has a few photos that suggest a pretty standard industrial building of the time.

Exterior

Interior

To my eye, this looks like a number of Walthers structures such as George Roberts Printing (HO & N). 

https://www.walthers.com/george-roberts-printing-company-kit-12-3-4-x-7-1-2-x-9-quot-31-6-x-19-3-x-22-9cm

Variety Printing in HO is a version of the same structure to used as a flat along the backdrop.

https://www.walthers.com/cornerstone-series-r-background-building-kits-variety-printing-front-wall-12-1-4-x-2-3-4-x-6-11-16-quot-30-6-x-6-8-x-16-7cm

Good luck with your project.

 

[7j43k]

Here's the Wikipedia page on American Brass:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Brass_Company

 

Her's another link:

 

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/WI/WI-idx?type=div&did=WI.KLIAmBrassCo.i0002&isize=text

 

and here's a link to some postcards:

 

http://museumofcthistory.org/2016/01/1154/

 

If you are actually trying to track the company itself (which I assume, since you capitalized the words), sometimes there are local historical societies in the cities/towns where companies were located.  You could contact them.

 

Ed

[mbinsewi]

The Kenosha, WI. plant was huge. A typical looking manufacturing facility.  In 2003, the last of it was torn down.  It's all commercial development now, and a public school, Brass Community School is on the east protion of the original property.

Mike.

[j. c.]

another kit that would look like the photo posted would be city classics   small street warehouse with a couple of floor extions, though the first floor is different you might be able to bash it.

[northeast_train_guy_1965]

Thanks for all the input. A lot of really good pics and resources. It looks like a lot like I remember the old American Brass Mill in town before it wa torn down. The granite office building and a trackside concrete warehouse still exist. The one thing I have really been in search of, checking the historical society, local library, etc. is a plot plan of the property. I have a lot of good ideas for models now representing manufacturing facilities of the time and some great panoramics photos of the facilities but I would love to have a plot plan so I know we're inbound/outbound tracks would be, location of powerhouses, kiln house, post kiln cool down and finishing facility, storage warehouse, scrap zones, maintanence sheds etc.

[mbinsewi]

Here's kind of a unique view of the Kenosha, WI plant.  I can't tell if there was a rail connection.

https://www.facebook.com/americanbrassco/videos/vb.347599812115713/365128437029517/?type=2&theater

Mike.