NorthWest Exploration Forum  
FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read
Go Back   NorthWest Exploration Forum > Site Reports > Rest of the World
Reload this Page American Viscose, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, USA
Rest of the World Sites outside the UK.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
American Viscose, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, USA
(#1)
Old
Colonial_John's Avatar
Colonial_John is Offline
New Member
 
Posts: 10
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Kennett Square, PA, USA
Default American Viscose, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, USA - 19-10-2011, 13:18

Until I'd had a chance to come over to the UK and shoot, I didn't want to post any of my American explores, but here's one of my favorite.

American Viscose was formed in 1910 by Samuel Salvage, a UK emigre. It was done under license from Cortaulds -- a well known name in the UK with regard to textiles with several centuries of history.

Viscose is in fact the name first given to a man-made (but not synthetic) fiber which we now call Rayon. The process was deadly dangerous at times as carbon disulphide (CS2) was used to separate the cellulose and lignin in wood chips. The process basically tries to end up with something like silk, which is what the viscose fiber was also known as: "artificial silk".

Problems with the ventilation of the plant led to the design of a new ventilation system by an engineer at Harvard University in the 1920's.

Strong acids, bases, and a toxic effluent from the process resulted in widespread contamination on the site leading it to be designated a "Superfund Site" which is the US term for a site which needs cleaning up but the original owners or current owners have not the ability to remediate. In this case, the government steps in. Today, the gigantic underground chemical storage tanks have been drained and filled, and it's not such a dangerous place as it once was.

More history: prior to the entry of the US to WW II, the "Lend-Lease Act" permitted the US to supply war materials to the UK under a legal cover. As part of a quid-pro-quo arrangement, various British holdings in the US were handed over in exchange. American Viscose was one of these holdings and so it became American owned from that point on.

Changing its name to Avisco later, it thrived for awhile and moved into the making of cellophane as well because the precursor product (cellulose) is the same. However, by the late 1950's all was not well and a company called FMC stepped in to try to buy them. However, FMC also made a lot of cellophane, and the anti-trust laws in the US prevented the merger until 1963.

By this time, synthetic polymers based on petroleum chemistry were taking over. Shrinking markets led FMC to divest to another company called Avtex which also couldn't make a go of it, and the American Viscose site was closed in 1977.

Highlights of the site include the original office complex which has wonderful architecture (still standing), the original research building (still standing) and the wood pulp processing buildings (just torn down in August of 2011). Most of the newer post-war portions of the site have been rented out to other buinesses and have been so changed they are of little interest.

The research lab at one time had 5 complete textile mills in small scale. This allowed them to develop how to use their fiber in existing woolen and cotton mills and so forth. Still there is a warping swift and hosiery making machines form the early 20th century -- but of a design going back to the 19th.

I have visited this site many, many times and my full set of pics is on flickr here: American Viscose Photos

Here's a few samples of my favorite pics I've taken there. I won't commentate them here, but I usuallly have a little context in the comments on the photos on flickr if you see one you're particularly curious about.

I'd be happy to show any of you the place should you find yourself in my area sometime.


American Viscose: Facade and Entrance by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



There's No Pressure (new edit) by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Naughty Bunny Time Out 1 by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



American Viscose: The Castle Hall by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Central Elevator Tower: Downstream by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 Test: Four Old Hosers by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



The Persistence of Memory: Machinery of Desire by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



The Big Sprockets by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Life Amid the Ruins: Eastwood's Warping Swift by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Whistling in the Dark by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



American Viscose: North Cupola by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Pump Room Cart by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr



Past Time to Clock Out by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr


That's enough of that, lol. I have way, way too many of these. It's close to where I work and "lunch hour" trips are actually possible and been done.


John Griggs, Kennett Square, USA
Entropic Remnants Photography
Reply With Quote
(#2)
Old
andym's Avatar
andym is Offline
Administrator
 
Posts: 429
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chorley
Default 19-10-2011, 19:19

Interesting place, amazing that it closed as far back as 1977 and has just been left to rot.
Reply With Quote
(#3)
Old
The-Village-Idiot's Avatar
The-Village-Idiot is Offline
Senior Member
 
Posts: 356
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: In the pines
Default 20-10-2011, 13:15

Fantastic, some very nice shots. This place would have been wrecked if it was in the UK.
Reply With Quote
(#4)
Old
keeweeman is Offline
Senior Member
 
Posts: 184
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wirral
Default 20-10-2011, 13:37

some stunning shots, agreed with village idiot that if it was over here then it would be ruined now
Reply With Quote
(#5)
Old
two-b is Offline
New Member
 
Posts: 17
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Leigh, Lancashire
Default 26-10-2011, 21:06

Really great shots, and a massive rabbit. Which is always a bonus.
Reply With Quote
(#6)
Old
Lazlo's Avatar
Lazlo is Offline
Weapon
 
Posts: 87
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Walkden
Default 03-11-2011, 21:45

Wow nice! More! Lets seee more


Hunter? Hunter what? Ain't nobody doing no huntin' up here, fool! This is a party not a safari!
www.facebook.com/jownes
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.6
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
vBulletin Skin developed by: vBStyles.com
© 2008-2015. Photographs and text are copyright and the property of the poster unless otherwise stated, and should not be used without express written permission.
Any opinions stated by users of this forum are NOT those of the site owners, each poster takes FULL responsibility for their own posts.