Piedmont, Liggett & Myers, and ATC: A Clarification

[t206blogcom]

Tim - Good pictures and research. I see what you mean about the angles and how Shockhoe Bottom is out of view. If that is in fact the Piedmont factory in the postcard, then it wasn't in Shockhoe Bottom.

With that said, I just recalled a conversation I had with a long term resident of the greater Richmond area. There's a hole in the wall card shop in Williamsburg that I frequent a few times a year. The last few times I was there, the owner and I talked at length about t206s. During one of our conversations, he mentioned the old Piedmont factory was torn down years ago. I had completely forgotten about that conversation until my wife mentioned it (we were talking about this during dinner and she was with me when the shop owner was talking about the old factory).

I have no proof his comments are accurate or not, but he seemed knowledgeable. If his comments are accurate and if the Piedmont factory was in Shockhoe Slip and not Shockhoe Bottom, then the brown smoke stack and building in Ted's postcard could have been the Piedmont factory.

I wish we could find some sort of property records or address of the original Piedmont factory. It would be interesting to see what's in its place today.

[Abravefan11]

Jason-I stop in that card shop in Williamsburg once every few months just to check in. Next time I'm in their I'll be sure to ask the owner about it.

I've been working on locating Factory #25 off and on for a while and this has given it a shot in the arm. I've come across some new information (new to me anyway) tonight that may be a step in the right direction. It cold lead to the factory being pictured in Ted's postcard, but I still don't think it would be the brick building in the lower left. We'll see where it goes.

[t206blogcom]

Tim - The shop owner's name is Guy. He used to go to the show in Chantilly, but hasn't been in years. I guess my secret little card shop isn't as secret as I thought.

Keep us posted if you unearth anymore information.

Do you live down in that area? I'm in NoVa (Loudoun County).

[Abravefan11]

Originally Posted by t206blogcom

Keep us posted if you unearth anymore information.

Do you live down in that area? I'm in NoVa (Loudoun County).

Yes, I live in the Richmond area. I have family that live in Loudoun County as well.

The original brick building you thought may be a tobacco factory wasn't at the time the postcard was produced, but it would become a tobacco building eventually.

According to a magazine article and a few other sources, it was built in 1901 for the Union Envelope Company. Last to occupy the building was R.J. Reynolds. After they left the building remained vacant for years. Renovations are currently converting the building into apartments. A before shot of the building from a few years ago, and another I took today are below.

The smoke stack was part of the power plant owned by the Virginia Passenger and Power Company. Also still standing.

This research has led to the location of Factory 25. More on that soon when I have it all together.

[t206blogcom]

Great stuff Tim! When you find factory 25, I'll have to make a trip down to Richmond to check it out.

[Mountaineer1999]

What ever happened with this? Was this in fact the Factory 25 building? Have any of the factories been identified and are they standing today?

[t206blogcom]

I was down in Richmond a few months after these posts and took a segway through the old tobacco rows, but didn't take any pics. I haven't had the time to do any further reasearch.

Perhaps Tim continued his research?