Haven’t toured the old Pillsbury Mill plant yet? Well, this Saturday offers a last chance to take a guided tour of the abandoned plant. Tours at noon and 2 p.m. last about one hour and include stops and photo opportunities at several of the plant’s buildings. The tours are on a level surface but “sturdy shoes or boots” are recommended, according to site owner Moving Pillsbury Forward. New for this tour is a memorial wall featuring the names of more than 1,200 Pillsbury workers. The names were written on bricks by Jen Santarelli, an artist and granddaughter of a Pillsbury worker Walter Santarelli. Speaking of bricks, engraved “Pillsbury” bricks will be available for $20. The plant opened in 1929 and was employing 1,500 workers by 1950. It closed in 2001.
Pillsbury Mill tours
Sat., April 13, noon and 2 p.m.
Former Pillsbury Mills plant, 1525 E. Phillips Ave. (corner of 16th Street and Phillips)
pillsburyproject.org
movingpillsburyforward@gmail.com
217-741-2489
Free, donations accepted
This article appears in Angels among us.
