A 1988-1991 photo taken from the grain-elevator across from plant.  Mark Hill

Thanksgiving meal inside a kiln at Medora brick plant ~ 1952
names - part of the Gray Photo Collection

A brick campus building at University of Kentucky.  Could this be Medora brick chosen by the 'Hand of God' ?  See History & Stories
 

With the smoke stacks and kilns of the Medora Brick Plant in the background (right) this Sparksville Baltimore & Ohio Railroad section crew poses at the head of the brick plant spur. Supervisor at far left is believed to be Elmer Rudder who later (1914) was a supervisor at the plant. No date or names known for sure, but if you have information about  this photo, please email info@medorabrickplant.org
photo credit - the Jackson County, Indiana, Digital History Archive Project
 

Kiln #3 today

Owner Joe Robertson (back row far right) poses with employees of the Medora Brick Plant circa 1926.  From the photo submitted by George L. Shepard of Seymour shared and run in The Banner in 1981.  
Larger photo and names 

Clarence Watts pushes a load of dried bricks past one of the kilns in 1954.

The "green" bricks will be put into a kiln and burned for five days, giving them their red color.

- February 1913 -

Thornton Heller, of the Jackson Brick and Hollow Ware Co. (Brownstown)and C.C. McMillan, of the Medora Shale Brick Co., sent by parcel post a brick each of local manufacture to be used in building a brick house at the coliseum, Chicago, during the Clay Products Exposition in March. These bricks will be among 25,000 sent by parcel post from every brick plant in the United States to be used in the construction of this house which will be given away and re-erected after the exposition.
Source - Jackson Co. Banner

Back in 1904

July 8, 1904 - formed stock co.
July 15, 1904 - signed articles of incorporation

Aug. 2, 1904  8:00am
recorded and officially organized as
"Medora Shale Brick Co."
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PLANT HISTORY

A 50-man workforce once produced 54,000 handmade bricks a day at the Medora Brick Plant.  Founded in 1904 the company built initial components of a plant and began brick production with its first batch of paving bricks burned in March 1909. 

The company had chosen a parcel of land one mile outside city limits southwest of the small town of Medora.  The plant  was surrounded by hills containing a ready supply of material  for brick production. 

The B & O Railroad tracks at the edge of the plant complex carried Medora brick  to pave streets throughout the Midwest initially. 

In 1925 after financial troubles stemming from an economic slowdown prior to the Depression the plant went into bankruptcy.  It was then purchased at auction by the owners of Jackson Brick & Hollow Ware Co. of  Brownstown, Indiana.  Thereafter the Medora plant concentrated on wall brick for facing new buildings while the Brownstown company focused on drain tile.   Joseph Robertson served as President of both companies until about 1941.  After WWII James P. Heller became President. 

The plant operated between nine and ten months out of the year producing  standard and custom brick until it officially closed January 31, 1992.  Medora resident today, Bernard A. Gray worked the plant since 1946 and was Superintendent for the plant's last 24 years of operation.  His father Ralph was superintendent before him beginning in about 1935.  His brother Erridine served as the plant's salesman. Bernard Gray knows brick.  Especially Medora Brick!  Several interviews with Mr. Gray are included in this website along with photos from his personal collection as well as from others.

The company had over the years built a complex of 12 brick kilns with 7 tall square stacks complimenting  them.   The round, domed (beehive) kilns have  arched doors on two sides along with 10 small openings at the their base for feeding the kiln's fire.   A long, covered storage shed was constructed parallel with the rail siding.  A smaller shed sat in the middle of the complex.  Also still standing are a  horse barn with an employees changing and showering addition with accompanying 2-holer frame outhouse, a machine shop and power plant building , walls of another brick building and the small office.  The large frame shale processing &  brick forming building was dismantled after the plant ceased operation.  The mechanicals and equipment were taken to other brick plants in Indiana.

In 2004, the site was named to the 10 Most Endangered Landmarks  list by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.  Eleven domed kilns remain with 5 stacks (the 'five sisters') along with four small buildings. 

May of 2008 a state historical marker commemorating the brick plant is set in downtown Medora for the greatest number of  people to see.

December 2017 - local brick plant owner Troy Darkis transfers the plant property over to the Save the Medora Brick Plant non-profit organization.

The plant  site points to our proud industrial and local heritage with a special bow to the plant workers and their families.

Photo of a kiln dome by Jim Walls of Bloomington, Ind.
Periodically disssembled and rebuilt - back in the day!

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Site last updated October 1, 2024 by  Steve Graves