Amazing Vacant 1905 Shoe Factory - The Elevator Show

[A shortened version of this video featuring only the elevator will be uploaded within the next few days.] Back in its day, this factory was probably one of the most average buildings around. Absolutely nothing would have stood out as unique, or potentially historic, years down the road. Really, the amazing thing about this building is HOW it aged. Most buildings follow one of two paths: Either it sits, gets abandoned, vandalized, and falls to rack and ruin, or is consistently in use and updated as the years pass. In this unusual case, the factory received very basic maintenance for decades (patch the hole in the roof, fix the broken window, etc) but has almost stood still in time inside. This building has functioned as two different shoe factories before the upper floors were shut down in the 1970's and a small steel fabrication operation moved in on the ground floor. Now that the steel workers are long gone, the entire building is just partially filled with items stored by a tenant. In other words, it's a mostly-empty warehouse that still holds bits and pieces of its long and varied history. To me, it's absolutely stunning to think that both this building and its elevator (which still works!) have stood through the roaring 20's, the Great Depression, and two world wars... all before I was even born! While the world around it changed, the old shoe factory sat, slowly being forgotten by just about everyone.
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[@HeritageElevators]

Very nice video. But electric illumination wasn't high-tech in 1905 and i don't believe it was particularly expensive. The many windows is to let in daylight because it is more optimal than electric light

[@Bombiedude.]

Well they were helping the planet too like they were already polluting it enough probably with the machines thats probably why they didnt invest in lights

[@jamesnguyen6605]

Hi TheElevatorChannel. I know you come to Roanoke because I watch dieselducy show. The airport video.

[@jamesnguyen6605]

Hi TheElevatorChannel. I know you come to Roanoke because I watch dieselducy show. The airport video.

[@4GSR]

If you ever been in a older boot or shoe repair shop, you will notice the line shaft runs along the floor. This line shaft powers all of the buffers and polishers used in shoe making industry. Not like the old machine shops where the line shafts run above in the ceilings to provide power to the machine tools. Ken

[@ThomasJM]

the things on the wall connected to the motors on the top floor would likely be for driveshaft to connect various belt driven machines.

[@KentaroOctavian]

You are very brave! I just do not dare to explore that place

[@kellingc]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but the shaft is a belt drive for the machining tools (i.e. milling machine, drill press - you see that a lot in buildings that use water wheels for mechanical power.

[@csachevauxsansabri2612]

The doors that slide across the elevators entrances are firer doors. So that in the event of a firer it cud be contained to one floor and not spread all over through the elevator shaft. When i demolished a factory just like that in France it had doors just like that and we had a firer, luckily those doors were there.

[@thesherlockhound]

It wouldn't exactly spread, it would blow upward like it was in a vaccum and (with the exception of this shaft and other turn of the century shafts) they have no windows, there's nowhere for the flames to go, so it would heat up as the fire grew. My mom used to work in maintenance in a converted mill building and she installed vents into a shaft of an old elevator.

[@kc0eks]

Love abandoned explores. Though usually permission is the issue... Which is sometimes hard

[@isaac24]

At 7:29 I think your flashlight pointed to a dumbwaiter control...

[@Bombiedude.]

They mustve gone bankerupt or something thats probably why they couldnt afford much electrical like they were able to get the elevator and a few machines and that was about it

[@Bombiedude.]

5:54 I had no idea westinghouse made electrical panels I thought they just built elevators

[@Ham549]

17:25 that is a line shaft there would be one motor or steam engin or water wheel that turned the line shaft all the machines ran off that attached by belts.

[@jimster586]

Awesome tour of this amazing building!

[@jonathancreveling8699]

Are the windows, floors and ceiling original from 1905?

[@Bombiedude.]

Fun fact this is actually where a scene from the movie jumanji was filmed Im not sure what floor they were on but it was still interesting

[@Paddington2000]

Great video, thanks. That neat machine you mentioned in the middle of the video is a belt drive. Back in the day it would have been coupled to a steam engine outside and later an electric motor, the owner would have installed a line of machines such as looms, lathes or whatever and couple each one separately using a leather drive belt.

[@doctorcoleman5942]

The Elevator Channel can you make a return Visit to see what it’s Like Now

[@rubenr2205]

Doesn’t that place look like parish shoes from jumanji

[@alpaljl]

Great work Jacob!! Cheers!!

[@Bombiedude.]

5 cents for a coke from that machine I wish it was still like that today now they charge like 2 whole dollars for a coke when there is no way its worth that much

[@shmulstvgone3169]

That freight elevator looks somewhat like the former Habitat store's elevator in Roanoke, VA.

[@Bombiedude.]

Question is this still standing today or did it get torn down like any other abandoned place in the world

[@Bombiedude.]

The elevator inside buttons look like old otis maybe it was modded by otis at one point

[@red142100]

master at leveling on a elevator = you win all the good stuff in keymaster

[@royfranssen8315]

The Big metaal door zijn firedoors

[@Bombiedude.]

20:20 that old standup clock looked really cool

[@noahandrewsandrews7830]

At 24:28 is anybody know what that was if so please tell me

[@Bombiedude.]

Really neat old elevator, Epic motor too

[@thewildeeper]

7:28 Would this be the dumbwaiter call station? Not the big grey power switches- the small box to the left....

[@MrDiemme]

Great video! Are not you worried about your safety going on that elevator? The factory is abandoned for years and no one has checked the elevator ... You're lucky! Anyway, thank you, great video!

[@agems56]

Without taking risks in life you're not living! If you're scared of something, run not like a lamb, but like a wolf!

[@MrDiemme]

@@agems56 You're right, in Italy they say "one day as a lion is better than a hundred as a sheep" ...

[@Ham549]

18:03 like I said before it is a line shaft. Motors were expensive so maney machines would run off that one motor via the lineshaft.

[@DylanA1S]

The questoon is why is the lift still on

[@vatorhunters]

I thought it would be haunted

[@Ham549]

17:25 that is a line shaft there would be one motor or steam engin or water wheel that turned the line shaft all the machines ran off that attached by belts.

[@thesherlockhound]

You can tell that elevator is from the turn of the century due to it having wood. A lot of old factories had those white and blue walls. It was probably painted when the second company moved in.

[@Ham549]

24:29 Yes there would be an operator you see how the buttions are mounted over a hole in the wall. That hole th where you would tug on a cable to through a switch to start the elevator.

[@seanjuth]

The fact that their are westinghouse busway's all around the building really does add a bit more character to it

[@thesherlockhound]

I'd totally restore this building. It's in really good shape, even if it has some junk and is overdue for a paint job.

[@MrDiemme]

I totally agree, the quality is no longer the same for which a modern elevators will not last so many years but have to say that electronics today is the master of things while years ago there were only relays and mechanical devices. Thanks again for this great video

[@misterwint]

Such a beautiful building. A great lift, but that motor room is amazing. My favourite! I hope they did something good with the building. Maybe you did an update I haven't yet seen?

[@thesherlockhound]

I saw on an article they want to restore it and make it a mixed use place

[@KentaroOctavian]

You are very brave! I just do not dare to explore that place

[@Ovator]

They made a shoe factory in Litchfield,IL into an apartment building.

[@thesherlockhound]

They're making a lot of old factories mixed use and apartments.

[@funandacti]

Ah thanks, I was just curious:)

[@funandacti]

How did you get in?

[@michelinman8592]

Too good for words!!!

[@apetersenTV]

Music at 0:46?

[@thegamerplayshd5866]

Defunct factory?

[@anthonyramos2354]

great show!

[@mattmoreira210]

This elevator could be very nicely modernized.

[@Gosh_Josh]

Why modernize it

[@mattmoreira210]

Why not modernize it? ;)

[@dalekramicz6040]

nice tour spoiled by bad camera, too bad!

[@nodak81]

Would be awesome to remake that building into large condos. Have a whole floor to yourself with a key-access elevator.

[@putty1574]

If you didn't already know, in St. Louis there is an abandoned factory with the name "International Shoe Co." visible from northbound I-55. It is across the highway from the Anheuser Busch brewery. I loved this video. Thanks.

[@linuxthemoon]

Perfect example of how a little maintenance goes a long way!