Environmental Progress - Fall 1999

Former Sangamo Workers “Punch In” One More Time

Group pays a “homecoming” visit to the place where they used to work.

Even though much about the building has changed, for the men who once punched the time clock here, memories remain of the way it was, and they could easily spot the areas that have been spruced up but not really altered.

The tour started off with coffee, tea, and donuts supplied by the IEPA. The visitors were welcomed by Jeff Johnston, manager of the Division of Administration, who discussed the sometimes convoluted route taken to put the old buildings back into usable shape. A slide presentation by Heather Nifong, Bureau of Land, helped revive memories through pictures of the Sangamo building during its heyday (1899-1977). Photos of the building and workers in various departments over the years sparked some interesting conversations and stories related to the days at Sangamo. Comments were often made by one or more of the men detailing some of the procedures and events that took place at Sangamo.

The workday started earlier when these men used to punch in at the former Sangamo Electric plant.

Every now and again someone would comment on a picture: "Hey, that's Ted. He used to work just down from me." Another would say, "You see those big letters? I was the one to take those down when the plant closed."

Rob Kaleel, Bureau of Air, gave a slide presentation on what had been involved in renovating the building. The men were pleased to see that some of the old structures still remained. The clock tower that once marked the entrance to the watch factory that proceeded the electric firm now exists as part of the administration building, though only the upper part is visible. The tour group expressed approval when told the clock has been repaired and is again telling time–though with new hands.

The old, the new, and the outside inside

When the visitors toured the new glass-fronted atrium which is the entrance of the Illinois EPA building, they had their best chance to see the old and the new simultaneously. The 30 foot high ceiling, the soaring glass entry wall and the indoor landscaping with trees and plants are definitely late 20th century, while the red brick interior walls were once the outside of Sangamo's buildings. Even the stone work used around the building has been preserved here.

The group was taken on a tour of the building, highlighting some of the major changes and preserved areas. More stories emerged as the group strolled along and more memories surfaced. One man recalled an incident in front of Lanphier High School located just across Eleventh Street. As some of the employees took their breaks on a lawn that existed where a parking lot (lot B) now stands, he said, a “streaker” came running north down the sidewalk, apparently expecting to be picked up by his friends. His friends never showed, and instead a Springfield police car was there to take him from the scene. Some memories, it seems, are hard to erase.

The tour ended in the administration building, near the clock tower. They were unable to go up into the tower, but that didn't stop more memories from soaring.

The clock tower was a special place for some of them. Occasionally a lunch break would be spent up there with family members, including children. The view was quite different then, but not forgotten by these men.

At the end of the morning the group disbanded, but not before a few more comments were made. Many of the men expressed an appreciation for the chance to tour the renovated facility. They said it refreshed the feelings associated to their past place of employment and they were happy to see it restored instead of remaining another dilapidated old building.

For this Brownfields project, more than the building alone was renovated; so was the pride in accomplishments at another time.

(This article was written by Brian Boston, a Governor's Environmental Corps '99 intern assigned to the Office of Community Relations, who helped organize and conduct the visit.)