Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, circa 1908. "Algonquin Tannery." Served by the Soo Line, as well as the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic. View full size.
Doubtful it is a yard limit sign as this location is in the yard.
Most likely it is drawbridge one mile. This location is about one mile from where the railroad starts across the St Marys River.
It also could be junction one mile. The two closest tracks that disappear to the left are two different railroads. The near track is the Minneapolis, St Paul & Sault Ste Marie railroad (SOO LINE). The next track is the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic. The two track became one (hence junction) just before crossing the river
The Tannery closed around 1959 and was razed. The DSS&A trackage into the Soo was pulled up arount the 1961 merger date with the SOO LINE. The SOO LINE track is now operated by the Canadian National.
is probably a "yard limit" sign indicating you are entering a railroad yard and slow accordingly.
My Mom and I occasionally visited a longtime friend of hers who lived near a Tannery that once operated in Ashland KY. It was among the most vile smells I have ever experienced. It has been about 50 years, and I can still remember it.
" OMG, I should have stopped at starbucks for that double shot of espresso!"
I think that is the biggest trackside sign I've ever seen. Wonder what it says? Perhaps, "Employee on side of train will not clear this sign."
Carefully stacked to the left are slabs of hemlock bark, which contain tannins once used in the leather industry. Hemlock lumber is basically useless. The trees were cut down, stripped of their bark, and left to rot in the woods.
In the full size pic I see a lady walking her dog between the tracks. She seems so out of place but looks like she is walking with a purpose.
Check out how they stacked wood for those out buildings and sheds on the left, by the tracks...or is it wood? It could be raw hide, since this is a tannery. Simply amazing, regardless.
Comments?
Submitted by Edvado on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 11:08am.
Were the comments intentionally removed from the bottom of the full-sized image, or is my browser acting up again? If it was intentional, let me go on record as disliking it. I now have to click two places and toggle back and forth to see both. Yuck!
[Click on the full-size image to see the comments. - Dave]
***********************
I vote with Edvado on this - Double yuck! Yes, clicking on the full-size image brings up the comments, but it also goes back to the small image size.
[Dragged kicking and screaming, they were. - Dave]
What is the product stacked under and to the roofs. Such large quantities of something carefully stacked waiting to be loaded or maybe and inbound commodity.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5