Stroh, IN: Wabash Portland Cement Company

Because of this plant, Stroh shipped more freight on the Wabash branch than Kendallville did on both of its railroads.

Mike Snow posted
The Wabash Stroh Branch
In 1899 a branch line (4.4 miles in length) was built from Helmer Indiana to the NW to Stroh Indiana to service the Wabash Portland Cement Plant.
Marl from nearby pits and coal was hauled to Stroh to be used in the process of manufacturing bagged cement, locally produce was shipped out of Stroh as well, line lasted until 1945.
Dennis DeBruler: My Grandfather's farm was near Stroh, so I've been interested in this branch and cement plant. This is the best photo I have seen of the plant so far. I've heard that my Mom used to help drive sheep down the road from Stroh to their farm.

Terry Wisel Heintz posted

Rural American History Captured posted
Stroh's Wabash Portland Cement Company. Stroh, Indiana. Years of operation approx 1899-1941
Debra Gould Collection 
I was so excited to find this.
Dennis DeBruler I can remember when the railroad tracks were still in this little stretch of road. I was told there used to be a railroad there because of a cement plant. The "mud" in the area was special, and it was good for making cement. https://www.google.com/.../@41.5884333,-85.../data=!3m1!1e3
Trent Mcgregor The tracks still run across the lake. Lots of people beach their boats on the rubble pile because the lost history of the area.

Rural American History Captured posted, cropped
Wabash Portland Cement Plant. Stroh
LCHS

Rural American History Captured posted 
Stroh IN. 1979 Article about the Cement plant.
LCHS

comment on above posting

Now that I have a name, I can Google.

"The Wabash Portland Cement Company at Stroh, Indiana had a one mile three-foot gauge railroad that hauled marl from around Big Turkey Lake with at least two 0-4-0 saddle tank steam locos....The plant was completed in 1900 and modernized in 1916." The plant was dismantled in the 1940s. [TrainOrders]

Marl is the name I could not remember for the special mud that was found there. I wonder if it was the development of rotary kilns that made the need for marl obsolete.

Some of the things needed to make the plant are listed in a client card.

Terry Wisel Heintz posted
Turkey lake! The Wabash Portland cement company mined lime out of the lake to make cement with. Elija Stroh, brother to the famous beer maker, ran the company until the fire and explosion in the early 30s. At one point he paved the main Street with concrete and in 1899, the town's name was changed from Hayward to Stroh. Elija Stroh's wife was named Elmira! Sound familiar? [Elmira is a little town north of Stroh were we would go to buy takeout fried fish.]
Chad Biberstine: Many people don’t realize but a significant portion of Chicago and Detroit was built with Wabash Portland cement.
[The plant shut down in the 1940s due to depletion and cheaper production methods.]

Brittney Healey-Messer commented on Terry's post