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Sunday, October 31, 2010

THE HOME OF BAB-O! ...Once.

Back in February, I posted some historical information concerning B.T. BABBITT, INC, the company which was best known for manufacturing BAB-O, a once very popular household cleanser. B.T. BABBITT had a number of factories around the United States and there was one of those located here in upstate New York, just a few blocks north of the PORT OF ALBANY. The company folded in the 1960s, it's registered trademarks scooped by other former competitors. But the buildings remain, in various physical states. The following two stills are of the main factory, now derelict some five decades since.Given today's economy, this once thriving manufacturing center will remain so until the structure is finally condemned and demolished.


The next shot displays a twin silo, which most likely housed tons of sand, which is the principal inert ingredient in scouring power. Back in the 1960's, the silos were painted to look like an enormous can of BAB-O and a container of GLIM, a liquid detergent also produced by B.T.BABBITT. This section is currently used as a garage by TRAILWAYS, a nationwide bus service.

The following two images show the third building, once associated with Babbitt, now under the aegis of EAST GREENBUSH LABEL AND TAPE and the PORT INDUSTRIAL CENTER.


Since Zach and I were in the neighborhood, we drove through the PORT OF ALBANY and got some extra detail such as this dockside crane.

These two structures are owned and operated by CARGILL, a producer of grains and other industrial materials.


This last shot was taken at GRECO CONSTRUCTION, displaying an ambiguous but quite curious sign on a cargo bay door.


More every day odd pictures later!

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