Ithacagun's Chimney

[ithacaartist]

I posted a couple pics of this a while ago. Credit to Peter Belllisario, who posts in the "Ithaca Is Crazy" group on FB...and apparently has a drone!

[rolandtg]

Is that a chimney or a shot tower?
Surprising it's left standing.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by rolandtg

Is that a chimney or a shot tower?
Surprising it's left standing.

It's the chimney. A whole lotta forging goin' on!

To my knowledge, Ithaca Gun never produced shot. They used a lot, though, in testing...enough to contaminate Fall Creek.

My former wife did office work there in the service dept., which had been moved down by Cayuga inlet from the steel shed it originally occupied on the factory grounds--located at the edge of the cliff above the gorge. Attached to that building was a shooting tube maybe 20' long, used to check success of the repairs, and it went along during the move.

[Karl]

According to the National Register database for Tompkins County, this is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places - it would certainly be eligible.

KFS

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Karl

According to the National Register database for Tompkins County, this is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places - it would certainly be eligible.

KFS

An historic place, for sure. The chimney and some random concrete slabs on the site are all that's left to register. Issues about the lead contamination might also affect the process.

Without maintenance, the chimney's exposure to the weather will eventually take it from us.

[Karl]

I hope that there is a local historic preservation group in Ithaca interested in saving the chimney. Contamination of the site might actually deter future development.

KFS