The Incredible Plant In Tennessee That Has Been Left In Ruins
By Chris Dodge|Published March 18, 2024
×
Chris Dodge
Author
My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
In a state as historic as ours, it’s no surprise that we’ve so many abandoned places in Tennessee. And undeniably, while you might not be able to quite put a finger on it, there is an undeniable lure to such places. Sometimes it is the history; perhaps it’s the mystery of the unknown; it could be the beauty of nature reclaiming its territory; or a good combination of them all — but without a doubt, these places draw us in. This is all to say that there is an old factory in the middle of Elizabethton, Tennessee, that has been long vacant and it just so happens to be one of the grittiest abandoned places I’ve ever seen. This is the story of the Bemberg Plant in Tennessee.
If you were to drive around town in Elizabethton, you would undoubtedly see the remnants of yesteryear peaking up over the modern buildings. The Bemberg Plant and its large smoke stack reaches high in the sky, but you won’t hear the sound of industry pounding out products from this Tennessee factory these days; in fact, you won’t hear anything at all.
Left to deteriorate, the Bemberg plant remains as one of the grittiest abandoned places I have ever encountered. The broken windows, the worn-out bricks, and the fire-singed walls all tell the story of what happened in this once-thriving factory.
The landscape of Tennessee has changed a lot in the last hundred years and in the 1920s things looked a lot more rural than they do now. The German manufacturing company sought to build a plant on American soil and the land in Elizabethton seemed promising. The continuous flow of water and the hope for cheap non-union workers was enough of a draw so the groundwork was laid and soon the factory was built.
The company built a synthetic thread similar to silk, and business began to boom. At its peak, the company housed 4,500 employees. The workers of East Tennessee proved to be quick learners and the company even remained steady during the Great Depression.
During the tumultuous '30s and '40s, the company did see many workflow changes and demands. As America was thrust into WWII, some questioned the company's German roots. So the Office of Alien Property, a branch of the government that looked over foreign-owned businesses during World War II, took over during that time.
The fabricated silk material that Bemberg was known for became in high demand for the war effort. The product was primarily used for cords on parachutes. After the smoking cleared and the war was over, though, profit dropped as demand plummeted.
A changing market fluctuated the industry and over the years they were able to stay afloat, but eventually in 1974 they closed their doors for good and that chapter of Elizabethton was over.
Fast forward to today and you will see an abandoned building off in the distance with broken windows and a deteriorating structure. This echo of the past still tells the story of what started 100 years ago. This abandoned plant in Tennessee is unsafe to enter; however, you can peruse the perimeter and see the remnants of this historical factory from a safe distance. You never know how much longer places like this will stand but for now, it looms in the background reminding us of its storied past.
There are many great abandoned places in TN, some can only be seen from afar and others still you can visit to this very day. These tales of the past remind us of what life was once like and from that we can learn and grow from where others once walked. If you love to dive deep into the history of an area stay in the Tri-City area and visit places like Sycamore Shoals to learn more. To see more of the Bemberg factory check out this drone video from Pat Attack 1988:
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
