Severely damaged by fire in 2003, the historic Thistle Manufacturing Factory has been vacant since

Established in 1837 on a 106-acre tract in the Patapsco valley, the historic Thistle Manufacturing Factory began as the cotton print mill.

The factory changed hands several times during its life, first as a cotton-weaving plant for making sails, then as a paper printing/processing plant. Photos: Forsaken Fotos/Flickr

The factory was in continuous operation until 2003. Source — *The factory was in continuous operation until 2003.*

Silk and cotton were produced plus silk yarn and cotton thread. Source — *Silk and cotton were produced plus silk yarn and cotton thread.*

Alexander Fridge and the two brothers from Scotland, George and William Morris purchased the property from the Ellicott brothers, on which they built a cotton mill and silk production facility. The cotton duck was perfect for making sails needed in the Baltimore shipyards. The 100 employee mill building was built of locally quarried stone along with at least five stone buildings to support laborers and a general store.

In the 1920s, the mill manufactured fabric for automobile tires. Source — *In the 1920s, the mill manufactured fabric for automobile tires.*

In 1919, Edward A.A. Blakeney purchased the plant and electrified operations in 1925 but was soon sold to a New York firm for making tire fabric.

In 1928, Bartgis Brothers acquired the plant and continued making paperboard in the former textile plant. Source — *In 1928, Bartgis Brothers acquired the plant and continued making paperboard in the former textile plant.*

In 1928 The Bartgis Brothers Company, a Baltimore printing and box making company (that later became New Haven Board and Carton Co. and Simkins Industries, Inc.), purchased the factory and refitted it through August 1929 for paper production. Paper manufacturing operations consisted of pulping and refining paper fiber from newspapers and other post-consumer paper to the desired consistency, then dewatering and pressing the fibers into sheets that were then dried, finished and stored. The 250 employee factory produced recycled paper products with printing operations until 1964. Most of 1964 operations were interrupted by a labor strike.

Printing operations were present from 1919 to 1964. Source — *Printing operations were present from 1919 to 1964.*

Prior to 1971, when the facility connected to the municipal sewage interceptor, wastewater from the facility was discharged to the river. The unpermitted dump operated from approximately 1952 through the 1980s and reportedly accepted wastes from the on-site activities, as well as industrial waste and municipal waste from nearby citizens.

The threat of flooding during severe storms hangs over the valley, and Thistle has suffered over the years like other mill villages along the river. Source — *The threat of flooding during severe storms hangs over the valley, and Thistle has suffered over the years like other mill villages along the river.*

In August 2003, a complaint was filed against the facility for violations in hazardous materials and solid waste dumping. Paper manufacturing ceased the same year after a fire severely damaged the mill building and destroyed 20% of the roof structure.

In 2003, Simkins Industries, Inc. has begun decommissioning the property. Source — *In 2003, Simkins Industries, Inc. has begun decommissioning the property.*

Since 2003, the company entered a voluntary cleanup program with the Maryland Department of the environment, removing the 100,000-gallon aboveground storage tank (AST), paper manufacturing equipment, two transformers and razing several of the old mill residences on the property.

The Property was on sale back in 2008, but a state report seemed to indicate that cleanup may still be underway at that point. Source — *The Property was on sale back in 2008, but a state report seemed to indicate that cleanup may still be underway at that point.*

The building was burned again in 2009. Simpkins Industries announced in 2012 that it would sell the historic factory and 55 acres of property to a land developer or the State of Maryland. The complex was demolished in 2013.