| City/Town: • Crane |
| Location Class: • Industrial |
| Built: • N/A | Abandoned: • 1988 |
| Status: • Demolished |
| Photojournalist: • Billy Wade |
While not much written documentation of the Belmont Casket Factory in Crane Missouri, what is documented paints a pretty interesting story. Built prior to the 1960s, the Belmont Casket Factory was something that for decades Crane residents took great pride in. Just around the time it closed the factory was providing roughly $3 million in payroll and supplying 350 jobs to the area making it one of the biggest employers. Reports showed the in 1988 sales were at roughly $110 million for the company.
A few fires are documented in its history, one in 1942 and another that “destroyed” it on January 29, 1966. And another allegedly in 1971, but despite all of these the factory persevered being a leading part of the community. Many citizens told stories of snatching casket lids from the factory and floating down the creek with them.
But just a year after those seemingly awesome statistics were reported the Belmont Casket Factory in Crane closed in 1988. The closure not only marked a nearly devastating day for the community but was also a hit to the area employment numbers. After its closure there was no plan for the building and so it sat, for decades. Fires, vandalism, thieves, graffiti “artists”, partiers and more took an interest in the building making potential investors completely put off from purchasing the building
On June 17, 2020, Mayor Collin Brannan announced that Crane had been awarded a demolition grant from the Missouri DED in the amount of $241,088. The grant funds would be used toward the demolition of multiple abandoned properties throughout Crane. The grant was also to cover the demolition of a portion of the old casket factory and several other residential properties. The process to obtain the grant began because of the old casket factory had become a nuisance for the community.
The city aimed to demolish a portion of the building and turn another portion of it into a storage garage for the city. After some discussion with the owners of the building, the remaining portion that they owned was donated to the city so hopefully, these measures could be taken. Today, nothing remains of the old factory. It has completely been demolished.
Gallery Below of Belmont Casket Company
https://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_92756f4a-db57-11eb-8485-93c601646a46.html
https://www.ccscrnews.com/city-of-crane-now-owns-part-of-the-casket-factory.html
http://www.usa.com/frs/belmont-casket-co.html
https://www.newspapers.com/image/310199314/?terms=%22belmont%20casket%22%20crane&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/203083100/?terms=belmont%20casket&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/207624454/?terms=belmont%20casket%20crane&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/309152883/?terms=belmont%20casket%20crane&match=1
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ward_s_Business_Directory_of_U_S_Private/4KZWAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=belmont+casket+factory+crane+missouri&dq=belmont+casket+factory+crane+missouri&printsec=frontcover
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Tried to visit and look inside but the place is ridden with securtiy cameras on every access point. I assume it’s due to the graffiti and the city buying it. If you are trying to go visit, spare yourself the drive there is no way in without being recorded.