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Le Hunt Cement Plant

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)

City/Town:
Location Class:
Built: 1905 | Abandoned: 1918
Status: AbandonedGuttedPrivate Property
Photojournalist: Emily CowanJohnny Fletcher

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)The town of Le Hunt got its start when the Independence Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt Cement Plant)  purchased 1,500 acres to begin the project. They chose the area because Kansas was ranked 4th in portland cement production with Montgomery and eight other surrounding counties dominating the economy and profiting off the areas’ abundant supply of portland cement minerals. Leigh Hunt, president of the Hunt Engineering Company, was whom the town was named after. Table Mound was picked as the ideal location for the cement plant but manufacturers were concerned with the location of the quarry in relation to the plant. They situated the quarry atop the mound and a gravity system to transport materials was designed. A feature that eliminated the need for elevators & expensive conveyors helping to cut production costs.

Construction

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)
Filling up carts at the quarry to send to the plant

Of course, Hunt Engineering Company was chosen to oversee and handle construction. Leigh Hunt had handled multiple other plants including the one at Iola. Construction officially started on October 20, 1905, because of the size of the behemoth plant it continued for ten months before being completed in August of 1906.

Following the construction of the Independence Kansas Portland Cement Plant, 200-400 people were employed there. Mostly immigrants, they came with little and hundreds of tents were temporary houses. The population had risen from a few hundred in 1905 to over a thousand by 1906. The Hunt Engineering Company started to build the community and housing in the town offering a school, store, church, and bars. The housing, schools, and medical care were provided by the company, which deducted fees from the workers’ wages to cover the services.

United Kansas Portland Cement Company

The cement industry experienced an economic decline due to overproduction, this resulted in many mills consolidating to control demand. In January of 1908 the cement plants at Le Hunt, Iola, and Neodesha consolidated to become United Kansas Portland Cement Company. The capitalization of the new company was $12,750,000 and as a result of the consolidation maintenance and operation costs were reduced.

Decline

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)
Approx. 1910

Although the consolidation helped keep the company afloat for a while longer the demise of the Portland Cement Company was one that didn’t come swiftly. Starting before the consolidation the cement industry was already experiencing hardships and overproduction. Another blow came when railroads raised their long-haul freight rates. This led to an application being filed for a review of rates amongst four railroads by L.T. Sunderland who represented UKS Portland Cement Company. Ultimately the higher rates led to less production in the cement plants of southeastern Kansas. In addition to these challenges came the depletion of natural gas in the area incapacitating the cement industry. In June of 1913, the UKS Portland Cement Co. Under the stress of all these issues led to the cement plant temporarily being shut down to make repairs and sell surplus stock. The plant never opened back up again. With all the odds stacked against them and years of financial irresponsibility cause the United Kansas Portland Cement Company to file for bankruptcy on January 15, 1914. This ultimately led to the shutdown of the school, business, and houses to become vacant.

Sunflower Portland Cement Company

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)
Donated by Independence Historical Museum

In May of 1915, the Le Hunt plant was bought by Sunflower Portland Cement Company for $199,950. Immediately, repairs were underway and on September 12, 1915, were back in production. Within thirty days of the plant being back in operation the houses of Le Hunt were being filled, businesses were coming back, and the small school was reopened. The new company employed over 300 people and had a capacity of 1,500 barrels per day. Their start-up experienced a surge in production with cement prices hitting an all-time high throughout 1916-17.

Closing

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)Sunflower Portland Cement Company was short-lived, World War 1 diminished the demand for cement causing a steep drop in production. Their inability to adjust, new consolidations, and meet new conditions needed to fill war contracts led to the closure and selling of the Sunflower Portland Cement Company to the Western States Portland Cement Company. After purchase, the equipment and machinery were sold and most of the houses were moved to nearby Independence.

Tragedy

On March 25, 1913, The Evening Star newspaper reported that there had been an accident at the Le Hunt plant injuring three employees. There was sudden superheating of the oil in a tank that was feeding the machinery engine. This resulted in an explosion at about 6:30 a.m. causing Leonard Ioeger, Frank Anderson, and Calhoun all to be severely burned. Dr. Shelton of nearby Independence was called out to dress the wounded men at the plant since all refused to go to the hospital.

Brian Durnil had just moved to the area three months earlier when tragedy struck. On Oct 30, 1997, Keayon Hadley, 19, lured the victim to the abandoned grounds on Table Mound where he bludgeoned and shot Brian multiple times with a .357-caliber handgun. Emergency personnel found the victim alive around 6:45 p.m. but passed before he could be transported to the hospital. Hadley surrendered to police the next day and was charged with first-degree murder with his bond being set to $100,000. In April of 1998, the jury convicted Hadley of second-degree murder. County Attorney Robert Claus alleged that Keayon was attempting to steal the .357 caliber-gun from Brian Durnil while the two were target shooting, Hadley shot him multiple times and then beat him with a baseball bat. During Hadley’s trial, his attorney unsuccessfully argued that two teenage girls who were the main witnesses against Hadley were the real killers and that they were Satanists who used Le Hunt as a meeting place to perform human and animal sacrifices. Hadley was sentenced to life in Lansing Correctional Facility.

United Kansas Portland Cement Company (Le Hunt)The fabled story goes that a laborer by the name of Bohr (Boars) was working on one of the 15 foot high walls, somehow got pinned inside when the wall was being poured and died. The laborers decided since he was already dead and that nothing could be done to help him they abandoned all hope and left him in the wall continuing on to fill the forms with concrete. The workers built a memorial to Boars to honor the fallen worker. There are three sections of the wall dedicated to Boars. One section has the remains of his pickaxe and shovel embedded in the wall. The weather and elements have over time destroyed the wooden handles which have since fallen out. The shovel’s blade is still evident though but it’s unfortunately defaced by buckshot from vandals. In the next section, his wheelbarrow protrudes from the wall. In the very next section, the name Boars is sculpted and engraved into the wall. In today’s time, no one would leave somebody buried in a wall but in 1905 the world was quite a bit different.




Bibliography
A very special thank you to Sue Prince & Sylvia Augustine of the Independence Historical Museum for providing the historical photographs.
“American Cities.” Google Books, Google, www.google.com/books/edition/American_Cities/Zc_euUr_X4MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=robert%2Bratzlaff%2Bcement&pg=PA273&printsec=frontcover.
“24 Apr 1915, Page 1 – The Iola Register at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/853306/?terms=united%2Bkansas%2Bportland%2Bcement%2Bcompany%2Ble%2Bhunt.
“1 Nov 1997, 8 – The Iola Register at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/636463845/?terms=keayon%2Bhadley.
“25 Mar 1913, Page 1 – The Evening Star at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/93037289/?terms=united%2Bkansas%2Bportland%2Bcement%2Bcompany%2Ble%2Bhunt.m
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Nancy
5 years ago

I would like more information about the picture of the cement plant workers. That picture has my grandmother's handwriting on it, and is pointing out my great-grandfather. I would like to get a copy of this picture if at all possibly. I can be reached at nsschre@gmail.com

Jason
Jason
6 years ago

U guys are fucked up if you didn't see shit I went there a year ago and that shit is no fucking place to hang that place is fucking haunted if you haven't went I encourage you to go with someone at least 3 or more and come prepared

Jason
Reply to  Jason
6 years ago

And go at pitch black

Eddie
Eddie
Reply to  Jason
1 year ago

You missed all the good stuff. You gotta look dude.

melanie
melanie
8 years ago

Without a big fuss. Lol. Sorry. We have done Brown's mansion. And many places in Cherryvile.. would like a chance here. Been looking and calling around. But no luck to find someone there. Thanks.

Jodi Lyon
Jodi Lyon
9 years ago

Brian Durnill is my husbands cousin and you have some information wrong in your article. Brian and Keayon were 18 not 19. Keayon only got 15 years but Brian's family does believe that Keayon did not murder Brian. There were two girls involved. After Keayon was sentenced and Brian's family moved away the two girls mysteriously disappeared.

trackback
9 years ago

[…] Mound bulks up above the Elk River and the lake, a rocky protrusion which has attracted quarry men, hikers, and bikers. We began this day hike on my favorite section of the many miles of trails at […]

Sue Loganbill
Sue Loganbill
9 years ago

I attended LeHunt School in 1943-45. Katie Trout was the teacher. I was living with my grandparents, Art and Addie Haines about 3/4 mile from the school. My aunt and uncle, Harry and Dale Krienhagen, lived across the street south of the school. Some of the other students were Lois Featheringill, Ethel Stover, Cleota Reynolds, Walter Reynolds. I spent many a weekend wandering around Table Mound with my cousin finding arrow heads. I have a quilt that the Le Hunt Red Pepper Club made and all the ladies living in the LeHunt area embroidered their names on. I also have… Read more »

Bruce Anderson
Bruce Anderson
Reply to  Sue Loganbill
5 years ago

Hi Sue. I was surprised to see you mention Harry and Dale. How are you related to them exactly? Harry was my grandfather's (Girard Krienhagen) brother. I spent a lot of time out on Harry and Dale's farm hunting, exploring the ruins, and camping up on Table mound. My mother was Geraldine Krienhagen and they lived in Independence. Great memories of the place.

Todd
Reply to  Sue Loganbill
5 years ago

I lived in the old school house as a child. Lots of memories good and bad.

Darrell
10 years ago

It's not haunted. I live across the road from the school house in the picture.

Bubba Williams
Reply to  Darrell
8 years ago

I am the ghost who haunts the school and I disagree!

Dan King
Dan King
10 years ago

I used to live in the area and my son and I were walking the paths. All the while we felt that we were not alone. You could feel the spirits all around, but they were not scary. It is indeed an awesome place!

Bob Wilson
Bob Wilson
10 years ago

Thanks for the great photos. I played in those ruins as a child during the 50's, but I did not know the history of Lehunt.

jamesac91
jamesac91
11 years ago

I remember going to Le Hunt when I was younger. we would always go at nite…mainly for the scare factor. Glad to hear that people are cleaning up the cemetary….when I was there most of the headstones were broken.

Gabriel E Hall
Gabriel E Hall
11 years ago

This cement company has been around for quite some time already, which is a good thing. There are many cement, infrastructure, anddrilling company out there so I don't see any reason for having broken roads.

Jason McCaleb
11 years ago

Oh yeah, and sweet write up man. Nailed it.

Jason McCaleb
11 years ago

psychoswaw, I was wondering if you would be up for a return trip. I have recently joined UER in Tulsa and ask the guys if they had ever been, and they have never heard of it. I have been to LeHunt about a dozen times, and much like yourself, I have covered just about every inch of it. I am assuming your photographs came from the Independence Museum as well. I have a huge library of photos, some of which look just like yours. If you are on uer hit me up. chonkyfire9 is my handle on uer. if not… Read more »

trackback
11 years ago

[…] Table Mound on the lake’s eastern shore. I passed the high old smokestack of the former United Kansas Portland Cement Company at Le Hunt on the mound’s east side. The smokestack is crumbling away and one of these days shall fall, […]

Robert MacRae
12 years ago

I grew up in the county but only visited it once with a friend during high school, I've got a photo of me heading down one of those tunnels for a look – creepy place! Thanks for sharing all the photos and pulling all this together, well done!

Jerry
Jerry
12 years ago

I love viewing locations of the past and abandoned buildings. There is a story that begs to be told & remembered.

Katie
12 years ago

Awesome pics…the plush greenery makes it even more creepy!! Love it!!<3

Sasha Burge
Sasha Burge
12 years ago

Awesome story and great pics!!

dwtaylor
12 years ago

Awesome! Loved the pick and shovel in the concrete!

psychosaw13
psychosaw13
12 years ago

Thanx!

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