Chemstrand Plant in Pensacola Florida 1950’s …
Above is a view of the plant at night back in the 1950’s. Chemstrand was at one time the largest manufacturer of synthetic fiber ( Rayon was one ) that was used in carpets, rugs and anything else that needed synthetic fiber. All of the fiber was loaded onto spindles and shipped to their respected buyers, Mohawk Carpets would have been an example. At one time back in the 1950’s through the 1970’s, I would guess that Chemstrand was in the top five of employees in Escambia County Florida. Even though they had photography department, we were hired for miscellaneous jobs at the plant. Below is the same photo run through the Lucis Art Filter.
Some of the detail in the highlight areas are retained better than in the photo at the top. I do not know anything about this photo … the area of the plant this photo shows, etc. I enjoy looking at these types of commercial images and I have found a handful of these types of images in my last find
Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two 
My Father also worked for Daniel’s Construction. We traveled with a construction team from 1951 to 1963. His first work was the Chemstrand Plant in Pensacola. It is great to be able to see pictures of the work they did in the 50’s. I was able to go by the plant in 2022, it has changed over the years. That plant was important in my history as well, and served to make me the person I am today, traveling from state to state.
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Gayle Livingston
February 23, 2023 at 8:56 am
My father, Joe Nims, worked at Chemstrand many years. He was an electrical engineer. Probably from 1960-1974. I remember going to annual family employee
parties as a child.
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Jeannie Stahlecker
April 1, 2021 at 11:40 am
Thanks for the comment and Happy Easter …..
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Frank Hardy
April 4, 2021 at 12:25 pm
I might have seen you there! I remember some guy dressed as a clown passing out chocolates to all the kids. I think it was a Christmas party. My dad was John Dulaney. He worked there as a supervisor from ’57-’69. He was transferred to Monsanto’s headquarters in St. Louis after they acquired Chemstrand. I cried the day he told us we were moving. I loved living in Gulf Breeze.
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Vytallica Q. Publlic
June 15, 2021 at 11:59 am
Sorry to hear that. Thanks for commenting. Keep in touch…
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Frank Hardy
April 15, 2022 at 4:52 pm
My Dad worked for Daniels Construction as a welder way back then and helped build the building. When it was finished we moved back to South Carolina. I was so young I have no memories of the actual plant itself, but heard many stories about the construction of it.
S. Bell
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susan bell (@jinglebell56)
May 11, 2019 at 2:26 pm
My Dad was in marketing and sales for Chemstrand from about 54 to 60. Made lots of trips from NY to Pensacola. Thanks for the great pics!
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Joe Carvin
February 24, 2018 at 3:12 pm
Thanks for commenting. I know of no details of the image. I just thought it was an interesting night time shot and did not take me a lot of Photoshop work to clean the image up. Wish I knew more. Please check back, I do not post as often as I should now days, but I go in spurts and post. Thanks … Frank
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Frank Hardy
April 3, 2018 at 6:24 pm
My dad (Louis Ray Sr) was instrumental in the construction of the plant and was head of the Intermediates area for many years. He was in Pensacola from 1951 to 1969 when he was transferred up north. I always remember the plant as being like a family with a huge Christmas party, recreation pavilion and an 18 hole golf course.
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Bob Ray (@tpabob46)
September 19, 2014 at 7:19 am
There are some photos in this blog of a Lois Ann Ray … any relation? Thanks … Frank
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Frank Hardy
September 19, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Frank – It’s Chemstrand not Chemistrand :) I worked at Chemstrand from 1961-1967. I’m really enjoying all the memories these pictures are bringing back.
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Wayne Craig
March 23, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Wayne … Thanks for the correction. I have edited this post with the change to Chemstrand through out. I remember this now that you mention it. I do not know where on the plant grounds that this photograph was taken or what part of the processing plant this is. If you have any insight about any of this, please let us know. Thanks for commenting and please check back … Frank
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Frank Hardy
March 24, 2013 at 9:30 am
This is what we called the Intermediates Area. It’s where all the chemicals such as ammonia, cyclohexane, nitric acid, etc were processed to make the raw nylon flake. I worked as a chemical lab tech that did the analysis on all the different chemical compounds used in the process. There was some pretty nasty stuff that was emitted into the atmosphere at times. Sometimes, when the atmospheric conditions were right clouds of nitrous oxide that would drift down and mix with any fog in the air to produce nitric acid and ruin the paint on cars in the Intermediates parking lot. It the damage was bad enough, the company would pay for a new paint job if you turned in a damage report.
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Wayne Craig
March 26, 2013 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for the comment … Frank
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Frank Hardy
March 29, 2013 at 10:25 am
Mr. Craig, My Daddy was a pipefitter there in the early 1950’s. He died in 1958 of Lung Cancer at the young age of 39. My sister and I have filed for survivor benefits from the Department of labor. I also remember the yellow gas/smoke emitting from some of the towers and the damage it did to the paint on our car. I am trying to convince the Dept. of labor that something he was exposed to at some point in his work caused his lung cancer.
He had been a plumber/pipefitter/steam fitter most of his life. The DOL Doctor that reviewed his case stated 90% of lung cancers are caused by cigarette/tobacco smoke, but being the firm Southern Baptist Christian, he never smoked or drank liquor in his life.If anyone knows about the chemicalsused at chemstrand that might help my sister and I with this claim and could pass it in to us, it would be appreciated. Does anyoneknow if any nuclear/radiation was used there?
By the way we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Pensacola (Cantonement) area, and Tate High School.
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res5877
September 12, 2024 at 1:39 pm
Just saw this. Am going to write to him also. I typed something but I don’t think it went. Will try again tomorrow. Let me know if you saw this that I just wrote to you tomorrow. Thanks….Frank
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Frank Hardy
September 12, 2024 at 11:49 pm
I love ALL the photo’s you post! Keep them coming!!!
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Ray Mercer
March 20, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Thanks … It is nice to know that people appreciate these images. Please check back … Frank
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Frank Hardy
March 20, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Hi Frank,
Jeff Scheumack here….Was trying to give you a call and update on a few things….can you email me your phone number….
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jeff scheumack
April 17, 2013 at 9:22 am
Jeff … My cell phone number is 850-449-1279. I tried to send it to you on my iPhone, but I could not tell if it was sent or not. I know that this way you will receive it. Anytime is fine, leave a message with your number if I am busy and I will get right back with you. Looking forward to hearing from you … Frank
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Frank Hardy
April 17, 2013 at 9:47 am
Just looking at some old posts for someone and saw this. Can’t remember if we ever talked or not. No matter. Not sure if you will even get this or not. Our daughter Lauren has moved to Houston. Actually it is a town called Waller. My grandson Lukas is attending Waller High School. Travis is a Marine Helicopter pilot serving in the reserves. He took a job at a pump plant there owned by Marines. Lauren is a stay at home mom with two little ones, boys, 2 and 4. We get out there several times a year. I know you are up in Dallas. When Pam and I went out to Sedona in August 2004 and came back through and I called and talked to your wife. I do remember seeing a photo you sent me sitting on a pier out front of a lake house I think you said you own now that I think about it. If you do get this now or years later I’d love to hear from you. I did look up Dallas and your son that’s the lawyer popped up. Fine looking young man! I still have same phone number. I am on Instagram under FrankPHardy. I have thousands of photos of mine that I have taken. And I’m proud to say only three have me in them! Have a few of the girls and grandkids. Jenna has 2 girls, 13 and 7. Lauren has the 3 boys. Jenna’s husband is Fran Tarkenton’s business partner and they live in Atlanta. Travis I mentioned and both he and Lauren are enrolled at Texas A&M computer classes school. He in MBA and Lauren undergraduate in Health and Fitness. I did see your Father’s obituary in the Houston paper. It was years ago that I saw it. Did not mean this to be so long. Would love to hear from you if you ever see this. Hope everyone is well!!
Frank
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Frank Hardy
September 12, 2024 at 11:46 pm