The Whitacre Greer plant as it looked in 1905. Organized in 1902, it set on top of a big basin which at one time connected to the Sandy-Beaver Canal. The Canal ran thru Malvern soon after 1834, and can clearly be seen on Route 183 to Waynesburg.
Just above the old R.T. Hawke farm it emptied into Big Sandy where there was a dam. There was evidence of it some 70 years ago. It proceeded west from the plant near the bridge and thru flat at John Brown Mill, and crossed near the bridge. The old football field was another basin, and the next was just above the dam.
Rocks from up at the old stone quarry which is visible for miles around atop of Whitacre hill were used for the solid foundation to the machine shop. Many area residents used this basin to ice skate on and good fishing for bass, when use was discontinued of the canal after railroads came in 1853. Thanks to F.C. Orland for story and pictures. (Local Waynesburg newspaper, 1972.)
The photo below was taken in 1972 from the same location on the hill above the plant.
Whitacre Greer closed the Waynesburg plant in 1989. Production of dry-pressed paving brick and low-duty firebrick are now located in Alliance, OH.
