Harding - Jones Paper Mill
Middletown, Ohio
Recently, Rhea (my best friend and exploration buddy) and I visited the
Harding-Jones Paper Factory in Middletown, Ohio. To be honest, when we
first stumbled across the place, we had no idea what it was. Her mom had
suggested the location, and when we drove by it to check it out, we just knew we
had to get inside (and once you see the photos of the outside, you will
understand; such a cool building!).
Recently, Rhea (my best friend and exploration buddy) and I visited the
Harding-Jones Paper Factory in Middletown, Ohio. To be honest, when we
first stumbled across the place, we had no idea what it was. Her mom had
suggested the location, and when we drove by it to check it out, we just knew we
had to get inside (and once you see the photos of the outside, you will
understand; such a cool building!).
Originally, we thought it was a career college. Inside were tons of car
parts, and different rooms that looked like they were used for construction and
electrical practice. After hours of fruitless efforts on Google, looking
for information about the building, I finally just called the Kroger located
behind the factory, where we parked before walking over. After telling the
customer service rep that I was doing research for a school project, she said
that the building was the old Harding-Jones Paper Company. And now armed
with a name, I was actually able to research the history behind the building.
parts, and different rooms that looked like they were used for construction and
electrical practice. After hours of fruitless efforts on Google, looking
for information about the building, I finally just called the Kroger located
behind the factory, where we parked before walking over. After telling the
customer service rep that I was doing research for a school project, she said
that the building was the old Harding-Jones Paper Company. And now armed
with a name, I was actually able to research the history behind the building.
Getting inside the factory was not difficult at all. Clearly, we were
not the first to be curious about the place, for there were at least 5 clear
holes that had been cut in the fence that ran behind the factory. The
factory sat on a prime piece of real estate back in the day; the Miami Erie
canal ran behind the property, while Main St and Cinci-Dayton Raid Road tracks
crossed in front, making transport of products very easy.
In the picture below, you can see a pump house that was nestled between the
factory and the canal, located out back.
not the first to be curious about the place, for there were at least 5 clear
holes that had been cut in the fence that ran behind the factory. The
factory sat on a prime piece of real estate back in the day; the Miami Erie
canal ran behind the property, while Main St and Cinci-Dayton Raid Road tracks
crossed in front, making transport of products very easy.
In the picture below, you can see a pump house that was nestled between the
factory and the canal, located out back.
Unfortunately, the factory has been very vandalized, with many of it’s
windows shattered and much of the walls covered in graffiti. However, the
integrity of the building still stands strong, and you can still see important
aspects of the paper company.
Before becoming a part of Middletown, the Harding-Jones Paper Company was
actually in a small town called Excello, and sometimes the paper mill was
referred to as the Excello mill. The company was started in 1865 by A.E.
Harding. He built another paper mill in Franklin, Ohio in 1872. When Harding
died in 1898, the factories were sold to the American Writing Paper Company of
Massachusetts, and managed by Harding’s son in law, Thomas Jones (hence where
the name Harding-Jones Paper Co. originated). For YEARS, the company was at the
top of the paper industry, a leader in custom water-marked writing paper. An
interesting fact (although I’m not entirely sure if this is true) was that the
owner of the mill lived across the street from the factory, and was one of the
first in the county to have an in-ground swimming pool. However, the real reason
behind the pool was in case of a fire at the mill there would be a guaranteed
supply of water. In 1975, Excello was added to the National Registrar of
Historic places for it’s influence on early industry and also its architecture.
In 1983, Simpson Paper company purchased the mill, only for it to close seven
years later seven years later in 1990.
windows shattered and much of the walls covered in graffiti. However, the
integrity of the building still stands strong, and you can still see important
aspects of the paper company.
Before becoming a part of Middletown, the Harding-Jones Paper Company was
actually in a small town called Excello, and sometimes the paper mill was
referred to as the Excello mill. The company was started in 1865 by A.E.
Harding. He built another paper mill in Franklin, Ohio in 1872. When Harding
died in 1898, the factories were sold to the American Writing Paper Company of
Massachusetts, and managed by Harding’s son in law, Thomas Jones (hence where
the name Harding-Jones Paper Co. originated). For YEARS, the company was at the
top of the paper industry, a leader in custom water-marked writing paper. An
interesting fact (although I’m not entirely sure if this is true) was that the
owner of the mill lived across the street from the factory, and was one of the
first in the county to have an in-ground swimming pool. However, the real reason
behind the pool was in case of a fire at the mill there would be a guaranteed
supply of water. In 1975, Excello was added to the National Registrar of
Historic places for it’s influence on early industry and also its architecture.
In 1983, Simpson Paper company purchased the mill, only for it to close seven
years later seven years later in 1990.
It has sat empty for over 20 years. I found out that the building had been used
for the storage of car parts (the current owner, Kerry Johnson-Gary, runs an
auto parts “store” out of the building), which explains why they are everywhere
on the factory’s first floor. Also, the area that Rhea and I thought was a
construction/electrical practice area was actually the remaining pieces to a
haunted house that was held in the factory a few years back, called the “Mill of
Fear”; it was frame work for the event’s pathway of a twisty turny labyrinth
that event-goers would have to walk through in the dark near the end of the
attraction.
for the storage of car parts (the current owner, Kerry Johnson-Gary, runs an
auto parts “store” out of the building), which explains why they are everywhere
on the factory’s first floor. Also, the area that Rhea and I thought was a
construction/electrical practice area was actually the remaining pieces to a
haunted house that was held in the factory a few years back, called the “Mill of
Fear”; it was frame work for the event’s pathway of a twisty turny labyrinth
that event-goers would have to walk through in the dark near the end of the
attraction.
While you are in the factory, it is hard to differentiate where one floor starts
and a new one begins; nothing exactly lines up. But we had to be very
careful when checking out the third/forth floors, because they were made of
wood, one of the most unstable floorings in abandoned buildings. Some
parts of the floor were caving in, but we made sure to stay about eight to
ten feet apart at all times, and held onto poles that lined each floor for
extra security.
and a new one begins; nothing exactly lines up. But we had to be very
careful when checking out the third/forth floors, because they were made of
wood, one of the most unstable floorings in abandoned buildings. Some
parts of the floor were caving in, but we made sure to stay about eight to
ten feet apart at all times, and held onto poles that lined each floor for
extra security.
One piece of machinary that was obviously left over from the mill’s prime days
of printing. Some paper is still left on the piece.
of printing. Some paper is still left on the piece.
The most exciting part of the trip was making it up to the top factory. We
found the stairs to the attic, which in turn led to another set of stairs to the
small “towers” that overlooked the entire roof. Basically, they were small
(approx 6 by 6 foot) square rooms that were primarily made of windows, most
of which were broken, and topped with a pointed roof. It was very cool to
sit up there and look down on the river and railroad tracks. We actually
got to watch a train pass by on the tracks while we were up in the tower.
found the stairs to the attic, which in turn led to another set of stairs to the
small “towers” that overlooked the entire roof. Basically, they were small
(approx 6 by 6 foot) square rooms that were primarily made of windows, most
of which were broken, and topped with a pointed roof. It was very cool to
sit up there and look down on the river and railroad tracks. We actually
got to watch a train pass by on the tracks while we were up in the tower.
Many people say that the factory is haunted. I am very glad we didn’t know
about these stories before entering the building, but I now can see why.
One of factory worker that had been interviewed said that he would never again
go up on the highest floors (or the towers) at night; he said that his cousin
and him had heard footsteps on the floor below when they were up in the tower,
and no one was around. Mysterious knocking and objects moving on their own
were also frequently reported, although unexplained. I myself am not one
to believe in ghosts; everyone always seems to hear footsteps or unexplained
noises. But when I was checking out the photos I collected during our time
in the factory, one picture stopped me in my tracks (see it below). It was
a shot of the overall outside of the buildings, but there was one window that
had sun illuminating it from the other side of the factory. And it looks like there
is the outline of a human figure walking past the window. Coincidence? Possibly.
But it was enough to wig me out for a little bit. Check it out and decide for yourself.
(Picture has been cropped and blown up for viewing convenience)
about these stories before entering the building, but I now can see why.
One of factory worker that had been interviewed said that he would never again
go up on the highest floors (or the towers) at night; he said that his cousin
and him had heard footsteps on the floor below when they were up in the tower,
and no one was around. Mysterious knocking and objects moving on their own
were also frequently reported, although unexplained. I myself am not one
to believe in ghosts; everyone always seems to hear footsteps or unexplained
noises. But when I was checking out the photos I collected during our time
in the factory, one picture stopped me in my tracks (see it below). It was
a shot of the overall outside of the buildings, but there was one window that
had sun illuminating it from the other side of the factory. And it looks like there
is the outline of a human figure walking past the window. Coincidence? Possibly.
But it was enough to wig me out for a little bit. Check it out and decide for yourself.
(Picture has been cropped and blown up for viewing convenience)