Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Riegel Paper Mill

This massive paper mill was built along the banks of the Delaware River in what was then Holland Township. The area was mostly farmland, next to which new Riegel Paper Mill seemed a monolith. Sitting on the better part of 70 acres of land, the mill was quite beneficial for the township.


Completed in 1907, the mill would immediately become the largest supplier of jobs for the small town. The complex consisted of the main production facility, a power plant, a "coating" facility, several dozen houses built for the workers of the mill and a 35 acre aeration pond in nearby Alexandria.


In 1911, the section of Holland Township where the mill sat was renamed Milford. It wasn't named for the Riegel Mill however, but rather a gristmill further into town.


Though the mill started out with dozens of nearby houses for its 75 employees, varying in size and architectural style, a few of them would be demolished over the years. This started in the early 1960's, when several houses along Delaware avenue were demolished to create parking.


As the years progressed, so did the Riegel Company. The coating facility, rumored to be the oldest buildings on site, focused on specialized compounded resins used for certain types of paper products. The main mill area would focus on food based applications for paper. It would go on to be operated by the Riegel Paper Corporation well into the 1970's. At its peak, the mill employed around 700 people.


In 1976, the Riegel Paper Corporation was acquired by the James River Paper Corporation, and in 1978 the Riegel family officially sold the last of their stock in the company. James River Papers was buying up paper manufacturing properties left and right. Half a decade later, they would be declared the largest paper corporation in the world. You may recognize the company for such products as Brawny paper towels and Dixie cups.


Sometime between the late 1980's and the early 1990's, several more houses along Delaware avenue were removed. This wave of demolition left only one brick Victorian house on that particular stretch of road.


The James River corporation continued to operate the Milford Mill under its main brand name until 1995. At this time, a new division of the company was crated to focus specifically on the company's printing and writing contracts, as well as the specialty papers the mill was always known for.


An economic downturn in Asia caused the entire paper market to begin to dwindle. By 1998, the company had been experiencing significantly diminishing profits for three consecutive years. To supplement this, imported paper was being imported for far cheaper than the costs of manufacturing it in the United States.


Three additional years later, Crown Vantage went bankrupt and sold the mill to the Curtis Paper company.


The Curtis Paper company would be the last group to occupy the massive structure, manufacturing specialty paper for several different companies and applications. They wound up leaving the building entirely in 2003, they having gone bankrupt like Crown Vantage before them. Though the mill was once the largest employer in the town, it was now leaving 213 employees without jobs.


The building was sold to International Papers & Georgia Pacific, who wanted some of the machinery and manufacturing equipment. Everything the company didn't want would eventually be auctioned off, leaving the massive building mostly empty.


The EPA investigations at the site mostly began in 2007, when the group installed a large fence and hired a security guard to watch the massive site. By 2008 the group announced plans to designate the property a "superfund site".


In 2009, the mill was added to the federal list of most polluted properties in the United States. Numerous chemical spills occurred at the site, and the heavy machinery on site meant that there were tons of polychlorinated biphenyls present. Its location right on the banks of the Delaware River meant that the site was a major priority for cleanup.


Thankfully, by 2012, the EPA announced a statement that cleanup at the site was more than three quarters of the way complete. This included demolition of the historic Coating facility, which was completed by 2013, and soil and asbestos remediation. However, the main mill buildings would go on to only be partially gutted, and not torn down.


After years of being picked apart and selectively demolished, the site was empty by the end of 2019. The land will probably be developed as housing, and over time the old Riegel mill will slowly be forgotten.


41 comments:

  1. Grew up in one of the mill houses and still live in one was a great place to grow up

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is an amazing scar on our area. Why is it that the paper mill in Kintnersville on the PA side of the river was remediated and cleaned up within a year or two, and this mess has been staining the Jersey community for decades? Shame on the criminals who left it like this. Shame on the town for not pushing more to get rid of the eyesore and cleaning up the pollutants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not to worry, sooner or later some developer will come along and built luxury riverside condos there. As an attorney for one NJ builder put it "In NJ, we build on polluted land all the time!"

      Delete
  3. Thank you Riegel Paper Co. for giving Joe Chavar and I a great 71 year career between us.
    Between the two of us we worked at all four mills (Milford, Riegelsville, Hughesville, and Warren).
    The paper mills were bought and sold nine times before they eventually split the upper mills away.
    It is a shame that the area has to put up with such an eyesore in Milford, Hughesville and Warren Glen.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My dad was Lester Kunsman. He started at the Warren Glen mill. I was fortunate to have the experience of being a child to live in one of those mill houses. This brought back such wonderful memories. Much latter in his career dad transferred to the Milford plant. He was force to take an early retirement due to a heart condition. Thank you for this story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. where in warren glen did you live?my family all work there.my grandfather was plant manager..its a shame hat Holland township counsil does use the warren glen mill as a museum like Bethlehem steel.

      Delete
    2. As an aside to the above conversation, I would like to add that several of my families worked there for years... I worked there with Bob Miller, on either #19 or #9 calendar, I cannot recall the exact number... I also cut cardboard cores, and also worked in the distribution center. Now, my Dad was an electrician there for many years, and eventually ended up working in office services, and did printing, and created aluminum transfer plates. My Dad also drove to Madison Avenue in Manhattan, twice a week, and I would ride with him...

      Delete
  5. Some corrections to information, International Paper & Georgia Pacific are two of the largest paper companies in the world and competitors. They jointly bought the mill due to pressure from the EPA. As mentioned, during the hundred years of mill operation the facility was sold several times and those companies were merged or sold and somehow both IP and GP became involved and therefore liable. To their credit they did agree to buy the facility and it is there money, estimated to be up to $20 million, that is being spent to clean it up. The good news for Milford is that the pollution wasn't nearly as bad as originally estimated and most of it was localized at the northern end by the coatings plant. After several years of extensive work there the EPA is very close to finalizing the clean up plan. This hundred acres of property, which currently looks so bad, has the potential of being one of the most beautiful spots on the Delaware River and the town is working toward redeveloping that area.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Not fair to criticize Milford officials. The Borough council has struggled for decades to get the place cleaned up and recoup the unpaid property taxes. Blame federal policies and greedy corporations that sent those jobs to Asia in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With most projects like this the local, state and federal government were slow to react. That being said, they have worked hard to get the clean up going, completed soon and a reuse there. As a result of IP & GP purchasing the property all property taxes are paid. The assessed value and, therefore, property taxes are only a fraction of what they use to be. The federal government through the EPA is in charge of the clean up. The mill made special paper used for things like food wrapping and that equipment was sold and moved to South America. The same papers are now made on the same machines but now in a location that has little if any environmental concerns.

      Delete
  7. Worked at milford for 33 years. Riegel supported my grandfather's family, my dad's family, and my family. My daughter worked there for 1 year b4 it closed. 4 generations!! It was a great place to work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My father worked for Riegel in NYC for many years and would occasionally take me out to the mill. I thought it was awesome.

      Delete
    2. My father worked for Riegel in NYC for many years and would occasionally take me out to the mill. I thought it was awesome.

      Delete
  8. What is the status of the take down of the structure? Is there any talk of that being planned or in the works? Milford is a beautiful river town with one major eyesore and I believe a hindrance to its revitalization, the paper mill.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree no taking down the mill

      Delete
  9. Working at the warren glen mill for three summers in the 70s helped pay for a lot of college expenses and taught me a lot of life lessons. Worked with Joe Chavar (mentioned above) and a lot of solid people. It provided well paying jobs for a lot of people for decades. Sorry to see the mill buildings in their current state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I too worked there in the summer of '76 while attending Lafayette College. My wife worked as the secretary for one of the bosses at the Milford plant. My job was to break up masses of pulp with a firehouse to help the settling pond empty into the Delaware.

      Delete
  10. I know of a wrist watch with an inscription on the back of it. It has the Riegel Paper Corp., the year 1970 and a persons name also. Does anyone know of the history of this or similar watches given away by the company?

    ReplyDelete
  11. They used to give you a watch when you retired. My great grandfather was boss machine tender and lived in the big house. My grandmother would bring him lunch when she was young. She passed a few years ago after her 100th birthday. I worked there for ten years.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Such a great post “WOW” that was a very interesting read about the Self Adhesive Labels! I admire the valuable information you offer in your blog. Thank you for bringing more information to this topic for me. I'm truly grateful and really impressed to read.
    Best Regards
    c1s paper

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sure do! I worked at Riegel from Jan. 1977 through closing date June of 2003. Electrician at Milford Mill.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Does anyone remember the Spotlight (or Spotlite) that Riegel Paper published as a company newspaper. I'd love to see some of the articles. Maybe even an article that mentions my dad (Jim Bromwell) when he played in the softball league at Riegel Ridge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you been able to locate any of the Spotlight papers? I would love to see some. My dad was personal director until his sudden death in 1958.

      Delete
  15. One thing that I still have which was inherited from my Dad, is a very old schoolhouse clock, that was found damaged by him, tucked up in storage at the Warren Glen mill. That clock STILL runs yet today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My dad worked there as well. Richard Lippincott.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I grew up in Hughesville where my Dad was Superintendent. My Grandad was superintentdent at Warren Glen. Back then it was a GREAT place to grow up, it's a Dammed shame what has come of the locations of the four mills. Bud B.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I worked at the Milford plant from the '60s to '74. I remember the stream improvement program with the construction of large settling tanks, a thickener, and screw press to squeeze out moisture. The material was then blown into the boilers and burned. Riegel sponsored Riegel Ridge, a recreational area with clubhouse, gym, bowling alleys and an outdoor pool. A family membership in the pool was $15 a season. It was open to all residents, not just employees. The club house was open to anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Worked for a chemical supplier(Eka chemical) for the mill between 1997 to 2003. I used to visit the mills at least once a week to check my chemical feeding pumps. I would take my customers (engineers and supervisors or mill managers) to lunch at few restaurants at Milford. (The Ship'Inn, National Hotel, Davey Pizzeria etc). Had a lot of good memories for the area.At closing of the mills at 2003, I lost my job. The paper industry did not look good in NJ/PA area, so I went back to school for a Accounting degree and started a new career.

    ReplyDelete
  20. “Benjamin Briel Lee was very professional at all times, keeping me aware of everything that was happening, If I had any questions he was always available to answer. This was my first home purchase, I didn’t know much about the loan process, he made it very easy to understand the things I had questions about. I really enjoyed working with him.”  
    He's a loan officer working with a group of investor's who are willing to fund any project or loan you any amount with a very low interest.Contact Benjamin Briel Lee E-Mail: 247officedept@gmail.com  Whats-App Number: +1-989-394-3740.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I worked at the Milford site in the 1980s during the steam injection upgrade of the gas turbine power plant. The company that I worked for took care of the computer system that maintained the power plant. I spent many days in the construction trailers during that project. It is sad to see what happened to the paper mill over the years.

    ReplyDelete
  22. It was sad to see. Many of the shots were taken after the mill was shut down and are hardly recognizable. I was hired in 1957 and worked at this and the other Riegel mills until I retired in 2000. I probably work3ed with the fathers and grandfathers of many of the anonymous commenters.
    Most of the products were done in by technical innovation, not competition. When was the last time any of you opened a package of waxed paper or took a Polaroid picture? They served their purpose as did I

    ReplyDelete
  23. after college i worked at the Milford tech Center from 1964-66 involved in projects at all 4 mills-- a very interesting job and a lot of great people to work with -
    - a long sad story to be sure- at that time the Riegel family were involved and kept the place moving in a positive direction

    ReplyDelete
  24. I was 20 years old in 1960, when I went to work for Riegel Ppr. in their offices located in St Louis,MO near Anheuser Busch. I was hired as clerk typist and switchboard our. I wasn't there but a few months when they moved into new facilities near Lambert Airport in North St Louis. I had the opportunity of working with Hubert Meeks, Dave Ferrenbacg, Bob Mullaphy and Bob Worthington. If my memory serves me right, I believe Winn Endicott (sp?) was President. I gave a lot of great memories from Riegel, even though I was young.

    ReplyDelete
  25. 2023 - now everything seems completely demolished and removed. Does anyone know what the future is now for the site? (is the toxicity of the land mostly removed? if not, when do we expect it to be usable land? When it becomes usable, are there plans to make something out of it? more residency, commercial, or a park? Is connecting the old raritan canal trail that goes up to frenchtown an idea in the air? Any info on the current state of the project I’d love to know

    ReplyDelete
  26. Has here ever been an in-depth study of why the mills went out of business? It seems that failure to develope new products/markets may be a reason as suggested by a previous comment. But I suspect thst is is more to it. Would like to see more business analysis of the decline.

    ReplyDelete
  27. My great grandfather, Joseph Seiler, was vice president of The Riegel Paper Company. I think he worked in NYC and retired in the 1930s. Its nice reading here that so many feel the company was a good workplace.

    ReplyDelete
  28. i worked for james river became crown vantage so sad what became of it all,

    ReplyDelete