Peters Cartridge Factory
Musket Shots to Jägerbombs
Published: 2/9/2022
By: Josh Grant
Peters Cartridge Factory is a well-known landmark in Warren County, Ohio. The 56 acres it rests on have been home to many different things, from a powder mill to a brewery. Peters Cartridge Company was founded back in 1887 by Gershom Moore Peters. Before he made the factory what it was, it was a powder mill owned by Joseph Warren King. Mr. King originally owned another powder mill in Goes Station, Ohio but eventually sold this to move to the more favorable location in Kings Mills, Ohio. After that, Peters acquired the powder mill in 1887, bringing us what we know today as Peter’s cartridge Company.
Many factories like this were placed along the river, carefully dispersed in 2-mile increments to protect them from the “infrequent” explosions in surrounding factories. One of the last recorded explosions was said to have shattered windows up to 30 miles away. In 1890 multiple train cars loaded with gunpowder collided; unfortunately, the explosion killed 12 people. Despite the explosive start to the factory’s career, it seemed they had gained some traction with the approach of World War I. The factory received munitions orders from the Russian Empire, Great Britain, and Ireland. Peters used the money from these orders to upgrade the facility from unstable wooden structures to more sturdy brick structures. They were famously known for shotgun shells, even having whole buildings devoted just to loading shots into these shells.
Before moving to shotgun shells, they produced cannonballs and musket shots. They used an exciting method to do this, from their shot tower, one of the factory’s tallest parts. Painted on it, a giant “P” The factory workers would have to ascend very steep stairs to get to the top of this tower. Once up there, they would pour molten lead through a copper sieve, and while falling the height of the tower, it would cool, forming perfectly round balls. After these were further cooled in the river basin, they were then used as musket shots.
After the long stint in munitions work, the facility had a brief run in the record business. Sold to Columbia records in 1944, they produced 78rpm Phonograph records. After this lost popularity to the 45 rpm record, they leased the building to Seagrams distillers as a warehouse space. The property was shrouded in tales of ghosts and developed quite the eerie persona after it was vacated in 1968. In 2002 it was used as a set for the horror movie “The Factory.” The site then caught the interest of some business partners in 2017, who planned to build a brewery and apartments in the old factory. Due to the toxic metals left behind from the munitions working on the property, they had to jump through many hoops to make the property safe and livable.
After all, was said in done, Peters Cartridge Company is now home to Cartridge Brewing and 134 unique apartments nestled on the side of the Little Miami River. The brewery has taken to heart the unique history of the facility they occupy; their signature tap handles custom made to look like the shotgun shells once produced here. Their motto: “Honoring the past, while brewing the future.” Having lived in one of the apartments at Peters, it is truly amazing to see how much has been done to this facility to bring it back to life. The future of this facility will surely be a Little Miami bike trail staple for years to come!
Thoughts
– What is your favorite historic site you've visited?
– What is your favorite type of beer to get from a brewpub?
– Would you ever live somewhere if there were rumors of ghosts?
