BACKGROUND
Also known as the Harvard Company, the Weber Dental Manufacturing Company was a former dental furniture and dental equipment manufacturing plant. The company itself was founded by Frank E. Case, a lawyer, inventor, and businessman who patented the first ever dental chair in Canton, Ohio. The company building was built in 1896 by premier architect Guy Tilden, located on 13th Street in Canton, Ohio. The building was elaborately built with Tilden using Roman-styled architecture constructing a one floor plant. He also included a three-story tower on top of the plant which included a female's restroom and a document repository.
In 1937, the Weber Dental Company was bought out by the Harvard Company and operations began to move to Harvard Facilities. The Harvard Company then brought great prosperity to Weber Dental, raising it to become the largest x-ray machine and dental furniture manufacturer in the world, employing 320 people during the 1960s. However, dark days began to close in on Weber Dental. In 1968, Stern Metals purchased Weber Dental for $5 million. Almost a decade later, Stern announced that Weber Dental would be closing its operations in April of 1977 because of a failed attempt to sell the company. Weber Dental had only 18 employees at the time of its closing. In result of the company closing, the grounds of the former dental company stood forgotten and abandoned. It was listed on the National Record of Historical Places in 1987.
On October 27th, 2011, an arson fire destroyed at least half of the Weber Dental Manufacturing Company. The causes of the fire are unknown because of its abandoned state it had been in for the last 33 years. The city of Canton now fully owns the building and its 26-acre property and haven't figured out what to do with the building yet. In June of 2013, Joseph A. Jefferies proposed the starting of an industrial park on the grounds of Weber Dental which would adjoin with Ohio Cast Products, however, those plans fell through. The Ohio EPA did a cleanup at Weber Dental in mid-2013 but no further activity took place there since then. The city of Canton is still trying to obtain money to do more cleanups and pursue future plans for Weber Dental, but for the time being, the building still stands abandoned.
In 1937, the Weber Dental Company was bought out by the Harvard Company and operations began to move to Harvard Facilities. The Harvard Company then brought great prosperity to Weber Dental, raising it to become the largest x-ray machine and dental furniture manufacturer in the world, employing 320 people during the 1960s. However, dark days began to close in on Weber Dental. In 1968, Stern Metals purchased Weber Dental for $5 million. Almost a decade later, Stern announced that Weber Dental would be closing its operations in April of 1977 because of a failed attempt to sell the company. Weber Dental had only 18 employees at the time of its closing. In result of the company closing, the grounds of the former dental company stood forgotten and abandoned. It was listed on the National Record of Historical Places in 1987.
On October 27th, 2011, an arson fire destroyed at least half of the Weber Dental Manufacturing Company. The causes of the fire are unknown because of its abandoned state it had been in for the last 33 years. The city of Canton now fully owns the building and its 26-acre property and haven't figured out what to do with the building yet. In June of 2013, Joseph A. Jefferies proposed the starting of an industrial park on the grounds of Weber Dental which would adjoin with Ohio Cast Products, however, those plans fell through. The Ohio EPA did a cleanup at Weber Dental in mid-2013 but no further activity took place there since then. The city of Canton is still trying to obtain money to do more cleanups and pursue future plans for Weber Dental, but for the time being, the building still stands abandoned.
THE MISSION
Members: Christian Grimm, Seth Richards, Brandon Greavu
Date: November 18th, 2017
Report: We arrived and parked at the AutoZone in Canton, Ohio near Weber Dental and geared up for the mission. we walked about a half of a mile up the road of where Weber Dental was located and finally arrived at the place. We then conducted a perimeter check around the place to see who was there and we found nobody. We found an unlocked door near the front of the front of the place and gained entry. Once inside we were successful in exploring all of Weber Dental including the hallways, the offices, and the long manufacturing spaces where they made there furniture. we made it upstairs and explored that portion as well as the basement which was flooded. The building was in extremely bad condition most of the floors had holes in them and everything inside seemed to be crumbling. It did not help that it was storming the night We went and the portion of the building which caught fire in October 27th, 2011 was still there and burned nothing seemed to be cleaned up. With all that said we did explore everything we could including the 3 story tower on top of the building. We were able to get onto the roof of Weber Dental but were unable to gain access to the roof of the 3 story tower. All in all it was another successful mission for the MEPS!
Paranormal Activity: None
Date: November 18th, 2017
Report: We arrived and parked at the AutoZone in Canton, Ohio near Weber Dental and geared up for the mission. we walked about a half of a mile up the road of where Weber Dental was located and finally arrived at the place. We then conducted a perimeter check around the place to see who was there and we found nobody. We found an unlocked door near the front of the front of the place and gained entry. Once inside we were successful in exploring all of Weber Dental including the hallways, the offices, and the long manufacturing spaces where they made there furniture. we made it upstairs and explored that portion as well as the basement which was flooded. The building was in extremely bad condition most of the floors had holes in them and everything inside seemed to be crumbling. It did not help that it was storming the night We went and the portion of the building which caught fire in October 27th, 2011 was still there and burned nothing seemed to be cleaned up. With all that said we did explore everything we could including the 3 story tower on top of the building. We were able to get onto the roof of Weber Dental but were unable to gain access to the roof of the 3 story tower. All in all it was another successful mission for the MEPS!
Paranormal Activity: None
LOCATION
Address: 2206 Thirteenth St. NE
Canton, Ohio 44705
Coordinates: 40°48'33.408''N 81°20'48.5628''W
Status: Abandoned
Canton, Ohio 44705
Coordinates: 40°48'33.408''N 81°20'48.5628''W
Status: Abandoned