Groesbeck Brick Plant: Resilience through Fires and Storm

The Groesbeck brick plant was a cornerstone of the local economy from its inception until the 1960s, though it faced numerous challenges over the years. While searching through the archives for stories, I came upon two separate instances in which it caught fire. I decided to dig deeper to see just how many disasters the plant faced.
On Dec. 4, 1915, C.C. Frampton, a brick plant owner from Glenwood Springs, Colorado, proposed establishing a brick plant in Groesbeck. Frampton had access to barely-used equipment from a previous plant and sought local investment to bring it to the town.
The proposition quickly gained support. A total of 21 local men pledged $5,700 to initiate the project that day. By Dec. 13, 1915, the investors met at the law office of C.S. Bradley to finalize the plant's location and secure additional funds. The total capital reached $17,000, equivalent to approximately $528,809.41 today. The plant officially opened its doors in May 1916.
On July 25, 1919, a fire broke out when a shed covering one of the kilns caught fire. The volunteer fire department, using a chemical truck—a common type of fire engine at the time—managed to save the bricks inside, though the kiln itself burned.
In November 1926, disaster struck again when a tornado swept through the plant, causing $2,000 in damage, or about $35,500 in today's money. The plant, however, was rebuilt and resumed operations.
Less than a year later, on Aug. 16, 1927, another fire, believed to have started from an exhaust pipe, nearly destroyed the entire facility. The engine room and dry shed were completely lost, but insurance partially covered the damages. Despite the setback, the company estimated it would need around $20,000—approximately $361,120.69 today—to rebuild, and they remained committed to doing so.
The plant was once again rebuilt, but on Aug. 22, 1928, tragedy struck for the third time. A fire ignited in the boiler room, likely due to waste oil, causing severe damage. According to the Journal article, the blaze was discovered by an unnamed Black night watchman around 1:30 a.m. He initially tried to extinguish the flames using onsite hoses, but when his efforts proved futile, he called the fire department. Despite his and the firefighters’ best efforts, the fire caused extensive damage, with losses estimated at over $20,000—around $367,456.14 today. The plant’s future was uncertain after this latest disaster.
Despite the repeated setbacks, the plant was rebuilt yet again, only to face another fire in August 1930. Fortunately, this time the fire began in a hay storage area and was quickly contained by the fire department, preventing significant damage. The plant closed in the late 1960s but briefly reopened in 1971 before shutting down for good, bidding farewell to the infamous “Groesbeck Reds” the plant was known for.