Later, General Shale, of course. Here’s what the place looked like in the early 20th century:
This is a Kingsport Drug Store postcard, printed by Curt Teich (Doubletone) in Chicago, around 1916 (printer’s inventory number/plate number is AD-7661). I think the picture was taken from the roof of Citizens Supply building, or while dangling from an electrical line, take your pick; although, come to think of it, I’ve seen a reference to some sort of signalling or lighting structure built over the tracks there…I don’t know.) The conical buildings are kilns which were knocked down decades ago. The back buildings served other parts of the brick making process. They were mostly extant until a few years ago. The graffitti was dense in and around them. And the ground was, basically, one big layer of broken bricks. I took a lot of pictures over there, until, about three years ago, a policeman courteously asked me to leave, since it was private property.
This is what all that looks like as of last month: