D.H. Griffin, the USA's third largest wrecking company, has the contract to tear down Newman Machine Company. Here we see a photo of one of their machines, high on a hill, on site at the Spring Garden/Fulton Street job in Greensboro. Locally owned D.H. Griffin was also also the company that dismantled the debris left behind after the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in NYC. Every September, nearly a decade later, D.H. Griffin's employees still pause to reflect on that terrible tragedy.
The business got its start when D.H. was working on the assembly line at Lorillard Tobacco Company. In 1959, he bought an old church with $600 borrowed from his father-in-law. He built a house from what he salvaged from the church. A city inspector suggested to DH that he get a license so that he could earn $1,700 tearing down an apartment complex. That he did, and the rest is history. The Griffins have been recycling before most of America knew what recycling was! (info obtained here. Read more of their GREAT story). Today, local artists traipse the Griffin's 40-acre scrap yard on Hilltop Road to find material for making sculptures. Some of last year's cars traded in the federal "cash for clunker's" program have found a new life as art projects, by way of D.H. Griffin's scrap-yard.
This is today's contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday, where everyone starts the week with a fresh burst of YELLOW!
The epitome of "renew, reuse, RECYCLE!"
Posted by: Kate | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 06:31 AM
There is a lot of money in trash.
Posted by: Bill B | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 07:47 AM
Those hydraulic hoses are a thing of beauty! A sight to behold against the pale blue backdrop.
Posted by: PFKNC | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 11:14 AM
We have a local wrecking company that recycles most of what they demolish. I've been to their yard and you can buy old doors and wood planks, glass blocks, windows, vintage porcelain (tubs, commodes, sinks) just to name a few.
BTW, Fresh Market is actually in Columbus but the communities are closely linked.
Posted by: barbara farr | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 07:11 PM
Kate: That is an important movement!
Bill: Your comment can be taken more than one way!
PFKNC: If you like hydraulic hoses, I suggest you contact Pirtek
Barbara: We have a great architectural salvage program in Greensboro!
Thanks to all for participating!
Posted by: Greensboro Daily Photo | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 09:14 PM
A machine like that can do some serious damage. Oh, yeah--it's a WRECKING company!
Posted by: Magical Mystical Teacher | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 10:04 PM