Hefty reminder of Sinclair plant now at The History Center

A 2,500 pound date block could become one of the last remnants of the former Sinclair meatpacking plant.

Demolition began this week on the smokestack, one of 12 structures at the plant that were considered historic.

Much of the rest of the flooded and fire-damaged plant has already been torn down, but the 1929 date block was saved and dropped off at The History Center, 615 First Ave. SE.

Executive director Melanie Alexander said it could take some time before the piece is displayed.

“That might be more or less all that remains of the site itself,” she said. “In that way, it's significant to the community.”

A dozen date blocks from schools and other buildings are set up outside the center.

Another date block, from 1919, is still at the former meatpacking plant, 1600 Third St. SE.

Mark Stoffer Hunter, an expert in Cedar Rapids history, said the date blocks are in the pyramid shape used for Sinclair's signature Fidelity brand on products such as lard and bacon.

The 1929 date block, installed on the exterior of the third floor during construction, may have come from the beef kill building, he said.

The plant, dating back to 1871, was once among the four largest meatpacking plants in the world and the largest employer in Cedar Rapids.

Knives and a lard can are among the Sinclair items featured in a small permanent display at The History Center.

That section is near a photo of the Union Station depot, Fourth Street and Fourth Avenue SE.

Some have used the depot, demolished in 1961, as an example of what happens when Cedar Rapids doesn't pause to consider historic preservation. The city's Historic Preservation Commission did not exist at the time.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency would have provided up to $200,000 to preserve the smokestack.

It was unknown how much displaying the date block will cost.

The Historic Preservation Commission will discuss the date block and where to direct FEMA funding that would have gone to the smokestack at a 4:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday at Community Connections, 1501 First Ave. SE.

Meanwhile, it could take just eight more days to raze the entire smokestack. John Riggs, the city's project manager for flood demolition, said demolition is going faster than expected.