Abandoned Places: Swift and Co. Meat Packing Plant

     Today, I bring you an abandoned location right from my own backyard: The Swift and Company Meat Packing Plant in Fort Worth, Texas. I've driven past this location numerous times but never thought of entering the grounds. I must admit that my lack of inspiration to go urban exploring has led me to a lot of regrets now that I don't live in an area that has much opportunity for it. I would urge anyone reading this to look into UrbEx and see if it's something in which they would be interested. Note that I'm not recommending any illegal activity!

     Anyway, I am very much interested in the concept of energy imprints. It's a catch-all term for what I think is the explanation behind hauntings and repeated odd phenomena that are associated with a specific location. I believe that when certain energies exist within a certain location they leave a lasting impact on that location. The intensity of these energies dictates the length of time required to leave an imprint.

     As an example: a loving family home that houses two generations of general happiness and familial warmth will have an air of friendliness and a certain 'home' quality. Perhaps an odd event or two may occur but they are generally harmless or well-meaning. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum a house that was the site of a violent crime like murder or rape may only need one single occurrence of the act to leave a significant mark on the location.

     So, how does this apply to a meat packing plant? Well, all kinds of energies can be left behind. It doesn't have to be human-on-human love or violence. There was a large slaughterhouse constructed and used on the grounds of the now abandoned Swift plant. Thousands upon thousands of cows were killed within a single building. Quite literally a murder factory. I would find it hard to believe that it didn't have a long-term effect on the building itself. Perhaps it is just the knowledge of what happens in meat plants but people are generally creeped out by them. In fact, Cutting Edge Haunted House in the very same city is housed in an old meat packing plant. It's the largest haunted house in the world, in point of fact.

     There are no guided tours of the plant these days. There is a chain link fence and even a full time guard to cover the grounds. The site was shut down after not one, but two deliberately set fires decimated the facility. A burnt-out meat factory with a full time guard that isn't an historical site feels oddly suspicious to me. Maybe there is something to find within the walls of the Swift plant. Or perhaps something that is better kept hidden.


Click 'Read More' for links to background on the plant, lots of pictures and a link to the Cutting Edge website!




http://www.flickr.com/photos/nkerns/sets/72157603955252189/

http://rust2.com/?p=612

http://brandenharvey.com/blog/photography-exploration-abandoned-swift-armor-meat-packing-plant/

http://www.nbcdfw.com/the-scene/real-estate/Shells-Swift-and-Co-Packing-Plant-53222442.html

http://www.nbcdfw.com/the-scene/real-estate/Gallery-Swift-Meat-Packing-Plant-53740182.html

http://www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com/cutting.cfm