My friend Michael and I found this building by accident. We headed up to Peoria in hopes of exploring a school we thought was abandoned. It turned out that the school we drove three plus hours to see, was in fact not abandoned. The school was being put to use as a haunted house and was not accessible. After walking the perimeter of school and speaking a number of nasty words under my breath, I decided the trip didn't have to be a waste. Michael and I moved on and opted to drive around Peoria in hopes of spotting something interesting to explore. While the B.Ville Hospital was always an option, this was quickly discounted given the hospital's small size and the fact that it was boring. We drove around many areas of Peoria, but concentrated on the industrial district in hopes of finding something interesting.
It wasn't long before we spotted the Nutrena Feeds elevator, but we ran into some difficulty getting to the building. The elevator was clearly visible from a main road in Peoria, but the industrious maze it was located in made it hard to pinpoint. We ran into several dead ends and made plenty of u-turns before finding a parking spot that was within walking distance of the building. Needless to say, I probably did some minor damage to my friend's car driving over all the railroad tracks and potholes that industry-laden areas so graciously have to offer. This however, is nothing new. Cars, sketchy neighborhoods, and unfamiliar terrains don't mix well with my driving skills.
Anyway, back to the story... After making our way down to the elevator, we ran into another problem. There was a high fence surrounding the entire site. Given that there were a couple of breaks in the fence, this wouldn't have been such a big deal if my paranoia hadn't kicked in. The distance between the breaks in the fence and the actual elevator was massive. Other businesses in the area were still operating. I was sure that someone would notice two people walking across the large open space that led to an obviously restricted and abandoned building. To much of Michael's resistance, I insisted on getting permission to penetrate the fence and explore the elevator.
Assuming a nearby company may have owned the building, we made our way toward a neighboring factory in hopes of finding someone to talk to. It was nearing the end of the workday, and there weren't many people around the factory. We ran into an employee who seemed to have little knowledge of or interest in the elevator. Perfect. We obtained what could loosely be construed as permission from a guy who was probably in no position to give permission, and walked away with an excuse to use if caught exploring the elevator.
We headed back to Nutrena Feeds and proceeded to get mauled by a very small hole that was cut in the fence. We then made our way across the large open space to the building. The elevator's interior was dingy and dark, but otherwise stable. The stairs were sturdy and carried my friend and I to the top-most floor of Nutrena Feeds. Along the way, we stopped on various floors and gawked at the massive machinery inside. Two notable features of the elevator included its imposing iron doors (seen on several floors) and its many broken windows. I believe those broken windows allowed an assortment of birds to set up camp in the building. Fortunately, we didn't run into any of those birds during our visit, but their numerous skeletons enhanced the Nutrena Feeds experience. Another point of interest in the elevator was the ever-present manlift. What a great thing this must have been. I enjoy likening it to an amusement park ride. But seriously, people probably died on those things (what haven't people died on by now?). The notice sign posted on every floor recommends that one does not carry tools while riding the manlift. That seems like a good recommendation.
Rooftop exploration provided views of a beautiful sunset. We stuck close to the building and didn't stay on the roof for long. As we headed back down, the basement became our next target of investigation. But this was not meant to be. The basement was flooded with what appeared to be three to four feet of water. We left the elevator and attempted to find an alternate exit through the fence. I wasn't too excited at the thought of being mauled for a second time by the tiny hole we had to climb through. Unfortunately, this proved to be a waste of time. The fence did indeed surround the entire perimeter of the elevator, and there was no other way out. I swallowed my hesitations and made it through the fence (without any life-altering scars, much to my surprise). As Michael and I made our way back to the car, I took one last look at the Nutrena Feeds elevator and couldn't help feeling a small sense of accomplishment.
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