Old Keys, Reynolds Metals Company, McCook, Illinois
Can’t recall exactly when we found these old keys, but I’m pretty sure these came from the recent basement cleaning. I think we found them on top of some old duct work – and it seemed like someone had just set these there, and plumb forgot about them.
The keys run an interesting span – some look like normal keys, but there are a few that look to operate some kind of machinery (or perhaps fit a file cabinet or old school desk). There is also a medallion that speaks to the owner. The text is a little hard to read, but the best I can make out is:
JOHN G. TRASK
329-26-3062
8634-S
CHEM. LAB.
Along the perimeter of the medallion, there is the text: Reynolds Metal Company – McCook, Illinois.
I’ve done just a bit of digging, but haven’t been able to uncover much about the company beyond the fact that it eventually became Reynolds Group Holdings (and was later acquired by Alcoa in 2000). And yes, these are the same guys who make Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil.
If I had my guess, I’d say these keys are from the 50’s or 60’s, and in the neighborhood of 50+ years old. I’m delighted by the fact that someone simply *lost* them in the basement, where they’ve sat all these many years… only to be found by us, decades later.
I don’t know if these belonged to someone that worked on the basement, or if they belonged to one of the prior owners of the house. In either event, these keys feel like part of the house now to me. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with them, but I can’t imagine throwing these away.
Related:
Couldn’t Find My Keys This Morning
Cleaning the Basement, Part 1
Cleaning the Basement, Part 2
I used to work at the McCook plant in the 80’s and 90’s. I think I remember John Trask, I think he retired in the 80’s. I worked in the quality department, the Chem Lab was part of that department.
This style of badge was used in the 60’s. The plant was the largest plant under one roof in Illinois at 72 acres, about 6,000,000 sq ft. When I started in ’84 there were about 2,300 people working there. In the 60’s they had over 5,000 workers.
It’s sad to see it gone. They made a lot more than Reynolds Wrap, half of the panels used in the Space Shuttle fuel tanks were made there, all of the wing skins used on the McDonnell-Douglas aircraft were made there, DC-9, DC-10, MD-11. They made armor plate for the M-113 and Bradley Fighting vehicles. And a lot of beer can metal.
Rich
Rich (December 23, 2013 at 9:06 am)I was doing a little research about my grandfather Raymond McClanahan who has now been gone for almost 4 years and I know he worked he years and years ago.
McClanahan (October 20, 2024 at 10:25 am)Does anyone remember my grandfather by chance? I heard he invented the process for diamond plating? Can anyone confirm this?
I worked with your grandfather from 1978-1987 when I was transferred to another RMC facility outside Lis Angeles. For the life of me I can’t recall your grandfather’s position at McCook, but I should as I knew him well. He was in mgmt. A general foreman as I recall possibly in mtce.??
Bill Liedtke (February 26, 2025 at 6:55 pm)My recollection of Ray was 100% positive and I believe he had been there quite a long time when I first came to know him.
As I further reflected on how I knew Ray, I was struck by the possibly more accurate thought that he worked in the “finishing dept.” as general foreman (line foreman reported to him) and his boss may have been a crusty character by the name of Murph Hewlitt. Really racking my memory here, but trying to maybe fill on some blanks. Ray was well enough known in that big plant that I will be surprised if another McCook employee from the 70’s or 80’s will not set me straight. Good luck.
Bill Liedtke (February 26, 2025 at 7:13 pm)I worked there also from 1993 to 2001 until it closed.great place to work for if it was’nt for the greedy CEO brick rider and the share holders we would still be running the place. It was sold to the michigan ave. partners. And they really did’nt understand the business of cold rolling aluminum.the diamond studied plate that you see on emergency one fire trucks and tool boxes was produced by the McCook plant and we were the only one making it. The departments in the plant were, the cast house,hotline,shear room,shipping.cold mills, process dept ultrasonic dept,. we made aluminum for beer comp. the orange tank for the space shuttle, delta rockets, plate for the army,hood and body parts for Gm and ford aluminum for wheels and a lot of other things. it’s sad when a company dies because the owners are greedy, Why would you sell over 51%of your company to make the shareholders happy just to be subjected to a hostile takeover then get penny’s on the dollar for the sale. And ruin many lives. Greed was alive and we’ll until they lost it all.
D.byas (November 2, 2014 at 6:50 am)i worked at the McCook plant in the machine and roll shops where I ground rolls used in all the rolling mills including the tread plate rolls which was a nerve wracking job but I loved it. Don’t know of any other place where you could make the kind of money we did or have as much fun as we all did . I was a union rep for the machinists union and had 30 years of service when I retired in the year 2000
Richard Kelley (January 22, 2015 at 1:30 pm)My “Father in law” worked there A long time.. Somewhere from 1954 or 55 to 1994.. He should have been giving his forty years since he retired with the full 40 years in But someone decide that his vacation time didn’t count so retired 39 &3/4 of a years of service.. He also was one of the main people in charge of tools I believe in the “Skin” department and also made the dc 10 wings and other stuff.. The name “Was” George Schubert.. Great guy.. In case your wondering he passed in 2000..
Tim (May 6, 2017 at 3:40 am)I was a Pyro Electrician at the McDook Plant in the 1970’s. I was just a scared kid with a great education. The old timers I worked with are long gone. What a great experience, riding my three wheeled bike throughout the entire plant, from Cast House to Finishing. What great WW2 history was there. The plant was built there to protect it from German Bombers. There were so many machines still working from the war, including a 145 inch aluminum rolling mill, stolen from Germany, after the war as War Reparations. Vanquished to the Victors. Amazing.
Mike McDaniels (December 10, 2018 at 5:59 pm)I worked there around 1947 & 1948 maybe some 1949 as general help and later as an over-head crane operator in the 72 inch mill department. It was a good placed to work and made a lot of friends. Sorry to hear its gone.
Al Grossich (December 25, 2020 at 3:50 pm)My best friend’s father, Ted Hennings got me a summer job
as a brick mason helper in 1960 & 1961. This was my first “grown man” job. We use to tear out
brick from the ovens, mix cement, and stack bricks for the masons.
I also worked the line where after the sheet metal was cut we would stack it.
I remember the company store, and going to Caldonia’s after work to cash our checks.
Please share with me any pictures or stories,
Thank you,
Edward Joseph (April 27, 2021 at 3:19 pm)i worked there the summer of 1961. i started as a 155 lb kid; they didn’t think i could handle the heavy work; i left after 3 months weighing 191 lbs.;the weight went into my chest and shoulders. i was a cast house helper. my boss was Fred Birsa. i used a 75 lb flat-end rake to skim the furnaces and put that stuff in a huge wheelbarrow which i pushed down to dumping spot and pushed the wheelbarrow back to the row of furnaces. the molten aluminum was poured out onto two pods that slowly lowered into a 20 foot hole. the metal would solidify as it reach the pods; just before the pouring stopped, a huge hook was put into the top of the ingot and the metal sealed the hook. an overhead crane would pick up the ingot, one at a time and take it to an area where it was stacked with similar ingots with the same properties. the crane came back to get the second ingot. they were about 18inches thick, 6/8 feet wide and 15 ? feet tall; i would go down in the pit to clean up the splatter; it was 130+ degrees in the pit. i would lose 6-8 lbs every shift; i would eat 4 meals a day, 8 eggs for breakfast after the midnight shift. we worked 13 days on, one day off; we would work all 3 shifts and change shifts every two weeks; no time and too tired to make lasting friends; great job for a short period.
john pruitt (September 25, 2021 at 3:23 pm)My father Wayne Bettenhausen worked as a Millwright in the Cast House for 35 years. Both of my Uncles Hilbert and Walley Bettenhausen were Management staff. Also two cousins worked there Dick Bettenhausen and Pat Lynch.
Larry Bettenhausen (August 18, 2024 at 10:33 am)Great plant, Dad worked alot of OT.
Does he remember Thomas Ball. He was also a millwright. He passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2024
Judy Ball (November 7, 2024 at 4:46 pm)I also worked in the Cast House & knew your dad. Also worked a lot of overtime. Worked 9 1/2 yrs until I was laid off when they begin closing & never received a pension. Lost those yrs for nothing. Bob Kaminsky
Robert Kaminsky (December 2, 2024 at 3:02 pm)Worked there as a summer job 1997-1999. Great job for a student earning money for college.
The first two years I worked in the shear room pulling off sheets and stacking them as they came down the conveyor belt after they were cut. The last year I worked there was in area where the aluminum was pored to form ingots. Did not last long that year because the electricians or the millwrights went on strike. After several days, machines started to fall apart and we had know one to fix them.
It was a great place to work, everyone was very nice and helpful and I earned enough money to put me through school.
Rich Burd (July 9, 2022 at 7:46 pm)Greetings everyone who have left comment(s) here.
My Father, Robert McCarthy, worked.. I believe at this location from about 1954 till approx. 1974… I would guess. He was an Engineer there and would tell me about some of the products he helped to create on the team. I was very young but toured the plant twice on days allowed for “family day”.
Looking here at some of your comments of the products you created fills in more historical knowledge for me of what my Father did also. You are all Great Americans and contributed greatly to a better society. Thank You! If you knew him, comment(s) are Welcome. Thank you.
Best regards,
Victor McCarthy (August 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm)Victor McCarthy
A very good friend of my cousin, Pete Jarvis, dated a girl named Sue Reynolds who worked in P.R. In the 70’s and 80’s. He was trying to reconnect with her if anyone my know her whereabouts.
Nancy Jarvis (April 10, 2025 at 8:44 am)