Knouse Foods Water Towers

In 1920, Inwood, West Virginia was the home to the Mussleman canning facility and vinegar distillery. In 1984 C.H. Musselman Company was purchased by Knouse Foods Cooperative, Inc., but the Musselman name was preserved. The Musselman apple plant thrived for decades in this small town, but had since closed in late 2008. Today, the old apple plant is now Connections Community Church at the Plant.

I have lived in Inwood since 1994. Although, I cannot see the apple plant from the house, back in the day, you could surely smell apples in the air. …or you could smell the local dairy farm on some days, which both smells have since gone. Kind of sad to think about in a way. Apple trees diminished in the area, housing developments grew, the plant closed, and local jobs were lost. Although, parts of the plant has new life, much of it is still vacant and slowly turning to ruins.

One thing that gives me joy that remains standing tall from this old apple plant, is the Knouse Foods water tower. As I relax in the “Big Brown Cushy Chair” with the dogs, it is nice to look out of the window to see the tower peering above the houses. There is just something intriguing to me about this tower. Maybe, it is a flashback to watching the Animaniacs cartoon with my son, and seeing the Warner Brothers water tower at the start of the cartoon, or maybe I just have a thing for water towers. Who knows?

When we take a walk along the railroad tracks, I am able to get a very up close and personal view of these water towers. Me being the visionary I am, I start to think about how great it would be to revive that entire section of the plant. Maybe a craft beer brewery/winery? Maybe an awesome local coffee shop and food joint? Hmm… food for thought. The vision is there.