Cementland is located in the City of Riverview about 9 miles north of downtown. Originally a cement factory built in the 1970’s, the property was purchased by Bob Cassily the developer of the City Museum in 2000. For 11 years, Cassily worked to transform the factory into an outdoor industrial playground. Unfortunately, in 2011, Cassily died in a bulldozer accident on the site, bringing the construction to a grinding halt. Because Cassily was the only person to have the grand vision of Cementland, the project was abandoned.
On my first trip to Cementland, my friend Andrew and I made this GoPro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1iVnXVD-l0
The site is technically off limits to the public, but with a little local knowledge, it is fairly easy to sneak into the site (note: do not park illegally on the grass because that will tip off the police of your presence). I like to think that Cassily would want people to explore the site. Because Cementland is unfinished and abandoned, many of the features are quite unsafe and extra care must be taken when climbing any staircase or bridge.
The main focus of the 50-acre site is the 250 ft smokestack, which is climbable. Cassily built a lake around the smokestack. In an interview in 2000, he envisioned building a spiral staircase to the top of the smokestack. Guests would be able to throw items off the top into the lake.
There are also large factory buildings that housed the cement mixing tanks. The interiors of the buildings are haunting.
Evidence of the construction is everywhere. In the middle of the site, Cassily built towers and bridges that would have certainly become an industrial walk-through castle.
Here is a room in one of the back buildings that housed all the roof tiles that Cassily was going to install.
The back of the site has a very large room, although I am unsure of what it is for.
Another cool part of Cementland is the graffiti.
Cementland is an amazing place that should be on everyone’s St. Louis bucket-list. If you’re an urban explorer, like abandoned places, or like the City Museum, this is certainly the place to go.
So what exactly is the best way to get into Cementland? I live in St. Louis and have wanted to go to Cementland for years, but I don’t know a for sure way in
Cementland is now patrolled by local police officers frequently they were tipped off by locals when we parked our cars nearby
A bunch of my friends and I made it up there quite a few times this summer, but only made it in twice. The first time we parked in the front parkinglot. Dumb idea, dont do that. We were lucky we didn’t get caught . The second time we parked between two houses and spent a good five hours exploring. We ran into two other big groups, so if you make it in, be wary of that. When we tried to go during the day, a cop pulled us over and asked what we were doing, said the neighbors were complaining about kids parking in front of their houses to go to cementland. Rude people. Like we are affecting them by parking in front of a for closed house. Since, my friend drove up there and saw some cops standing around a group of kids. We have not attempted since, I guess the place was popping this year since the cops are crawling around. You should check out the piaza caves though!