Ivoryton Piano Factory

At its peak, the ivory manufacturers in Deep River and Essex would process 90% of the ivory imported to the United States. In 1862 the Comstock, Cheney & Company was created in Ivoryton, this company was originally invested in creating ivory combs, but moved to create ivory keys for pianos. This ivory came from elephants in Africa which meant that the ivory business heavily participated in not only the extinction of elephants but also the institution of slavery. One ivory tusk weighing 75lb could create the ivory keys for 45 pianos, however, the transportation of one tusk to the US would typically lead to 5 African slaves dying in the process. While this industry wasn’t necessarily moral it would have a profound impact on the prosperity of Ivoryton and creating a company town that evolved around the industry. In the 1920s with the Great Depression and a decline in the demand of pianos, the Ivoryton Piano Factory would begin to decline. Nowadays the Ivoryton Piano Factory is used to store movie set materials and a variety of decaying appliances ranging from toilets to ovens.