AAn early shot of the Bata Shoe Factory Building in Belcamp Maryland. (Circa 1930's )

An aerial view of the Bata Shoe Factory complex in Belcamp, Maryland.

    One of the interesting features of the old Bata Factory was that you could actually look right through the building. Vacant since about the 1980's, you could always see boxes piled up in the the factory, and I always wondered if anyone was still using the building or not. Behind the factory building was the water tower with "Bata" in bold red letters, the Belcamp landmark. The Bata Shoe Factory even had it's own small movie theatre for employees, listed in the Film Daily Yearbook for years as the Belcamp Theatre. Much of the complex was torn down in the 1990's,  but in early 2005, the  rest of the complex, a large warehouse of windows came down to make way for a  new complex.

An  early view northbound on Pulaski Highway ( U.S. Route 40 ) at the recently completed Bata Shoe Factory in Belcamp Maryland , Circa 1930's. The picture to the upper right is the same view, 2004, as the building is getting prepared for demolition. The photo directly to the right is the view after all was said and done. The site is now a parking lot. Much more can be found on Kilduffs Theatre Index. Kilduffs would love to hear from you. Webmaster@Kilduffs.com

I've lived in Belcamp ( now Riverside ) for years now. The only structure visiible of any past was the old Bata Show Factory, at the intersection of U.S. Rt 40 and Rt 543.  The pictures above show the building just before it was imploded.

The only item saved from the building was the red BATA sign, that had been on the northeast corner of the building. That sign currently resides on the complex lot.

When the complex was torn down, the first thing to come down was the old BATA water tower. The water tower, the tallest structure in Belcamp at the time, can be seen towering above the old building in the photo to the right , just before the entire complex was razed. Just past the tower is the Bush River.
In nearby Baltimore, or New York City, a building like this would be converted into loft apartments. The wall of windows of this building made it stand out and you could always tell you were in Belcamp ( now Riverside ) when you saw the Bata Show Factory Building and water tower.	A sign by the developer citing " water front " views was perhaps the mark for the end of the Bata Building. Real Estate values in the area have skyrocketed, and any waterfront property is being developed where it can be.
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