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The Oldenburg Convent Wall & the Pigeon-Powered Smokestack

Coal-fired boilers, a wall around the convent grounds, and what lives in the smokestack now.

OldenburgLast updated November 4, 2026

The Oldenburg Convent Wall & the Pigeon-Powered Smokestack

The story so far

What happened here.

Todd Dickman gave Darrick a history lesson on the old coal-fired boilers at the Oldenburg convent — and Darrick had to ask what is in the smokestack now. A section of the old wall still stands.

See Darrick's original post →

What neighbors remember

According to the locals who lived it.

A section of the wall was kept. He believes it ran around the convent grounds until a little over 50 years ago.

— Ron Galyen

His grandfather Ben Paul worked there, and so did his dad, Roy King.

— Don King

Still to learn

Open questions.

  • What year was the wall taken down?
  • Does anyone have photos from before the wall came down?

See also

Connected pieces.

Do you remember this place?

Share a memory, a photo, or a correction — or answer one of the open questions above. Submissions are reviewed by a person before anything appears publicly, and nothing is posted as-is. Photos are used only with your permission and with credit as you give it.

Last updated November 4, 2026. New memories appear here after review.

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