Interview with Vicky Johnson, 2025
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10.20.25–10.24.25
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Conversation with Danya Gerasimova
Vicky Johnson lived near the Missouri Portland Cement factory from 1963 into the 1990s.
Danya:
Do you remember the Missouri Portland Cement factory?
Vicky Johnson:
I lived close to it!
Danya:
How long did you live in the area?
Vicky Johnson:
1963 is when we moved there, and I lived there for over 30 years.
Danya:
And on which street?
Vicky Johnson:
I was on Marshfield in Bellefontaine. If I hopped the neighborhood's fence, I was on Lilac close to the police station!
We used to play in the tunnels that went under the street on Scranton. They used to chase us. It was dark down there! All we’d see was their helmets with lights on them. Our names were dug in the dirt walls. Not sure if that’s still there.
Danya:
Could you tell me more about the tunnels? Were they connecting the factory to the quarry nearby?
Vicky Johnson:
Yes. They ran under the road on Scranton right before you made your turn onto Lilac.
Danya:
Would you guys play at the quarry too? Was it here, across Scranton from the factory?
Vicky Johnson:
Yes, only when no one was around.
Danya:
Do you remember what it was like?
Vicky Johnson:
The quarry was like a layered hole in the ground! Just a bunch of dirt. It had roads for the trucks to get in there and equipment. I guess a conveyor belt took the dirt from the quarry to the plant. They had either lanterns or bulbs in the tunnels; but they didn’t put a lot of light down there. I wonder if the tunnel is still there. They might’ve buried it. Go check it out.
Danya:
Did you know any of the folks who worked at the factory personally?
Vicky Johnson:
Yes. Ed Hall; he’s dead. A few others, but I don’t know what happened to them. I hung with everyone on Leeton, which is one street over from Scranton. Cookie ran the convenience store on the corner of West and Scranton.
I had a group post years ago called Portland Cement Cancer Study. It’s still here on Facebook.
Danya:
Have you counted how many residents reported cancer from your study?
Vicky Johnson:
No, but there are a lot of them!
