This is Part 2 of my attempt to capture historical highlights of Dixon’s cement plant, which is now in its final months of operation.

Of all the manufacturers that have come to Dixon, the cement plant holds the distinction of being the longest-operating manufacturer in city history. In its 118-year history, the cement plant brought great economic vitality to Dixon, but it also encountered a few “cracks in the road.”

Rebuffing the bluffs

The first problem was the community’s desire to save the bluffs along the river from cement plant operations. These bluffs were the home of Fuller’s Cave and Fuller’s Spring, which were favorite landmarks and picnic sites for Dixonites and anyone boating up and down the river.

On Feb. 20, 1906, 19 months before the new cement plant began operation, the

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