Find a Contractor Buyer's Guide
MCAA Logo
Member Login JOIN
NEWS
Join Us For The 75th Anniversary Midyear Meeting Sep 7-11 ↗

Everything falls into place for Acme Brick’s 124th birthday

Words: Ron TaylorMost “topples” are built with dominos but this installation used real Acme Brick: solid paving brick from Acme’s Tulsa Plant, as well as several hundred specialty brick from other Acme plants.

The display was designed and executed by Domino Dan Beckerleg, a master “toppler” who has produced similar events for other major corporations. Dan traveled to Fort Worth from his home Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and labored for two days to construct his design in the 1,500 square-foot Central Plaza of Fort Worth’s famed Water Gardens. “It’s been a challenge to scale up from dominos to Acme bricks but it’s been fun and definitely a learning experience, said Dan. For one thing, dropping a brick on your toe is a much different experience than dropping a domino.”

If not the longest, this was surely one of Dan’s heaviest topples with the 4,300 bricks weighing in at 15,518 pounds (seven and a half tons). The actual topple only took about four minutes.

The Acme Brick 124th birthday brick topple just before the first brick falls
The Acme Brick 124th birthday brick topple just before the first brick falls
Just prior to the topple, Acme Brick Company President and CEO Dennis Knautz shared some thoughts about the event and put Acme’s 124 years into perspective. Knautz commented, “What better place to celebrate Acme Brick Company’s 124th birthday than in Fort Worth’s Water Gardens surrounded by historic Acme buildings like the former Texas And Pacific Headquarters and Terminal just two blocks away. This wonderful art deco structure from 1931 has been repurposed into luxury condominums. I think the Acme Perla brick look great considering they will be 85 years old this October. We should all be that lucky.”

The Fort Worth Water Gardens is a 4.3 acre urban park designed by architect Philip Johnson and dedicated in 1974. It is in the south end of downtown Fort Worth, bounded by Lancaster Avenue, Houston Street, the Fort Worth Convention Center and Commerce Street.
 0
Using Respirators for Silica Exposure
July 2025

Some in the masonry industry have expressed interest in respirator use as protection from harmful exposure to silica. This topic is of paramount importance due to its impact on our workers and the serious health effects of silica exposure. For those new t

Zach Everett
Read More
From Bikes to Buildings: The Importance of Embracing Rainscreen Wall Designs and the New Building Codes.
July 2025

Have you ever been asked to do a project over the course of your lifetime? For example, when my kids were little, my wife asked me to assemble their bicycles. So, I opened the box, dumped out the contents, and cast aside whatever I thought was unnecessary

Keith Lolley
MAP Partner
Read More
Laying the Foundation for Growth: Concrete Masonry Checkoff Unveils Five-Year Vision for Industry
July 2025

The Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) put the finishing touches on an ambitious five-year vision for the industry, targeting a 20% increase in market share, driven by increased demand for concrete masonry products. “This is about building exquisite, enduri

Industry News
Read More
Five of the Seven Chimneys Have Been Saved: Project Chimney Update
July 2025

In the wake of the devastating January wildfires that swept through Los Angeles's Pacific Palisades, a remarkable preservation effort is underway, spearheaded by Project Chimney, an initiative led by Evan Hall, founding director of the non-profit House Mu

Justin Stengel
Industry News
Read More