Syracuse China has a long history in Central New York. Friday, the company's final chapter ended as the vacant building it once operated out of was torn down. YNN's Erin Clarke shares with us what that building and company meant to some of the people who worked there.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The place where he worked for more than half of his life...gone.

"When I first started, I was a trucker in shadow tone and then from being a trucker, I used to spray and shadow tone and I was a sprayer for about 30 years," said former Syracuse China employee Ray Ross.

Ray Ross' story is like that of many who worked at Syracuse China.

"I started out on the tumblers when I was 17. Over the past 42 years, I've been half way through the plant in different departments," said former Syracuse China employee Antonio Braun.

One of the few who came to say goodbye. The building was torn down Friday.

"It's hard to believe to see something like this go from Syracuse," said Ross.

Hard because these former workers remember Syracuse China as an economic powerhouse and a company to be proud of.

"At one time, we had that whole big parking lot with people working here," said Braun.

But time wore on the company. That parking lot had fewer cars over time and in 2009, the company closed.

"It's like watching your own home being torn down," said Braun.

Now the men and women who worked there just have their memories and what's documented in books to remind them of what was.

"And that's how progress goes I guess," said Braun.

Collections of China from Syracuse China and information about the company are on display at the Onondaga Historical Association.