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Post by Clipper on Jul 1, 2022 6:31:03 GMT -5
www.uticaod.com/story/news/2022/07/01/heres-how-herkimer-county-landed-chicago-pneumatic-tool-company/65365111007/CP was great place to work. My dad worked there as machinist for many years until he acquired an allergy to the cooling solvent used on the machines. He was enrolled in some sort of government retraining program and went to MVCC to become a draftsman. He got a job at Univac in Ilion and continued his education, eventually getting his engineering degree. The thing that caught MY eye in the article is that Utica in 1947, the year I was born, had a population of 100,000 people. Now the population is only 65,000 plus or minus. The loss of manufacturing jobs in the area certainly was a major contributing factor to that drop in population. Slowly they left. CP, GE, Continental Can, Bendix, Drop Forge Tool, Utica Steam Engine and Boiler Works, the textile mills, and others, large and small slowly disappeared.
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Post by BHU on Jul 1, 2022 13:31:42 GMT -5
I remember Beaunit Fibers on Broad St especially the aroma from the place during operating hours. Everybody got used to it. Lol. The huge stack eventually collapsed back in the 90's if mempry serves me & landed right in the middle of Broad St. This area took two major blows in the 90's when GE closed it's doors & GAFB left within a span of a couple years.
CP moved to Georgia but eventually closed the doors after a couple years. I think CP tools are still available, probably made in China. What a shame.
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Post by Clipper on Jul 1, 2022 14:25:12 GMT -5
I am all to familiar with the fact that Griffiss closed. I ended up retiring a little earlier than I expected to. Thank God I was eligible for retirement.
Kathy worked at GE French Road as did my former brother in-law. Those were some good paying jobs. She worked in a "clean room" where they had to wear white nylon tops and caps that covered their hair.
I remember, as you also probably remember that there were two GE facilities on Bleecker St, one by Chancellor Park and the other out near Culver Ave, a large plant on Broad St and the plant on French Rd. They employed a lot of people.
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Post by BHU on Jul 1, 2022 19:12:03 GMT -5
Yep I remember the plant on Culver Ave, my Aunt worked there. When it closed she moved to Broad St. She was there when Reagen toured the plant when he was doing promo work for GE, this was early, mid 60's.
Utica back in those days was a hell of a place to live, which I'm sure you already knew.
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Post by Clipper on Jul 1, 2022 22:12:47 GMT -5
Not only were there jobs, there was all sorts of things to do. There were 8 or 10 movie theaters to choose from. I used to love the Saturday Matinee at the Avon. There was a half a dozen bowling alleys, couple of different roller skating options, and of course the vibrant and busy downtown that was fun to just go downtown, shop, hang out, and enjoy just walking around. the days are gone of standing on the busy corner and being able to see 8 or 9 buses, lining up three deep in each direction, in front of the Boston Store, across the street in front of White Tower, along side Dawe's Drug Store on Bleecker St, and a block South unloading along the North side of Grace Church.
So many pleasant memories dimmed by the sadness of seeing downtown and the rest of the inner city in it's present state.
Shopping centers and malls marked the demise of the busy downtown business section over a period of time.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Jul 1, 2022 23:01:26 GMT -5
When I moved here (1984) GE was operating the radio plant at Culver & Bleeker, a couple of the old buildings on Broad St and the "new" building on French Rd. Defense cut-backs, foreign competition and NYS wage & regulation led to multiple layoff and consolidations. They merged with Lockheed and operated from the French Rd location. A good friend of mine worked in the French Rd plant. He was one of the lucky ones, he was transferred to Syracuse, given help selling his home and retired a few years ago. During COVID shutdowns, he was basically offered all the work from home hours he wanted to supplement his retirement and SS. It helps to be experienced and good at your job.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Jul 1, 2022 23:08:01 GMT -5
The Utica area was lucky that after GE left, Con Med moved their operations the GE plant. Too much space for them but lots of parking and I'm sure they have received many kinds of monetary support.
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Post by chris on Jul 2, 2022 17:09:13 GMT -5
My dad worked for the Sporting Goods factory. It was on Jay and Broad Streets. Once they closed he applied for positions in Rochester and Arizona. I often wonder if he had taken a position in AZ how my life might have changed compared to Rochester. I think Im glad he choose here.
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Post by BHU on Jul 2, 2022 19:22:39 GMT -5
My dad worked for the Sporting Goods factory. It was on Jay and Broad Streets. Once they closed he applied for positions in Rochester and Arizona. I often wonder if he had taken a position in AZ how my life might have changed compared to Rochester. I think Im glad he choose here. My Mother got a job there right out of H.S. I think they made baseball gloves. |
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