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	History of Freeland, Pa. Factories and industries
	What's on this page: Factories and other industries listed by name Factories and other industries listed by location Factories and other industries listed in directories and on maps On related pages: An interior view of a Freeland factory in 1914 Group photos of workers in Freeland factories Remaining traces of silk mills in Freeland Cigar manufacturers Salmon Iron Works Beagle Hame Works Hoch Hame Company Freeland Bobbin Works Note: With Charles Stumpf’s Freeland book and research assistance from Ed Merrick, I am remaking the previous Factories page. I hope that the new page(s) can be posted soon, with information, photos, and some personal notes from contributors. In the meantime, here are updated lists of the factories and industries that I currently know of. Please send additions and corrections! The second list here below groups them by location, which is a really helpful way to understand the changing face of Freeland as these businesses developed and changed, sometimes a new business replacing an old one, or sometimes expanding to more than one location. The new page will also note several worker strikes that happened. So, more is coming soon. Thank you for visiting this page. Freeland factories listed by name Ambra - 911 Centre Street Beagle Hame Works – Front Street Bell Manufacturing Company - Corner of Ridge and South Streets Bell Manufacturing Company - E. South Street Blass Manufacturing Company – Rr818 Front Street (1957 phonebook, under Women’s & Misses’ dresses) Blass Overall Company - 1106 Cunnius Street Bressler Cigar Factory - 1106 Cunnius Street Charles Manufacturing Company - 818 Front Street Crawford & Abrams Shirt Cutting Factory - Upper Fern Street Discon Steel - E. South Street Freeland Bobbin Works - S. Washington Street Freeland Cigar Factory - 818 Front Street Freeland Dress Company - 721 Birkbeck Street Freeland Manufacturing Company - 156 Ridge Street (1957 phonebook ad p.117) Freeland Manufacturing Company cutting annex - South Street between Centre and Ridge Freeland Mills, Inc. – Ridge and South Streets Freeland Overall Company - 1106 Cunnius Street Freeland Overall Company - 156 Ridge Street Freeland Overall Manufacturing Company - 156 Ridge Street Freeland Pattern Works - Dewey and Johnson Streets Freeland Shirt Company - 911 Centre Street Freeland Shirt Company - 1015 Dewey Street Freeland Shirt Company Annex - 911 Centre Street Freeland Shirt Company Annex - Upper Fern Street Freeland Silk Mill - 721 Birkbeck Street Freeland Silk Mills factory [1940s, name not certain] - Corner of Ridge and Luzerne Streets Freeland Silk Throwing Company - 721 Birkbeck Street Freeland Sportswear Company - 246 Centre Street Freeland Stocking Mill - Upper Fern Street Garland Commercial Industries - E. South Street Halpin Manufacturing Company (Halpin Wagon Works) – Pine and Walnut Streets Hoch Hame Works - S. Washington Street Jacobs & Janowich (Shirt Manufacturers) – Upper Fern Street Major Shirt Corporation - 1106 Cunnius Street Meadows Silk Mill - Corner of Ridge and South Streets Nautilus, later Nautilus-Tappan - E. South Street PenJac Salmon Iron Works – near Birkbeck and Johnson Streets Samwill Silk Company – Corner of Ridge and South Streets Washington Silk Company - Ridge Street near Luzerne Street Washington Silk Company - 818 Front Street Washington Silk Company - Corner of Ridge and South Streets Freeland factories listed by location E. South Street Bell Manufacturing Company Discon Steel Nautilus, later Nautilus-Tappan Garland Commercial Industries 246 Centre Street Freeland Sportswear Company 1106 Cunnius Street Blass Overall Company Freeland Overall Company Major Shirt Corporation Bressler Cigar Factory 911 Centre Street Ambra Freeland Shirt Company Freeland Shirt Company Annex 1015 Dewey Street Freeland Shirt Company Front Street Beagle & Roth, Hame & Smith Works (1912 phonebook) 721 Birkbeck Street Freeland Silk Mill Freeland Silk Throwing Company Hoch Hames Company (1917 phonebook, Birkbeck Street) Freeland Dress Company S. Washington Street Freeland Bobbin Works Hoch Hame Works Dewey and Johnson Streets Freeland Pattern Works Ridge Street near Luzerne Street Washington Silk Company Ridge and Luzerne Streets Samwill Silk Company [1930s] Freeland Silk Mills factory [1940s, name not certain] Ridge and South Streets Washington Silk Company Meadows Silk Mill Bell Mfg Company 156 Ridge Street Freeland Overall Company Freeland Manufacturing Company PenJac South Street between Centre and Ridge Streets Freeland Manufacturing Company cutting annex 818 Front Street Washington Silk Company Charles Manufacturing Company Freeland Cigar Factory Blass Manufacturing Company – Rr818 Front Street (1957 phonebook, under Women’s & Misses’ dresses) Upper Fern Street Freeland Stocking Mill Jacobs & Janowich, Shirt Manufacturers, Fern Street Freeland Shirt Company Annex Crawford & Abrams Shirt Cutting Factory Near Pine and Walnut Streets Halpin Manufacturing Company (Halpin Wagon Works) Near Birkbeck and Johnson Salmon Iron Works Factories and other industries listed in directories and on maps Note: In these lists, I have included a few enterprises (like carpet weaving) that may have been a single person working on their own, and not included many others that could fit in that category (like dressmaking, shoemaking). Some of the early cigar manufacturers may have been single persons, I don’t know. Then you get into food production, such as bakeries, confectionaries, dairies. Eventually as this page gets finished I will sort these things out and only include factories/industries that would normally be thought of as such. 1882-1884 directory: Brown, Peter, wagonmaker – Centre near Walnut Cunningham, John P., wagonmaker – head Pine Hittel, Gustav, carpet weaver – Walnut near Washington Peters, Owen A., wagon manufacturer – Front near Birkbeck Rohrbach, Augustus C., cigar manufacturer – Centre near South Wise, George, harness manufacturer – Walnut near Centre 1884-1886 directory: Brown, Peter, wagonmaker – Centre near Walnut Halpin, M. & Co., carriage manufacturers – Johnson corner Pine Hittel, Gustav, carpet weaver – South corner Ridge Kreyscher Bros. & Yoch, planing mill – N. Centre at borough line Rohrbach, Augustus C., cigar manufacturer – 30 N. Centre Wise, George, harness manufacturer – 24 S. Centre 1886-1888 directory: Ceisloft, Milton, wheelwright – South near Washington Halpin, M., carriage manufacturers – Pine near Walnut Johnson, C. A., carpet weaver – South corner Ridge Kreyscher Bros., planing mill – N. Centre at borough line Wise, George, harness manufacturer – 24 S. Centre 1895 Barry’s directory: Beagle Hame Works, hame manufacturers – 54 Front Boczkowski, Charles C., cigar manufacturer - Chestnut Halpin, M., carriage manufacturers – Pine corner Walnut McFadden, Patrick, carpet weaver – Centre near South Myers, Joseph D., cabinet maker – Washington below Luzerne Nutze, E., cigar manufacturer – 117 Centre O’Donnell, Patrick J., broom manufacturer – Carbon near Ridge Washburn & Turnbach, carriage manufacturers - Front Wise, George, harness manufacturer – 24 S. Centre 1897 directory: Beagle Hame Works, Henry Beagle prop. – W. Walnut Blass Overall Co., W. H. Butz mgr. - Foster corner Cunius Freeland Carriage and Wagon Works, Hontz Bros. proprietors – E. Front near Washington Frigerio, Frank, supt. Silk Mill, home Birkbeck near Johnson Halpin, Michael, carriage manufacturer – Pine corner Walnut Johnson, C. A., carpet weaver – 37 S. Washington McFadden, Patrick, carpet weaver – 72 S. Centre Miners' Lamp Works, M. M. O'Boyle prop. - 15 E. South Nutze, Edwin, cigar manufacturer – Centre near Luzerne Schack, Anton, cigar manufacturer – Centre corner Walnut Wise, George, harness manufacturer – 24 S. Centre 1900, 1905 Sanborn maps: Freeland Overall Mfg. Co. Freeland Silk-mill 1900-1901 Pruden’s directory: Beagle Hame Works, Harry S. Beagle & George Wise, proprietors, Freeland Bockowiski, C. C., cigar manufacturer Freeland Opera House, Ridge Freeland Overall Co., Freeland Freeland Silk Mill Co., Freeland Halpin Manufacturing Co., manufacturers of carriages, wagons and sleighs, cor. Pine and Walnut McFadden, Patrick, carpet weaver, Centre Myers, J. D., cabinet maker, Washington Nutze, S., cigar manufacturer, Centre Riebold, Henry, carpet weaving, dry goods, carpets, window shades, &c., Centre Roth, R. C., blacksmith and wheelwright, Front street Salmon's Axle Works 1912 Sanborn map: Freeland Overall Mfg. Co. Freeland Silk Mill Freeland Stocking Mill Washington Silk Co 1912 telephone directory: Beagle & Roth, Hame & Smith Works – Front Freeland Overall Mfg Co – cor Foster Freeland Silk Mill Co – Birkbeck Jacobs & Janowich, Shirt Mfrs – Fern Roth & Beagle, Smith & Hame Works – Front Washington Silk Co, Gus Repert, Mgr – Ridge 1917 telephone directory: Freeland Overall Mfg. Co. - 156 Ridge Hoch Hame Co., Mfg. - Birkbeck Jacobs & Janowitch, Shirt Factory - Fern Luzerne Silk Throwing Co. - 721 Birkbeck Roth & Beagle, Smith & Hame Works - Front Washington Silk Co. - 435 Ridge 1921-1922 directory: Beagle Hame Works – 606 E. Front Beagle Hame Works, Henry Beagle prop. - W Walnut Blass Overall Co., W. H. Butz mgr. - Foster corner Cunius Freeland Carriage and Wagon Works, Hontz Bros. props., carriages and wagons - E Front near Washington Halpin, Michael, carriages and wagons - Pine corner Walnut [Hoch, G. B., blacksmith – Birkbeck near Johnson] (was this Hoch Hame Works?) Johnson, C. A., carpet weaver - 37 S Washington McFadden, Patrick, carpet weaver - 72 S Centre Miners' Lamp Works, M. M. O'Boyle prop. - 15 E South Wise, George, harness maker - 24 N Centre 1923 Sanborn map: Bressler, M. C., Cigar Factory Crawford & Abrams, Shirt Cutting Factory Freeland Overall Co. Freeland Silk Mill Washington Silk Co. 1928-1929 Polk’s directory: Beagle Hame Works - 606 Front Bressler Cigar Mfg. Co., cigar manufacturer - 1106 Cunnius Freeland Bobbin Corp. - 175 Washington Freeland High Carbon Paint Co. - 726 Schwabe Freeland Overall Mfg. Co. - 166 Ridge Freeland Shirt Co. - 1017 Dewey Klinger, John H., harness maker - 739 Front Kluchko, Michael, carpet and rug manufacturer - 713 Carbon Krommes & Schnee, carpet and rug manufacturer - 931 Schwabe Roth, Richard C., cabinetmaker - 606 Front Washington Silk Co. - 435 Ridge; Annex at 818 Front 1929 Sanborn map: Bressler, M. C., Cigar Factory Freeland Overall Mfg. Co. Freeland Shirt Co. Luzerne Silk Throwing Co. Washington Silk Co. 1937 telephone directory: Bressler Cigar Mfg. Freeland Mfg. Freeland Shirt Samwill Silk Co., South and Ridge 1940 directory: Ambra Mfg. Co. - 911 Centre Feist, Russell F., cigar manufacturer - 1106 Cunnius Freeland Dress Co., dress manufacturer - 721 Birkbeck Freeland Mfg. Co., clothing manufacturer - 156 Ridge Freeland Shirt Co. - 1015 Dewey Klinger, Jno H., harness maker - 827 Walnut Shaub, Rodney L., pattern maker - rear 415 Johnson 1941 telephone directory: Ambra Manufacturing Co., 911 Centre Freeland Dress Co., 721 Birkbeck Freeland High Carbon Paint Co., paint manufacturer - 820 Main Freeland Manufacturing Co., 156 Ridge Freeland Pattern Works, Rr 415 Johnson Freeland Shirt Co., 1016 Dewey Freeland Textile Mill, Inc., Ridge & South 1946 Sanborn map: Freeland Pattern Works Freeland Silk Throwing Co. 1948 telephone directory: Ambra Manufacturing Co., 911 Centre Freeland Cigar Factory, 818 Front Freeland Dress Co., Inc., 721 Birkbeck Freeland Manufacturing Co., 156 Ridge Freeland Mills, Ridge & South Freeland Pattern Works, Rr 415 Johnson Freeland Shirt Co., 1015 Dewey Freeland Sportswear Co., 246 Centre Major Shirt Corp., 1106 Cunnius From 1949 phonebook: Ambra Manufacturing Co., 911 Centre Freeland Cigar Factory, 818 Front Freeland Dress Co., Inc., 721 Birkbeck Freeland Manufacturing Co., 156 Ridge Freeland Mills Inc., Ridge & South Freeland Mills Inc., Ridge & Luzerne Freeland Pattern Works, Rr 415 Johnson [Freeland School of Woodworking, 444 Centre] Freeland Shirt Co., 1015 Dewey Freeland Sportswear Co., 246 Centre Major Shirt Corp., 1106 Cunnius 1952 telephone directory: Ambra Manufacturing Co., 911 Centre Freeland Cigar Factory, 818 Front Freeland Dress Co., Inc., 721 Birkbeck Freeland Manufacturing Co., 156 Ridge Freeland Mills, Inc., Ridge and South Freeland Mills, Inc., Ridge and Luzerne Freeland Pattern Works, 415 Johnson Freeland Shirt Co., 1015 Dewey St. Freeland Sportswear Co., 246 Centre Major Shirt Corp., 1106 Cunnius 1957 telephone directory: Blass Manufacturing Co., Rr 818 Front Freeland Dress Co., Inc., 721 Birkbeck Freeland Manufacturing Co., 156 Ridge Freeland Mills, Ridge & South Freeland Mills, Ridge & Luzerne Freeland Pattern Works, Rr 415 Johnson (Wood & Metal Patterns, p. 80) Freeland Shirt Co., 1015 Dewey Freeland Sportswear Co., 246 Centre Major Shirt Corp., 1106 Cunnius Thank you to Charlie Stumpf and Ed Merrick for research.

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