All Things Buick: Search results for #14

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query #14. Sort by date Show all posts

Friday, April 26, 2013

Oak Park Power Company

This is facing north in 1907. You can see factory #06 in the background at the right just being built. This factory was for the model 35 and 34 Buick's. Electrical Review September 1906 update.

This view in 1907 shows the trees in the background running parallel with the rail line. You can also see factory #06 is in place in the background just beyond the Oak Park powerhouse. The two smoke stacks #46 at the right are from the Imperial Wheel works Company just barely visible. You can see the area behind the factory is being graded in preparation for factories #07 and #10. Incorporation August 16, 1906.

Factory #06 is just visible off to the right in the distance. Mostly the Hamilton farm hay fields are still in place in this 1907 photo. I have still not found concrete evidence for the location of the Hamilton farm house. I may have seen it over near the rail line but have no close up that shows enough detail.

The red arrow points to a new (steel) water tank being constructed in 1909. The wooden tank has not yet fallen judging by the photo below which shows both tanks during the construction of this one. Two tanks will be built in 1911 north of factory #02. This north-west view barely shows the smokestack of the powerhouse emitting smoke above factory #01 at the left. The tall metal stack coming out of #01 was taking paint fumes out when this was the paint shop and transmission plant combined. Engines at this time were still coming from the Kearsley Street factory that was the first in Flint but was renumbered factory #02 after 1906. Go to the following link

Buick Assembly Court Yard.

and look at the second photo, just above the word CO. on the side of factory #01 just to the right you will notice the leftover stump of the steel stack mentioned above.

This would be shortly after the wooden tank fell. The new steel tank shown here is the same as what would be built in it's place. This particular tank did not last very long because it was in the way of future expansion. Go here for more views of this area.

This photo is actually a little later than the one below. Factory #07 is almost complete and will assemble the model 43 Buick's shortly. Factory #10 already has the second floor being erected. This #10 should not be confused with plant #10 built at the beginning of World War II. The men in charge and the location shown above is from the Flint City Directory of 1915.

This closeup of the Oak Park Power Company would have been taken while factory #07 is just being built in the background during 1908. You can see the one story gas house has also been rebuilt on the north side of the powerhouse. I still do not have much information on the gas house other than what is reported in the insurance article. I did find that Buick built a new gas plant in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1913 for what it's worth.

Go here for actual site

This west view shows Weston-Mott #2 in the background.

This east view shows Buick #07 in the background.

The yellow lines show the exact spots in all three pictures. This is the same as described further below. Basically we're seeing the two different water tanks used for the fire suppression system. The blue outline shows the addition done to factory #01 which saw many such additions from 1906 to it's end in 1963. The green outline shows the added smoke stack and enlargement of the powerhouse to the north. You will notice in the color postcard view that the powerhouse did not yet have a proper brick smokestack. Go to the following link for a seldom seen view of the second water tank.

Postcard Find

The yellow line points out the same spot in this before and after shot of the powerhouse facing north. The original is hardly recognisable after all the expansions.

Just a bit different view north up the old rail spur between the factories. Some of these rails were left in place and could still be found in some areas covered with blacktop (Tarvia-top) in the early 1980's before the creation of Buick City. In my time this was the entrance off of Hamilton Avenue to factory #04. The #31 should not be confused with the axle plant #31 that took over this number after World War II.

Showing how large the powerhouse became in two years. Factory #10 just to the right or north of the water tower (in the 1908 view) is shown larger than it would actually be when built in 1909. Factories #06, #07, #10 and #16 were all built using the same blueprint. The small structure shown at the southeast corner of factory #01 (left foreground) was never built.

Showing the proposed east annex of the powerhouse that is shown further below. Go here for the east annex view.

Just a closeup of the #26 powerhouse sometime after 1910 because factory #10 is now shown directly north. Factory #10 was the model 28 and 29 assembly plant at this time, with the closed body Buick's being built there in 1916. Touring cars were still the norm. in 1910.

This 1911 layout is not all entirely correct. The Brass works and truck garage proposals shown were not built in these locations. Click on the link for the complete story: General Electric wires Buick.

I have found nothing further on this explosion at the powerhouse in 1912. This was found in the "Locomotive Trade".

Facing north over the Buick site in 1920. You can see the new #14 powerhouse being built on Leith Street which will replace #26. I have also marked the location of the (far in the future) #07 powerhouse that replaced #14 in the early 1970's. The old Weston-Mott powerhouse #6 was renumbered Buick #36 in 1913. The #36 designation would be used again later for the engine plant in the early 50's.

Here we can see the east wall of #26 shortly before demolition. This portion of the powerhouse only lasted 10 years.

This east facing view has Hamilton and Industrial Avenue in the lower foreground. The main building of the powerhouse #26 has the two large stacks. The small stack in the distance would at this time be #36 power house which is the old Weston-Mott #6.

This east facing close-up shows a conveyor leading to the power house. This is after the #14 power plant on Leith Street has been built so this was not used for long as shown below.

Facing south during demolition in 1921. This is the coal off-loading area for #26 powerhouse. Barely visible at the left is factory #07. Look to the far distance in the right background for the bridge that connects factory #08 with #04. You will notice the northern most smokestack has now been almost entirely removed. Paul Williams who does the Buick facebook site had no further information on this photo.

I think this is late 1909. This view is facing west,

This view is facing south-west.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Buick Powerhouse five Views

Here's a photo taken from factory #11 in 1934.

Here is a view from the roof of factory #11 in the 30's.

The view is looking east up Leith street. Expandable version.

This view of the Buick Powerhouse (built in 1920) is looking north-east across Division st. you can see the original Buick foundry (factory #20) just north across Leith st. Buick was in the process of tearing this structure down the day I hired in Oct. 09, 1972. It's designation was building #14.

Here you see the cooling pond along Division st. located adjacent to the powerhouse. You can see the train-shed and shipping plant #02 at the left. This view is from the powerhouse facing south.

Links:

Buick Power House.

Powerhouse #14

Buick Powerhouse five Views

Buick Powerhouse Inside

Factory #20 The Buick Foundry

Friday, August 27, 2010

Buick Power House.

This building was built in 1920. The view is facing northeast. It was known as factory #14. The huge stacks with BUICK on them were removed around 1950. They were demolishing this whole structure the year I hired in, 1972. 1937 Buick power plant powering Buick City.

follow the links:

Powerhouse #14

Buick Powerhouse five Views

Buick Powerhouse Inside

Division Street 1936 thru 1938 May 14, 1921.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

More Aerial Buick.

Building #15 and #85 with Leith street at the left. A piece of the

powerhouse #14 next to my thumb. Factory #31 is at the top. This view is from the (then new) powerhouse smoke stack.

A Leonard Thygesen print just before demolition.

This view reminds me of the time my relief man was dragged from the rail dock of #04 to the south-east corner of #12 by the train. He later died. Follow bridge #43 link for this story:

Buick City Bridge #43

This south-west view overlooking Buick assembly shows a lot of good details from the 1971 era. When you enlarge you can even see the old frame yard between factory #04 and #40. You can also see the old Oak Park entrance that went right through the north-end of factory #04. Follow the factory #09 link for a story on this old entrance to the Buick property.

Factory #09 Northeast Corner 1923

Chassis Receiving Before Buick City

I was not going to post these photos because of the bad reflections from the Mylar, but they are still alright for research purposes. These were all taken at The Buick Research Gallery in Flint, Michigan.

Here were overlooking the old powerhouse building #14. Factory #12-a is beyond it. That is factory #15 at the bottom foreground on Leith Street.

Factory #15 Die And Pattern Shop

Buick Power House.

Here we are at the top of one of the smoke stacks of the powerhouse #07 during construction. This would be the vantage point for the photos on this posting. Were facing west. That is factory #29 visible at the bottom left corner.

Factory #29 Tool Factory.

Buick Powerhouse #07

Looking south from the “then new” powerhouse built between 1971-1973. It was known as building #07. You can see almost the whole of final assembly at Buick. In the far distance is downtown Flint, with Hurley hospital seen at the right in the distance. The well known twin water towers erected in 1920 were removed during this period. The old train shed is in the foreground. Links:

Buick Water Towers

Powerhouse #07

Train Shed At Buick Rail Entrance

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Division Street Revisited.

Hamilton avenue and Division street looking directly north on July 15, 2011. Since the demolition the wildlife has returned.

This is the Buick powerhouse; also known as factory #14 located at the intersection of Leith street and Division street. This view is facing north-east. The cooling pond for the water is shown in the foreground, running along Division street.

This looks like a group from the tank training school that was also located at Buick in Flint. This is in front of the main office on Hamilton avenue at the main entrance. This must have been some milestone, because of all the high ranking officials present. That looks like Harlow Curtice in the front row (5th from left). There is a Hellcat insignia in front.

A north-west view showing the security tower and the main office on Hamilton avenue. Factory #01 is seen at the right. I entered Buick here many times, including my first.

This north-east view shows a security tower being erected at the Hamilton avenue and Division street entrance. Factory #40 is seen at the left with the Pere Marquette dispatch office (light brick) at right. This must be previous to 1938 because that was the year that the old Imperial Wheel factory was demolished, and it is visible just behind the rail cars.

This view facing directly north shows the demolition of old factory #06. This would be 1946, the year my father hired in after returning from the Pacific theater. This photo taken from the main office shows factory #01 in the left foreground. Beyond that we see factory #62 which was actually old factory #07 and #10 that were combined with a roofed over area in-between thus creating factory #62. Factory #40 is shown at the right. The new factory #40 bldg. #16 will be built where #06 is located and would be the first factory I entered after I hired into Buick in 1972. The outside wall of old factory #07 would become the inside wall of the new factory #40. Factory #62 was the final assembly area for the M-18 tanks shown below.

Link: Complete 1946 Buick Magazine.

A nice view of the Hamilton Avenue entrance; shortly after World War II. Notice the guard towers which were present throughout the Buick complex in anticipation of the United States entry into the second World War. This north facing view has factory #01 at left, factory #06 middle and factory #40 at the right along the Pere Marquette rail line.

Another batch of M-18 "Hellcats" ready for their trip to Europe. The year is 1943. Buick factory #01 is at left with factory #06 trailing off to the north.

links: