Industrial and Hamilton

I personally have five of these in postcard form with the title "Noon Hour At Buick and Weston-Mott factories Flint Michigan. 'But it is nice in original form'. You are looking east up Hamilton Avenue with the (yet to be placed) sewer pipe along Industrial Avenue.

Factory #40 1980.

This photo, dated July 10, 1980 ran in the Chicago Sun-Times July 13, 1980. The caption as it ran in the paper stated: "Buick Assembly Plant Worker Chris Molina, "A woman's job". The back story was: Chris Molina, age 25, works for Buick A-car assembly and is quite happy about it. His brother, however, has been laid off by Chevy and both Chris and brother blame Chevy management for hiring too many workers.

Gerry says: This is the second floor of factory #40 building 16 and the view is facing north, near the area called the "hairpin". As far as the woman's job (jab) goes, women worked everywhere when I was there, just about any job on any assembly line will haunt you forever. Even to this day I still have horrible nightmares about my time on the line. There always the same. And even though different locations and some jobs that I have never even done. It seems like I can never get out of the hole and I'm always falling behind. So for all the people who think auto workers are over paid, have never walked in our shoes.

The Early Years.

An early 1904 advertisement for a single cylinder Buick engine.










This shows the original Buick factory #1 on west Kearsley st. in Flint, Michigan after it became Mason Motor Company.


Link Link











This story from the Flint Journal was dated September 11, 1903.












September 19, 1903.







The first products built at Buick in Flint were stationary and marine engines. First Flint Buick announced.

The First Buick Workers

 

The Flint Journal article on Thomas Clint when he retired.
Below are the first three employee's of the new Buick factory in Flint.  Click for original link.
The first Buick factory in Flint in 1903 was originally a single story building with the top two floors added around 1907, (according to the History Of Michigan vol. #4). A 100 ft extension at the west end was done soon after construction. If you have better dates as to the additions, please comment. After Buick moved it's engine operations to the new factory #11 on Flints north side this building was used by the Randolph Truck Co. beginning February 22,1911. Then the Sterling Motor Co. in 1912. The Mason Motor Co. moved in later building engines for Chevrolet, and finally it just became part of the Chevrolet Co. who used it as their axle division.  

This photo inside the Kearsley st. plant shows William Beacraft at the right, next to the improved engine (pushrods on top). This was 1904. The worker behind him with the old style engine is known only as Randall. The first man at the left is only known as Morse. The worker behind him is known only as Hiles. The next in line is W.H. Wascher. Beyond him is a worker known only as Daikin. The man at the center (3rd from right) was known as Mr. Green.  Written on back:View of workers posing with machinery at the Buick Motor Company factory. Handwritten on back: "Left to R. 1. Mr. Morres; 2. Mr. Hill; 3. Wm. Washer; 4. Wesley Daken; 5. [blank]; 6. [blank]; 7. [blank]; 8. [blank]; 9. David Randell with Buick over 40 yr.; 10. Beacraft, Wm. Factories--Buick."  Link: Original
This photo shows Miss Ethel Lobbdell who ran a boardinghouse in Flint where many of the first Buick employee's took up residence. In the center is Miss Lobbdell and behind her to the left is William Beacraft who was in charge of engine assembly. On her right in the back row is Thomas D. Clint the shop foreman and Arthur C. Mason the shop superintendent. These three men were the first recorded employees at the new factory in Flint on west Kearsley st. links:

First Flint Buick

Buick Motor Co.Engine Works

Dr. Hills The Man Who Bought The First Flint Buick

Original factory on east Kearsley st.

1920 Chevy in the hole

Original Buick Factory In Flint Michigan

Link: Flint Citadel Band

Buick Truck

Flint 1880.

Two Era's Meeting Face To Face

Here is the Patterson factory facing the opposite direction as the view below.

                             This postcard shows the Paterson block from Harrison and Third st facing west.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                               

This is Paterson's factory which produced automobiles from 1908 to 1923. Paterson automobile speeding ticket 1904.

This is the intersection of Saginaw and Third street facing east. Saint Paul's episcopal Church is in the center. I wired the P.A. system inside this church once to play the Moody Blues. This was also the location of Charles Stewart Mott's funeral service in 1973. On the left is part of the Paterson block of buildings which included his factory.William Paterson forged the cross on the steeple of the church.The enlarged section below shows the past meeting the present at that time. "That is a Buick".

the enlarged photo can be found at KLR Rider

Flint Michigan Before The Automobile.

This south-east view of Flint in 1890 shows what the city looked like when it was the leader in the carriage industry.

 extra large view here KLR RIDER

Flint 1909

This is the same location as below only facing south.

 extra large view here KLR RIDER

A Buick at the intersection of Saginaw and Detroit Street. Facing north.

 extra large view here KLR RIDER  

The same view as shown above about 100  years later.

North Division Street

Looking south on Division Street from Stewart Avenue. Factory #05 on right. The holding tanks on the left were erected around 1956. The factory beyond was constructed for war work. It was known as building #20 and then factory #10. It was later used for transmission work. My sister worked here in the mid 70's. Production will be ending at the end of 2010. It can become a bit confusing as to what any factory was designated in any given year at Buick. Every factory at Buick has had number changes at one time or another, going back to the original factory on west Kearsley st. I know Don Bent mentions this in his book "A Place Called Buick". If anyone has information on this subject 'Please comment'. photo from onesmallproject 

Factory #10

Factory #05 Construction