A Sweep of the Eureka Appliances Story Through the Eras—1909-2016

[paul]

Researched by me and others listed at the conclusion. Edits welcome.

Btw, both Stecker and Stecher have been used in literature I located; but the former more frequently.

Pages 1-3: Wardell Era
Pages 4-6: Burritt Era
Pages 7-9: Feldmann Era
Pages 10-11: AB Electrolux Era
Page 12: Midea America Corporation Era, Former Buildings Repurposing/Demolition, Sources

 

[paul]

Facilities & Campus Photos

From realty.com & showcase.com—

1-4. Various views of the main headquarters building at 1100 E. Bell Street, Bloomington, IL—originally built by Meadows Mfg. Co. (edit from history in initial post of this thread)—realty.com

5. 1201 E. Bell Street, Bloomington, IL—presumably the entrance and offices of the Bloomington plant—showcase.com

6-7. Former Eureka campus—realty.com


(Other photos on thread 33551: https://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREADM.cgi?33551_25 )

 

[paul]

Edited

 

[paul]

1942—Wardells & Steckers

 

[twinfanpower]

So a little drift on where the factory was.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...9602!4d-83.0753727!16s/g/11h9zfp3g2?entry=ttu


I have inserted a new visual of the area that USED to be where the Stecker/ Eureka Factory is.

The Main Street that is of importance on the new map is Amsterdam Street, this was known then pre-Lodge I-10 as Dewey Street. This bordered a part of the factory too.

Third Avenue was known as Greenwood Street then as well. That bordered the plant also.

Hamilton Avenue, which was another border street is buried under the Southbound lanes of the lodge.

Essentially if you look at the 1953 picture of the newly opened freeway, I have it shaded in green where it was. When they said it was going through the middle of their factory, they weren't joking at all. There is still a little bit of the factory extant in the 1953 photo. look along the New York Central Tracs curving to the right.....

 

[twinfanpower]

Detroits Freeway Master Plan, from 1951.

I offer another reason that Eureka had already moved to Bloomington by at least 1951, which shows this published map in the Detroit News, clearly indicating that the freeway was built past the railroad viaduct which is where the plant was located just south of. They did buy the Meadows plant for expansion, but it was well after Eureka moved from Detroit.

 

[paul]

Wow, thanks for that written and pictured info!

I have no access to THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, and located no other articles or literature in other sources regarding the Eureka Division's actual relocation to Bloomington except for its November 1955 purchase of the former Meadows facility (see attached news bulletin). I did, however, notice that a January 1947 EW ad listed Detroit and Bloomington (where Williams had been since at least the 1921), and a September 1947 ad listed only Bloomington.

Thanks again —your införmation is much appreciated!


1. 1947 Jan 13 LIFE

2. 1947 Sep 22 LIFE

3. 1948 Sep GAS APPLIANCES AND ACCESSORIES DIRECTORY - Williams 1201 E. Bell Street (? I'd thought this was the address of the Meadows Plant.)

4. John C. Lodge Freeway - Encyclopedia of Detroit (1953 intersection with Edsel Ford Freeway)

5. 1955 Oct 13 ROME NEWS-TRIBUNE - Thor Corp Sells Two Plants (no located info on prior relocation of the headquarters)

6. Meadows Manufacturing Co. info - mchistory.org

 

[paul]

Misc. Database Finds

1. 1946 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LISTED CORPORATIONS - Eureka Williams Corporation name change Jan 14, 1946

2. 1946 Sep INDUSTRIAL STANDARDIZATION - p. 228 Eureka product standardization photos