Florence Wagon Works Site

Florence Wagon Works Site

The 1889 Florence Wagon Works was the largest wooden wagon manufacturer in the United States producing 15,000 wagons a year. The most popular, the Florence Light Running Wagon helped settle the West, especially Texas, and was important in France during World War I. The company manufactured and sold...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
Format: Electronic
Published: Auburn University Libraries
Subjects:
Cultural resources
Online Access:https://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/496
format Electronic
collection Alabama Cultural Resource Survey Collection
building Auburn University
publisher Auburn University Libraries
topic Cultural resources
spellingShingle Cultural resources
Florence Wagon Works Site
Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
fulltopic Cultural resources
National Register of Historic Places; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; Industry
description The 1889 Florence Wagon Works was the largest wooden wagon manufacturer in the United States producing 15,000 wagons a year. The most popular, the Florence Light Running Wagon helped settle the West, especially Texas, and was important in France during World War I. The company manufactured and sold other models as well as parts. The company directly employed 175 employees, both white and African American. The Works was said to pay its employees over $100,000 a year and indirectly affected the local economy by as much as $300, 000 a year. Demand for wagons dropped dramatically with the mass production of cars and trucks and the business closed in 1941 leaving the building to slowly deteriorate. Currently only ruins exist where once a thriving industry prospered. Only stonewalls, foundations, and a railroad trestle remain but due to a progression of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps the original configuration of factories, mills and warehouses is known. The site is significant for what the archeological remains may tell us about Florence’s industrial past. The site was placed on the National Register in 1996 and the nomination includes relevant area Sanborn maps. The site is currently owned by TVA.
spelling Florence Wagon Works SiteMissy Brown, University of North AlabamaNational Register of Historic Places; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; IndustryThe 1889 Florence Wagon Works was the largest wooden wagon manufacturer in the United States producing 15,000 wagons a year. The most popular, the Florence Light Running Wagon helped settle the West, especially Texas, and was important in France during World War I. The company manufactured and sold other models as well as parts. The company directly employed 175 employees, both white and African American. The Works was said to pay its employees over $100,000 a year and indirectly affected the local economy by as much as $300, 000 a year. Demand for wagons dropped dramatically with the mass production of cars and trucks and the business closed in 1941 leaving the building to slowly deteriorate. Currently only ruins exist where once a thriving industry prospered. Only stonewalls, foundations, and a railroad trestle remain but due to a progression of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps the original configuration of factories, mills and warehouses is known. The site is significant for what the archeological remains may tell us about Florence’s industrial past. The site was placed on the National Register in 1996 and the nomination includes relevant area Sanborn maps. The site is currently owned by TVA.Alabama Cultural Resource Survey1889 - 1941imagehttps://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/496Ford, Gene A. National Register Nomination “Florence Wagon Works Site” (#96000596) (6/13/96).
title Florence Wagon Works Site
titleStr Florence Wagon Works Site
author Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
author_facet Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
id AUcultural496
url https://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/496
_version_ 1788802437216206848

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