May 17, 2012Site of Pail Factory
Located on Winsor Street along the south shore of the Chadakoin River
About 1829, the partnership of Rowe and Dewey erected a large building at the "lower dam". Here they tested "the Miner patent" for cutting pails from logs rather than constructing them by coopering. Parley and Levi smith, brothers from Syracuse, and George Steele of Frankfort, New York, purchased the facility and began manufacturing pails and tubs of conventional design in December, 1831. Production the first two years approximated $3,000 annually.
There were frequent changes of ownership. In the spring of 1833, the management of Merrifield and William M. Eddy shipped its first boatload of goods south which proved unprofitable. That fall another load, piloted by Joel Partridge, was successful. About a year later, the factory burned to the ground along with the warehouse and entire inventory. The plant was immediately rebuilt and produced 40,000 to 50,000 pieces a year valued at around $25,000 in the late 1830’s.
About ten years later, the firm moved to Dexterville and went bankrupt, having produced about $200,000 worth of hardware in approximately twenty years. The building at this location was torn down after standing idle several years.
SITE OF
PAIL FACTORY
FIRST FACTORY FOR MAKING WOODEN PAILS AND TUBS BUILT IN 1829, LARGE INDUSTRY FOR YEARS. FIRST FLAT BOAT STOCKS BUILT HERE IN 1835.