Frigidaire

Dayton Memories > Frigidaire

Frigidaire

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bigbob 50 posts Dec 01, 2008 9:50 AM	Hope i spelled it right. I remember when it closed there was a GM S-10 truck made there. Is the plant still there and if so what is being made there.
driver62 140 posts Dec 01, 2008 11:37 AM	Bob - The plant is still there but is closing on December 23. They were making SUV's but nobody was buying them. GM is also closing the Home Avenue plant on December 31 and I think the plant on Needmore road has already closed.
bigbob 57 posts Dec 11, 2008 3:28 AM	This will be my last post on this issue. I lived in Dayton many years and if i did not like it no one would have ever heard of me or read my posts. All i did was ask about Fridgadaire and was told that most of the GM plants have closed down and after reading several other posts on this site it seems a lot of industry and heritage is now gone in Dayton. It saddens me to hear this because i remember most of everything people talk about here. I meant no harm or looked for a challange. I will continue to read from here and try not to voice my opinion. This is a great site and it brings back so many memories.
bo68chev 18 posts Dec 11, 2008 10:18 PM	The original Frigidaire was on Taylor St., near downtown. That site will be the home of Tech Town, which is a new beginning. It is time to give this topic a new beginning. I live near that site and would like to hear stories and or memories about that plant. I am curious about the products that were built there to support World War II.
Curt Dalton 72 posts Dec 12, 2008 3:50 AM	I agree with bo68chev. We can discuss Frigidaire without going into the politics of today. I hope that bigbob continues to post, as his opinions and memories are some of the best ones here on the boards. I also am in hopes that people who once worked for Frigidaire come here and talk about their time there. I personally remember having a Frigidaire refrigerator that had one of those BIG compressors on it when I was a kid. It must have been older than dirt, yet it ran like it had been built the day before. We also had a wringer washer that was GREAT for getting clothes clean, but I can't remeber who made it. We kept those things until my mom moved to an apartment in 1976. Frigidaire was one of the big producers during WWII. During the war Ohio factory workers helped produce $29 billion worth of war supplies. More than 400 Ohio companies would eventually receive recognition for their efforts with the awarding of the Army-Navy “E” award. The “E” award was first begun by the Navy in 1906 to honor excellence in gunnery. When World War II began, however, the Army and Navy began giving the award to companies that were deemed to have gone beyond the call of duty. Only four percent of the nation's industries were so honored. Frigidaire and NCR were awarded the "E" five times -- the all-time record.
corvettes6 16 posts Dec 12, 2008 7:27 PM	My father was the only metalurgical engineer left in Dayton for GM in ww2. Frigidaire made 50 cal. machine guns. They had a building about 200 yards west of Keowee St at 300 Taylor St called " Machine Gun Alley" where every gun going to the war was tested. Inland Mfg on W third made the best M1 and M2 rifles for army and marines. There was a propellor company that made props for fighters and bombers The name escapes me it might have been Hartzell. Dayton was very important for the war effort along with WPAFB half was in Osborn Oh and half in Fairfield Oh to become Fairborn after the war
Becky73 86 posts Feb 21, 2009 11:06 PM	My Mother worked for a time at Frigidaire. What she did is unclear to me. I have a picture of her in some kind of office using a pattern to make something. It was probably during 1945 to 1955. She quit when I was born to be a stay at home Mom - the norm of the day. She never spoke of it much but did maintain a few friendships for many years.
mem 55 posts Dec 15, 2009 12:36 PM	My parents both worked for Moraine Products, later delco Moraine, during the second world war. Mom ran a machine that put the rifling grooves inside of gun barrels. I became a co-op student at Frigidaire in the late fifties, eifgt weeks at plant 3 on Springboro then eight weeks of classes in Flint, Michigan.
Keugene48 82 posts Dec 15, 2009 7:39 PM	My grandfather worked at Frigidaire after WWII and into the sixties. I was told he was a plumber there and rode a bicycle around the plant. One time we were driving by on SR 741 and happened to see him out on break and stopped and talked to him. I was probably only 7 or 8 years old but I was so impressed to see him at work.
olds88 20 posts Jan 27, 2013 6:56 PM	Airoproducts was the propellor division of gm. Located on n. dixie dr. in vandalia.Closed early 60s.
tlturbo 454 posts Jan 28, 2013 6:10 AM	Great posts guys. Being a gun nut I never realized that the Inland M1's and carbines were made in DAYTON. How cool. Also all the history of Frigidaire was neat. I kind of remember at one time back in the boom days of the late 60's when NCR, Chrysler Airtemp, Frigidaire and Delco all seemed to go on strike at one time. Am I remembering this right? I know at that time you could get great deals on used stuff because so many people were selling stuff to get by. But when all this industry was humming, Dayton really buzzed. What a shame to see it now. ---------- 87 Buick GN
PaulH 137 posts Jan 28, 2013 8:37 AM	@ tlturbo. I don't remember the strikes, but I do believe they all started massive layoff's about the 71-72 time frame. I think the workers got something like 80 or 90% pay for 2 years. I knew some guys that bought new cars and houses on that pay. Look for a new job? There weren't very many. I might be wrong, but that's the way I remember it. ---------- Last Edited by on Jan 28, 2013 8:37 AM
tlturbo 456 posts Jan 28, 2013 11:09 AM	All I can say for sure is it was before Winter of 71/72 because I moved to FL in Jan 72 and it was well before that but who knows. ---------- 87 Buick GN
olds88 49 posts Feb 03, 2013 1:02 PM	Frigidair withstood two strikes one was around 1965and lasted about three wks.Another strike was unauthorized and lasted about four days.It became a issue of competing with G.E. IN lOUISVILLE paying auto wages.Products were maybe too good and never quit however they had a great share of new construction business which allowed them to hang on for A FEW YEARS.
Rocket88man 9 posts Feb 25, 2014 4:16 PM	My grandfather worked at Frigidaire for 25 years, retiring in the mid 50's. He always enjoyed the place.
historybuff 96 posts Feb 25, 2014 11:43 PM	Rocket, just a comment about Frigidaire and all the Dayton GM plants and why GM would put them in a small Midwestern Ohio city. It had its beginnings of course, partly because of John Patterson and NCR and many of the other manufacturing facilities. But probably it had mostly due to Boss Kett and the beginnings of DELCO. After Deeds and Kettering sold the self-starter to Cadillac and Delco became extremely successful, GM wanted to hire “Boss Kett” but he wouldn’t leave Delco or Dayton so they bought Delco to get Kettering. He became a GM Vice-President around 1920 until his retirement in 1947. I’m sure he had a lot to do with locating the plants in Dayton. BTW, one of the original Delco manufacturing plants was in the Beaver Power building at the corner of 4th and St. Clair in downtown Dayton. It is still there, and is now the location of apartments and Lofts and named the St. Clair Lofts. His ancestral home is still there, “Ridgeleigh Terrace”, located at the corner of Southern Blvd. and Stroop Road in the aptly named, Kettering, Ohio. I am constantly amazed in studying Dayton History, even today, at why a small midwestern city, produced such giants of science and industry as Deeds, Kettering, Patterson and the Wright Bros. and many others…….maybe it was the waters of the Great Miami River…:) Last Edited by historybuff on Feb 25, 2014 11:45 PM
luv my dayton 548 posts Feb 26, 2014 6:06 AM	Kettering had a lot of history along with Dayton when it came to manufacturing. You found it hard to get around when 4pm rolled around as a steady stream of traffic was coming up Stroop into kettering and up Brown, Irving and FarHills from NCR. Believe when Frigidaire had one of their strikes which would have been in 70's friends of mine walked the picket line. Weather was cold and they had the barrels burning to keep them warm. When the strike ended the union never paid the guys on the picket line and the loyalty to the union took a dive. Things deteriorated. Frigidaire had other issues besides the union which was a different generation was coming up bringing work ethics problems. Next thing you know they were gone. Don't know if it was prior or after Frigidaire there was also a company called White that was in there but didn't last long and don't know what they made. Didn't know until a few years back when I needed a new washing machine that Frigidaire is still being made and bought me one. To show you how quality today isnt near what it used to be, after buying a home in Dayton back in 1991 after running myself of money with down payment, and fixing things up to move in I had to buy appliances and could only buy used. Went down to Third to Pences and bought all of them. Have replaced all but one over the years and I still have my Norge refridgerator and have never put a dime in it. If anyone else has an old appliance would love to hear who made it and what it was. You will never find this happening with anything made today.
joey m 185 posts Feb 26, 2014 12:09 PM	LMD During the strike you were referring to my restaurant and pizza house was directly across the street (ANGELINAS PIZZA).I stayed open until about 5:00 am and kept coffee and doughnuts for the workers. The strike didn't last long but I just remember how cold it was. All those workers were were like friends to me and we always had a good time as customer and owner. Its a shame what happened to G.M. and all of those workers. Eventually I had to close down in 1982. It wasnt the first pizza house in Dayton but it was close.Unions and our politicans cost us our manufacturing jobs. And White Westinghouse was the company who came in after they left. They were in the appliance business also. "GOOD MEMORIES"
luv my dayton 549 posts Feb 26, 2014 3:44 PM	Definitely remember Angelinas pizza and would imagine you did know many of the employees and made friends with them. Every state has suffered the same demise with the loss of their bigger industries. Such a shame and never will be like the good old days again.
luv my dayton 550 posts Feb 26, 2014 3:44 PM	Definitely remember Angelinas pizza and would imagine you did know many of the employees and made friends with them. Every state has suffered the same demise with the loss of their bigger industries. Such a shame and never will be like the good old days again.
Paula fishman 14 posts Feb 27, 2014 8:17 AM	I worked for GM from 1972 to 1983. I was in Accounts Payable for all 4 divisions located at Delco Products in Kettering. I paid a lot of bills for the Frigidaire division (materials, buildings, equipment) and when Frigidaire was sold and Delco Air came into existance I moved to the plant downtown....I loved my GM years. My father also retired from GM. He was the supervisor for the Cost Dept at Delco Moraine. Those were the days when your company really took good care of you. Last Edited by Paula fishman on Feb 27, 2014 8:20 AM
Doug68 183 posts Mar 06, 2014 8:36 PM	My uncle once worked at Frigidare and on occasion we would visit Frigidaire Park on Shoup Mill Road. What a great place that was!
weaversidney 1 post May 15, 2014 4:25 PM	Reminiscencing about my Grandfather, Frederick Christian Papenbrock, he told me one day in the 1970's about his job at Frigidaire. He was born in Sidney, Ohio in 1896 and lived until 1977. At one point moved to Dayton, Ohio and lived on Terry Street for many years. Grandfather told me this day he started working at Frigidaire when the company started. Employees were paid in weight of gold (maybe he was just pulling my leg). When the doors closed, they locked and if you weren't at your position to start working you were fired. He said the nurse would then come to your home and if you weren't home and sicker than a dog you were fired. For a 2 week period he was very sick (rheumatic fever ???) and the nurse came every day to help with his care. Later my father, also Frederick Papenbrock Jr. worked at Frigidaire on Taylor Street for 44 years as a tool and die maker. Very interesting to read the posts, and learning Dayton's history. I was born in Dayton, Ohio at Miami Valley Hospital in 1953. Spent the majority of my life in the area, and now how ironic live in the Sidney, Ohio area. My childhood was filled with memories of going to Frigidaire Park. We had family reunions, played miniature golf, got buckets of golf balls and went to the driving range. Wintertime we would go ice skating at the Pavilion and summertime watch movies out on the lawn from our lawn chairs on a huge screen. Great Memories !!!
olds88 251 posts May 17, 2014 4:48 PM	A lot of people might not know that Frigidaire made water coolers,a/c units for rail cars,commercial beer coolers (Treasure island had one in the eighties)and whole house air units.Close to 40,000 GM employees gone since 60s.story over !
Matt Korte 1 post Jan 11, 2015 2:18 PM	Weaversidney, If you gave me your email and I sent you an aerial pic of Frigidaire in 1956, do you think you could circle exactly where the screen was and where everyone would sit at to watch movies on the lawn????? Email me at mattkortej@yahoo.com if you are able to remember where the spot was Last Edited by Matt Korte on Jan 11, 2015 2:58 PM
Matt Korte 2 posts Jan 11, 2015 2:56 PM	1956 aerial of Old Frigidaire Par. Copy and paste link in address bar if the aerial view does not show in this post https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10922472_10204919463684025_502249412382661068_n.jpg?oh=820b47b3e8b370ad8b14bf15a99e0d0d&oe=55251EEC Last Edited by Matt Korte on Jan 11, 2015 2:57 PM
JJCofMAINE 109 posts Jan 20, 2015 12:45 PM	"bigbob" : Maybe I missed something, but why do you have to say, "...you meant no harm...". And, Curt, how are we "...going into politics..."? Aren't folks just stating facts about a company that "Once Was..."? I was friends with several former employees at Frigidaire; had a brother-in-law that drove all the way from Fort Recovery, daily, for his job on the assembly line - he refused every offer to "move up". I seem to remember that they all enjoyed their jobs there. Things change, and companies just find they have to move on to what's new, and away from what's not working well.
Calhoun 333 posts Jan 20, 2015 4:11 PM	JJC- Looks like some posts were deleted early in this thread, making the thread seem disjointed. What was the name of the bar near the Moraine plant that catered to the blue collar employees? I remember one of the Dayton newspaper feature writers (Batz? Hoffman?) did a story on seeing the third/swing shift guys drinking quart bottles of Strohs and eating fried baloney sandwiches after work at like 7am.
joey m 308 posts Jan 21, 2015 9:06 AM	Calhoun I'm pretty sure the bar your thinking of was The Moraine Lunch which was at the South end of plant 2. It was on Blanchard Ave. There was a bar across the sreet called The Vaneheim Which I think was part of what is now called The Upper Deck. The owner of The Moraine Lunch's name Carl Hargis. I knew and know his son and daughters very well.
olds88 314 posts Jan 21, 2015 1:28 PM	Joey-I have been trying to think of the original name of the Treasure island and it was the Vaneheim.I was there once and it was more dance hall than bar.There was a fight there one night and tore place up bad .Sat empty for a while before Brogan bought it.Carl and I worked together and used to get washers dryers etc.from him.Good guy.
Calhoun 334 posts Jan 21, 2015 3:44 PM	Joey--Might have been "Moraine Lunch", but that name doesn't ring a bell. I remember when I read the article, I thought the bar's name just sounded like a blue collar, workingman's hangout. I still remember the picture of a guy sitting at the bar, drinking a longneck at 7am. I don't think I ever did that, even in college. Had my share of warm beer/cold pizza breakfasts back in the day, but it usually at least 9-10am.
joey m 310 posts Jan 22, 2015 11:09 AM	Calhoun There were a couple other bars on the other end of the plant. Here are a couple Fishers Tavern, Doyles Tavern and the roughest on was called Gays which was changed to The El Camino Club and now is The Patriot. There was one other that was on Kettering Blvd and that was Merrie's Inn.
Billd1952 270 posts Jan 22, 2015 12:43 PM	My mom and dad both worked at Merrie's Inn. Dad cooked, mom was a waitress in 1955-56 time frame. At the time we lived in the government housing project across Kettering Blvd. (Known to many as "Cardboard City") I learned to ride a bicycle in the Fridgedair parking lot. Last Edited by Billd1952 on Jan 22, 2015 12:45 PM
luv my dayton 814 posts Jan 22, 2015 4:13 PM	Anyone who ran a food service make a lot of money when GM,Frigidaire, Westinghouse were all in the area. Treasure Island was one of the establishments that the shut down never affected.I go that way now and it's still a busy place. Should gain even more of a lunch crowd when the new place is up and running. All in the area should benefit. Last Edited by luv my dayton on Jan 22, 2015 4:15 PM
Redfestiva 22 posts Mar 29, 2015 1:00 PM	Calhoun: Are you thinking of the bar "Elcamino's"?
olds88 342 posts Mar 29, 2015 3:55 PM	Any body remember the old inter-urban car that sat in the triangle at Sellars and Springboro? I believe they sold ceramics and yard art.City tried to tear it down for years and finally pulled it off.I tink it ended up inFranklin by the entrance to a small shopping area off 75.

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