Jackson Center Plant 1952

PeeWee · 07-18-2009, 08:59 PM

Across from the new plant is a series of blue buildings on Church Street. This is what Wally found and decided to start the Eastern Airstream Plant. Today they go un-noticed. The area has built up and much of the raw land is gone into housing and commercial buildings. My first stop at the plant was in 1955.

Many of you have Jackson Center Airstream produced in these buildings.

**moosetags** · 07-18-2009, 09:42 PM

Love the pictures, Thanx.

Brian

ROBERT CROSS · 07-19-2009, 07:18 AM

Wonderful photo's....thank you!!!!

My first thought...."it's not the plant it's the people."

Mikethefixit · 07-19-2009, 07:26 AM

Pee Wee
Thanks for the pic's I have been to the plant on 4 separate occasions and had not noticed these buildings. I will look the next time I'm up there,sometime yet this yr.

**wahoonc** · 07-19-2009, 08:06 AM

PeeWee,
When did they move to the newer facility?

Aaron

PeeWee · 07-19-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

PeeWee,
When did they move to the newer facility?

Aaron

I believe in the 70's, I'm not sure of the year.

**wahoonc** · 07-19-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeWee

I believe in the 70's, I'm not sure of the year.

Thanks PeeWee...one of mine is a 75 so it might have come from there.

Aaron

richinny · 07-19-2009, 08:38 AM

thanks pee wee! i hope to do i drive by soon. it will make the trip even more personal!

Ganglin · 07-19-2009, 08:40 AM

Regarding the old plant. My understanding is that it was originally one of many munitions plants the government had tucked away in rural areas during WWII. Do you know...?

PeeWee · 07-19-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ganglin

Regarding the old plant. My understanding is that it was originally one of many munitions plants the government had tucked away in rural areas during WWII. Do you know...?

I believe that the Airstream, Jackson Center plant, was a bazooka manufacturing plant during WW2.

Aage · 07-19-2009, 01:09 PM

Concrete blacks and metal walls; a very typical WWII building...

Overlander & Sea · 07-19-2009, 05:00 PM

Thanks Pee Wee, since I have two Airstreams built at Jackson Center, a '61 Overlander & a '63 Globetrotter. Maybe one day I'll make to Jackson Center, I'll be sure to look for these buildings.

Mikethefixit · 07-19-2009, 05:43 PM

PeeWee
I think your information that the original plant was indeed a bazooka plant during WWII is correct. My info also says that the plant was over-grown with weeds when Wally made his first tour of the facility and he stepped in a hole of some kind and broke his ankle the first time there.

47WeeWind · 07-19-2009, 06:18 PM

Here is the earliest photo I have of the Jackson Center factory, taken in 1955. The original quonset hut (former bazooka) factory is on the left with the arched roof, and the new additional is on the right with the peaked roof.