Such was the case for these pictures of the old Turbo Machinery Building in Lansdale. I promised Martha in Pa that I would did these pictures out to share with her - and then took about four months searching high and low for them. I finally found them mixed in with some sheet music in the bench of my piano!
My dad worked in this building back before he went to work with my Grandfather.
In the early 1900s Lansdale had established itself as a national leader in the silk hosiery industry. This building was originally known as Dexdale Hosiery Mills. The fine silk stockings manufactured at Dexdale Hosiery Mills were shipped all over the world. Their innovative machinery enabled them to produce high quality product at a high volume. Dexdale Hosiery Mills received several patents for their machines.
Eventually, the company evolved from a company that manufactured stockings to a company that manufactured the machines that make stockings. These machines were then sold to other companies and this enterprise formed the Turbo Machine Company. During WWII the factory was pressed into the war effort. It manufactured parachutes, gear for aircraft and, in a restricted area on the third floor, assembled nose cones for rockets.
In 1976, the Turbo Machine Company relocated to North Carolina. The property was then used for various purposes including warehousing, retail stores, professional offices and a tattoo shop. The property fell into disrepair and was a bit of an eyesore with graffiti and boarded up windows.
As always, time waits for no one and when I heard they were going to tear the building down to make way for a Starbucks (and some other stores) I hurried down the street from my office to get some pictures.
The water tower came down a couple days later.
A portion of the building is now Turbo Lofts, a condominium building.
18 comments:
kool beans!
Another good history lesson about the local area. Yet another thing I didn't know about. You would make a good history teacher in school.
Do you play piano? I have for 20 years. I also seem to use my piano bench as a random place to stash things accidentally. I am constantly amazed at what I find in there!
You play the piano?????!!!!!!
It is a shame history is torn down for things such as Starbucks.
Strangely enough, I had my cancer journal lost. It was driving me crazy! I found it in our piano bench!
So the moral of the story is: if you have anything lost, check the piano bench. lmao
Wow Iggy, so glad you got to get some pics before they tore the poor building down, those clouds in the background of the tore down pic reminds me of whatyasee LOL
Thank Iggy! I forgot about the building with PJ Auto and I think Hammer Moving was in there too.... As sad as it is to see history torn down, what is now there does make the entrance into "downtown" Lansdale much more attractive. I love the design of it all.
Driving through town tonight, I took pics of the tree and menorah in Railroad Plaza, I flashed back to the early 70s when on the Friday before Christmas Main Street would have been busy with shoppers. Grants, Woolworths, clothing stores, jewelry stores, etc etc.
I still remember such a Friday night shopping in Woolworth's and buying my father an ALL IN THE FAMILY album (it was released in 1972) Now if that isn't taking us back!
With the arrival on Montgomery Mall, there went downtown Lansdale.
bet it was a sad day when the water tower came down
there is always so much history in buildings like this; its a shame they can't restore them somehow rather than tear them done for strip malls or Starbucks
so you play the piano???
betty
I so hate when that happens. Put something somewhere safe, and one loses it for a good long time.
I love them water tower things you have in doodleland....... and Im glad they got to converter some of the buildings and not just rip down all of the history of that town..
x
I think I'd misplace my head if it weren't attached.....
Lots of old history gets torn down to make way for newer things. We have a lot of that around here. I'm glad you have the old photos to preseve that particular history. It looks like Turbo Lofts has tried to do it's best in "restoring" part of that history in their new building. That's nice to see.
Thanks for finding a way to join us in chat last night. :) I had a good time and I think everyone else did, too. Be safe out there today. Looks like lots of snow is gonna hit your area and has already begun. *hugs*
Hi Iggy,
Just stopping in to get caught up on everything I've been missing around here lately. I have to say the entry with the cone on board is my favorite! :-)
Yep, I wonder how many Christmas gifts will surface in January???
Time marches on, huh??
Bella wants to come and play in all your snow!!! Do you have plenty of hot chocolate????
sad that they have to tear down the old..just because it is old..sigh*
Oh, you should never put things "safe"... Usually that results in it either taking AGES to find the thing(s) you put safe, or you not being able to find it again even after months of looking. You need an excellent memory to be able to successfully put things "safe" otherwise... DON'T DO IT!!!
I am curious, also. Do you play the piano? Classical, ragtime, the occasional dirge? I was fascinated by furniture that had hiding places like piano benches and the occasional ottoman ir desk with a secret drawer. :)
I'm glad you made it to take some pictures before the wrecking ball arrived. The lofts do look really nice and I am glad they went green refurbishing and remodeling everything. I think lofts are wonderful to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. I guess I like a cosier spot in this world. Lofts are too open and seem so cold to me. They do warm them up with color, I know. Not sure what it is.
Sounds like it was a progressive company--got into selling the machinery. They thought big! I wonder if they have done okay since they left town? Hope so.
Have a Starbucks for me when they move in--hehe! ;)
It's sad when things can't last forever. :( I know it's inevitable, but there's just something so sad about the finality of it.
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