In 1848, Seabury S. Gould purchased the interests of Edward Mynderse and H.C. Silsby in Downs, Mynderse & Co., and the firm became Downs & Co, which was a manufacturer of wooden pumps. In 1849, during the first year of the Gold Rush, Mr. Gould cast his first all-iron pump. He believed that his pumps […]
In 1948, the Gouverneur Talc Company began mining and milling talc near Balmat, New York. A subsidiary of R. T. Vanderbilt, Gouverneur Talc produced talc for various industrial uses, including the manufacture of paint, ceramics and plastic molding compound. In 1974, the mines and mills of the International Talc Company were acquired by Gouverneur Talc. […]
Gowanda State Hospital (Gowanda Psychiatric Center) was located in Collins, New York. The land was originally owned by Quakers, but in 1894, the State of New York took title to 500 acres of the property for construction of a State hospital for the insane. The first building, which is still in use by the Collins […]
The Hanna Furnace facility in Buffalo, New York, processed iron ore into pig iron, a primary ingredient in the steel making process. This site was constructed in 1903 by the Buffalo Union Steel Company, at the southern border of Buffalo on swampy land bordering Lake Erie. Soon after the facility began operations, the Union Ship […]
The W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus was constructed during the 1950s and 1960s in order to provide office space for various departments of the New York State government. Located between Washington and Western Avenues in Albany, New York, the State Campus consists of fifteen buildings on 330 acres of land, and it hosts […]
Harrison Radiator was established in 1910 by Herbert Harrison in Lockport, New York. During its first years of operation, the company was located in a small building on Canal Street. In 1914, Harrison Radiator moved to a facility on Washburn Street that consisted of five buildings, which became known as the Main Plant. The company […]
Local 4 of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers is a labor union that represents insulators in Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Buffalo, New York, Local 4 was one of the original local unions that comprised the international union chartered by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) […]
In 1915, E. J. Eddy, Inc., was established by Ernest J. Eddy in Buffalo, New York, in order to distribute and install asbestos-containing insulating materials. In 1958, the Mundet Cork Company acquired E. J. Eddy, Inc. In 1960, E. J. Eddy was absorbed into its parent company and became the Buffalo branch of Mundet Cork’s […]
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 41 represents union electricians in Erie County. In 1891, Local 41 was originally founded as part of the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Local 41 is based in Orchard Park, New York, and is a member of the Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council. Members of Local 41 […]
In 1907, The Electro Metallurgical Company a.k.a. Electromet was established at the corner of 47th Street and Royal Avenue in Niagara Falls, New York. Electro Metallurgical produced ferro-metal alloys, tungsten, titanium, calcium carbide and acetylene. The company also provided extensive metallurgical research to other industries involved in the manufacture of carbon electrodes. In 1922, Union […]
The hospital that became known as Ellis Hospital was originally established in 1885 as “The Schenectady Free Dispensary,” a two-story building on Union Street in Schenectady, New York. The five bed ward served as the Schenectady’s first medical facility. In 1893, a new 30-bed hospital opened on Jay Street and the dispensary was renamed Ellis […]
Elmer W. Davis Incorporated was established in 1936 in Rochester, New York, by Elmer W. Davis. It is currently one of the largest roofing contractors in New York State. Prior to 1980, Elmer W. Davis also performed a large amount of pipe covering work. Asbestos was incorporated into dozens of materials utilized by Elmer W. […]
Emerson Vocational School was located at 1405 Sycamore Avenue in Buffalo, New York. The land for the school was acquired in 1926, and the school was originally established as the Peckham Vocational School until it changed its name to Emerson in 1937. For sixty-two years and before closing its doors in 1999, Emerson educated and […]
The Empire State Plaza is an office complex in Albany, New York, which is comprised of 10 buildings, including numerous state office buildings; a world-class modern art collection; New York State’s Museum; Library and Archives; a performing arts center; convention center; and other public structures. Covering almost 100 acres, the Empire State Plaza is home […]
The hospital that became known as Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) was founded in 1905 as Municipal Hospital on East Ferry Street in Buffalo, New York. In 1918, the hospital moved to its present location on Grider Street, and it was renamed Buffalo City Hospital. The hospital was renamed again in 1939, when it became […]
The Erie County Savings Bank at Sheldon Square was once considered the heart of the commercial district in Downtown Buffalo. The Bank was constructed between 1890 and 1893. Designed by renowned architect George B. Post, who was also responsible for the design of the Statler Hotel, the Bank was constructed from pink granite brought in […]
From 1957 until 2004, The Federal Reserve Building located on Delaware Avenue in downtown, Buffalo was home to the Buffalo branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Since 2006, this building has served as the corporate headquarters for the New Era Cap Company. During the construction of the Federal Reserve Building in the […]
The Ford Stamping Plant is located along the shores of Lake Erie at 3663 S. Lake Shore Road in Hamburg, New York. The plant opened its doors in 1950 and has continuously manufactured sheet metal stampings including, quarter panels, roofs, doors, hoods, floor pans and body sides. The labor force at this plant consists of […]
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Foster Wheeler was still a huge market force when it was incorporated in 1927. It was formed by the merger of the Wheeler Condenser & Engineering Company and the Power Specialty Company. Originally founded in 1891, Wheeler Condenser & Engineering Company produced steam condensers, pumps and heat exchangers that were used in the electric power […]
Charles Freihofer founded the Freihofer Baking Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1884. His business quickly boomed and on March 12, 1913, his brothers William, Edwin and Frank Freihofer established the Freihofer Baking Company in Troy, New York. The Freihofer Baking Company was an instant success in Troy. By 1914, another plant was constructed in Schenectady, […]
Garlock Sealing Technologies is a manufacturer of fluid-sealing products, including gaskets and compression packing. Founded in 1887 by Olin Garlock, the Garlock Packing Company’s primary manufacturing facility is located in Palmyra, New York. Garlock currently operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of EnPro Industries, Inc. (NYSE: NPO). Prior to December 31, 2000, Garlock incorporated asbestos […]
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In the 1870s and 1880s, noted inventor Thomas Edison established numerous companies in order to invent and manufacture electrical equipment, including Edison Lamp Company, Edison Machine Works and Edison Electric Light Company. In 1889, Edison merged his companies and formed the Edison General Electric Company. As the result of a merger with the Thomson-Houston Electric […]
In 1886, Thomas Edison moved the Edison Machine Works from New York City to Schenectady, New York because of lower labor costs and land prices. The Edison Machine Works merged with several other Edison companies in 1889, forming Edison General Electric. A merger with the Thomson-Houston Electrical Company in 1892 created the General Electric Company […]
In 1966, General Electric constructed a plant in Selkirk, New York, in order to manufacture thermoplastic molding compound. The GE Selkirk plant consisted of nearly forty buildings on 700 acres of land, and it employed around 500 people. In 2007, Saudi Basic Industrial Corporation (SABIC) acquired the Selkirk facility, and it was renamed SABIC Innovative […]
Crouse-Hinds was founded in 1894 by Huntington B. Crouse and Jesse L. Hinds. Located in Syracuse, New York, it is a manufacturer of electrical conduit fittings, enclosures and explosion-proof products. In 1911, Crouse-Hinds constructed its plant at the corner of Seventh North and Wolf Streets. The plant eventually grew to include ten buildings on fifty-four […]
Crucible Industries is located on the west side of Onondaga Lake, roughly two miles from Syracuse, New York. Former employees of Crucible Industries (formerly Crucible Steel) have developed and died of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. Workers in the steel industry were at high risk for exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was utilized throughout Syracuse, New […]
The Crucible Materials Corporation’s roots were established in 1876 when the Sanderson brothers of Sheffield, England founded a steel manufacturing facility in Syracuse, New York. The Sanderson facility was one of the thirteen plants that formed the Crucible Steel Company. Crucible, has since then, made its mark as a great technological innovator, when in 1883, […]
In 1974, Cummins, Inc. established the Jamestown Engine Plant in Jamestown, New York. The Cummins plant manufactures diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks, tractors and other vehicles. The plant is over a million square feet, and it employs over 1,400 people. The Jamestown Engine Plant is one of the largest manufacturers of heavy-duty diesel engines in […]
DeGraff Memorial Hospital was founded in 1914 by LeGrand S. DeGraff. Located on Tremont Street in North Tonawanda, New York, it provides inpatient and outpatient medical services to residents of communities throughout Buffalo. Since its establishment, numerous expansions and renovations were completed. The hospital is currently operated by Kalieda Health, and it is a 70-bed […]
Delco Rochester Products Division manufactured carburetors, fuel injectors, valves, tubing, locks, keys and various other parts for General Motors automobile brands. Delco Electronics Corporation was the automotive electronics design and manufacturing subsidiary of General Motors based in Kokomo, Indiana, that manufactured Delco radios and other electric products found in GM cars. The name “Delco” came […]
Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC represents former and retired workers who were once employed at the Diemolding Corporation in Canastota, NY. In recent years, former employees of Diemolding have developed and died of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. At least two of our clients died of mesothelioma due to the dust that they inhaled while working at […]
Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC, represents former and retired workers from Donner Hanna Coke Corporation once located at Mystic and Abby Streets in Buffalo, New York. This 88 acre facility manufactured metallurgic coke, a necessary element used to make steel. Donner Hanna Coke also manufactured coke by-products, including phenol, xylene, xylenol and orthoxylenol, benzene, toluene, […]
Asbestos-containing materials covered a majority of the equipment used at the Donner Hanna Coke plant. Throughout its 88 acre site, the coke ovens, phenol manufacturing facility, precarbon plant, three office buildings and a powerhouse containing five boilers all contained asbestos refractory or insulation materials. A refractory material is a non-metallic material capable of resisting high […]
Built in 1962, The Donovan Building was a 146,000 square foot building constructed from the former Lehigh Valley Terminal on Main Street in downtown, Buffalo, New York. It once housed eighteen state agencies, as well as offices for elected officials. In 2005, the building was vacated and scheduled for demolition in order to prepare the […]
In 1912, the Clark Brothers Company constructed the Dresser-Rand manufacturing facility in Olean, New York, in order to replace a factory in Belmont, New York, which burned down. Originally, the Olean factory manufactured equipment for agriculture and sawmills. Because Olean was home to one the most productive oil fields in the world during the early […]
The Dresser-Rand plant in Wellsville, New York, was constructed in 1916 by James L. Moore as the Moore Steam Turbine Company. After it was acquired by the Worthington Pump and Machinery Corporation in 1937, it became Worthington’s Steam Turbine Division. Worthington merged with Studebaker in 1967, and the company was renamed Studebaker-Worthington. During a reorganization […]
In 1923, the Dunlop Tire & Rubber Company built its first American plant on Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda, New York. The plant consists of ten manufacturing buildings on 130 acres. Dunlop remained an independent company until 1986, when Sumitomo Rubber Industries acquired it. In 1997, Goodyear Tire & Rubber obtained a seventy-five percent controlling interest […]
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) is one of the nation’s largest chemical companies, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. The US chemical industry’s biggest merger closed on August 31, 2017, between DuPont and Dow Chemical Company in an all-stock transaction, making the combined company, DowDuPont, have an estimated value of $130 Billion. It was […]
The DuPont Imaging Systems plant on Driving Park Avenue in Rochester, New York manufactured photographic film and chemicals. Originally established as the Defender Photo Supply Company in 1899, the company and plant were purchased in 1945 by DuPont. In 1995, DuPont ceased all operations at this location, and in 1996, the manufacturing building was demolished. […]
Durez Plastics (originally named General Plastics) started off with five employees in an upstairs two-room loft on Young Street in North Tonawanda, NY. After being dismissed by DuPont during the recession of 1921, Harry M. Dent founded the Durez Company. Durez had such simple beginnings that in its initial years Mr. Dent made personal deliveries […]
Durez Plastics in North Tonawanda, New York, was a chemical and plastics factory that once manufactured and produced plastic molding compound containing raw asbestos fibers. Buildings throughout the Durez facility were also heavily insulated with asbestos-containing insulation materials. Former Durez workers have indicated that the yards and alleyways between the manufacturing buildings were covered with […]
D’Youville College was established in 1908 by the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic religious order. It was the first college in Western New York to award bachelor’s degrees to women. Up until 1971, D’Youville admitted only women. The college currently enrolls about 3,000 students per year, and it awards bachelor’s degrees in […]
Burgard High School was established in 1910 as the Elm Vocational School, which primarily held printing press classes. Burgard moved to its current location on Kensington Avenue in 1930, when it was renamed in honor of Henry P. Burgard, who donated five acres of land to construct the school. Currently, Burgard High School enrolls about […]
During World War II, the Arthur D. Little Company invented a filter that removed radioactive particles from the air. This filter, called the absolute filter, was manufactured under a classified government contract. After the absolute filter was declassified in 1950, Arthur D. Little Company and Carrier Corporation formed a joint venture called the Cambridge Filter […]
The Canandaigua Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center was established in 1933, as part of the newly created Veterans Administration. Located on Fort Hill Avenue in Canandaigua, New York, it provides inpatient and outpatient medical services to United States military veterans living in Western New York. The Canandaigua VA Medical Center is comprised of 14 buildings […]
In recent years, former employees of Carbide Graphite Group, Inc., have developed and died of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. Laborers who were employed at its Packard Road plant located in Niagara Falls, New York, were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials. The Carbide Graphite Group, Inc., manufactured graphite electrode products, needle coke, and calcium […]
Carbide Graphite Group, Inc., was but the latest title given to a company that was first founded in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, in 1899, which coincided with an explosive growth period in the American steel industry. Initially, chemist John Speer and financier Andrew Kaul founded the Speer Carbon Company in order to produce carbon brushes for […]
The Carbide Graphite Group, Inc., manufactured graphite electrode products, needle coke and calcium carbide. Graphite electrodes transfer electricity to melt scrap iron and steel in electric arc furnaces for use in steel manufacturing. Laborers who were employed at Carbide Graphite’s Packard Road plant in Niagara Falls, New York, were routinely exposed to coal tar pitch during the […]
In recent years, former employees of Carborundum have developed and died of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. Laborers employed at both the Buffalo Avenue and Walmore Road plants were at high risk for exposure to asbestos-containing materials. Carborundum, located in Niagara Falls, New York, manufactured general purpose grinding wheels that were used to grind […]
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Carrier Corporation was founded in 1915 by Willis Carrier, the inventor of the modern air conditioner. The Carrier Corporation is a manufacturer of heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment. In 1937, Carrier Corporation relocated to the west side of Syracuse, New York from Newark, New Jersey. By the late 1940’s, Carrier outgrew its west side […]
Chevrolet Buffalo, which was in operation from 1923 to 2007, was one of the oldest continuously operated manufacturing facilities in Western New York. Located at 1001 East Delavan Avenue near Bailey Avenue, it opened in 1923 as a Chevrolet assembly plant. Civilian production of the passenger automobile halted during World War II. After the war […]
Clarkson University, located in Potsdam, New York, was founded in 1896 in memoriam of Thomas S. Clarkson, a local entrepreneur. The University was funded by Clarkson’s three sisters and named the Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial School of Technology. The University was officially named Clarkson University on February 24, 1984. Clarkson University consists of two distinct […]
The Claxton Asbestos Company was formed in 1928 in Buffalo, New York. Claxton was involved in the sale, distribution and installation of asbestos insulation products at commercial and industrial job sites throughout Western New York. On June 28, 1959, Claxton was sold and changed its name to Claxton Asbestos Company, Inc. The new owners continued […]
Since 1915, The Colonel Francis G. Ward Pumping Station has pumped Buffalo, New York’s, drinking water from Lake Erie. When constructed, it was originally the largest pumping station in the United States, and, today, it remains one of the largest and most well-equipped water treatment and pumping stations in the world. Originally, five gigantic steam-driven […]
Consolidated Edison Company of New York (Con Edison) provides electric service for the majority of boroughs comprising New York City and Westchester County, as well as areas of northern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The company also provides natural gas service in Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and portions of Queens and Westchester counties. In […]
The Consolidated Machine Tool Corporation was formed in 1922 through the merger of five companies: Betts Machine Company, Colburn Machine Tool Company, Hilles & Jones Company, Modern Tool Company and Newton Machine Tool Company. The Consolidated Machine manufacturing facility was located on Blossom Road in Rochester, New York, and it produced tools and machinery used […]
Founded in 1865 by two New York State Senators, Cornell University is one of New York State’s most renowned universities. During the nineteenth century, the university regularly admitted both women and African Americans, and it was well known for the diversity of its student body. Today, the university is recognized around the world as a […]
Founded in 1868 in Corning, New York, Corning Glass Works is a major manufacturer of specialty glass products. Corning Glass operates several manufacturing plants along the Chemung River in the city of Corning, and in towns nearby, such as Horseheads, Big Flats and Painted Post. Originally, Corning manufactured globes and lenses for railroad signal lamps; […]
In 1907, the Crescent Tool Company was founded in Jamestown, New York, by Swedish immigrant Karl Peterson. Located on Harrison Street in Jamestown, the Crescent manufacturing facility consisted of nine interconnected buildings on over two acres of land. At its production height during World War II, it employed nearly 700 people. Crescent manufactured various hand […]
Below is a list of job titles or occupational trades that may have been exposed to asbestos at the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant. Boilermakers Bricklayers Carpenters Construction Workers Crane Operators Electricians Firefighters Fireproofers Foremen Freight and Material Handlers Iron Workers Insulators Laborers Larry Car Driver Lidman Managers Maintenance Workers Masons Millwrights Painters Pipe coverers Pipefitters […]
Laborers who worked in the steel industry were at high risk for asbestos exposure. Asbestos was utilized throughout the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant and could also be found in workers’ protective clothing. Workers who handled asbestos materials or were in the vicinity of others who did, were at a high risk for injurious exposure, and […]
The steel making process involved many different types of furnaces and ovens, all of which were lined with asbestos insulation. Asbestos refractory materials were used as an insulator and binder in the following units: Coke Ovens – The function of the coke ovens at Bethlehem Steel was to take the raw material, coal, and convert it […]
There are many components of the steel making process. One main ingredient in the steel making process is a material called coke. Coke is produced by heating coal in a large refractory oven or retort, from which air is excluded, which in turn drives off volatile contents of the coal and leaves behind a residue […]
In 1964, Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna began to produce steel using basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). These furnaces processed metal more quickly than the open hearth furnaces and were cheaper to operate. Prior to the late 1970s, asbestos-containing refractory and insulating materials were used in the construction, maintenance and operation of basic oxygen furnaces. Asbestos was […]
At Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna, New York, the open hearth furnaces were the primary means of producing steel from pig iron. Open hearth furnaces remove impurities from molten iron, scrap steel and limestone when charged in the furnace. Heat for the furnace is supplied by blowing a combination of air and fuel gas into the […]
A hot top is located on the top of a steel mold or ingot, and it traps impurities that rise out of steel as it cools and takes shape in the mold. During the steel making process, when molten steel has been sufficiently heated, it is poured into an ingot mold. While the steel cools, […]
Boilers heat water to the point where it is changed into steam. They are used in many applications, from residential heating to ship propulsion. Boilers can be very simple in design or quite complex. Because boilers operate at very high temperatures, exposed surfaces need to be insulated to retain heat and to prevent injury. There […]
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Bliss & Laughlin Steel was originally founded in 1891 in Harvey, Illinois. In 1929, Bliss & Laughlin constructed a bar mill in Buffalo in order to manufacture steel bars. The steel mill’s location enabled Bliss & Laughlin to provide easier access to markets on the East Coast. Located on Hopkins Street in South Buffalo, the […]
Originally used after the American Revolution as a site for building merchant vessels, the Brooklyn Navy Yard was purchased by the United States government in 1801, and became an active U.S. Navy shipyard in 1806. Since its inception, the Brooklyn Navy Yard has gone through several name changes, including New York Navy Yard, United States […]
Buffalo Acoustical was established in 1955 by Thomas George and Russell Walsh. Laborers who were employed by Buffalo Acoustical installed asbestos-containing ceiling tiles and sprayed-on acoustical insulation. Buffalo Acoustical held a franchise agreement with National Gypsum and used some of their building products. In 1968, Buffalo Acoustical merged with the Mader Corporation, a building contractor that, […]
Established in 1898 as McCarthy Brothers & Ford, Buffalo Electric was a major electrical contractor in Upstate New York for nearly a century. In addition to electrical contracting, Buffalo Electric also performed electrical motor repair and control panel fabrication at its workshop on West Mohawk Street in Buffalo, New York. Electricians employed by Buffalo Electric […]
In 1878, the Buffalo Forge Company was founded by Charles Hammelmann and William Wendt. Initially, the company focused on the production of blacksmith forges. The forge, manufactured by Buffalo Forge was an innovative design that used a mechanically-driven blower in order to deliver air into the forge, instead of the traditional blacksmith’s bellows. Over the […]
Buffalo General Hospital was founded in 1858 by several local doctors and businessmen. On June 24, 1858, former President of the United States Millard Fillmore presided over the dedication ceremony. Located on High Street in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo General was the first hospital in the state of New York, outside of New York City, […]
The current Buffalo Police Headquarters building was erected in 1937, and it serves as police headquarters for the city of Buffalo, New York. The police headquarters building is located at the corner of Franklin and Church Streets, and it includes office spaces, filing rooms, jail cells, firing range and garage. This building replaced the former […]
Buffalo Savings Bank was established in 1846, and it was the first savings bank in the City of Buffalo. In 1901, its headquarters opened on the corner of Main and East Huron Streets in Downtown Buffalo. The bank’s headquarters became known for its massive copper-clad dome roof, which, in 1954, was covered in gold leaf. […]
The Buffalo State Hospital, also known as the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, was established in 1880 for the purpose of treating the mentally ill. The hospital was one of the first mental institutions in New York State to therapeutically treat mental illness. The buildings were designed by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson, and […]
The Buffalo Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center was established in 1950 in order to provide medical care to United States military veterans in Western New York. Located on Bailey Avenue in Buffalo, the VA Medical Center is a 12-story, 199-bed hospital that provides inpatient and outpatient care to veterans. Also known as the VA Western […]
In 1917, the Alpha Portland Cement Company acquired the former Thomas Millen Company’s cement plant on Ogle Road in Jamesville, New York. In 1952, Alpha added a new concrete plant at the current site in order to increase production, and in 1959, new storage silos were constructed. The Alpha Portland Cement plant in Jamesville manufactured […]
The Buffalo Copper & Brass Rolling Mills Company was established in 1906 at the corner of Sayre Street and Military Road in Buffalo, New York. At the time, the facility was the largest brass rolling mill in the United States. In 1917, it was purchased by the American Brass Company. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company […]
The American Locomotive Company, also known as ALCO, was formed in 1901 from the merger of eight smaller locomotive manufacturers, including Schenectady Locomotive Works. After the 1901 merger, ALCO chose Schenectady, New York, as its headquarters, and the former Schenectady Locomotive Works became one of ALCO’s main manufacturing facilities. The Schenectady plant was originally built […]
American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Corporation’s beginnings date back to 1886 when Clarence Mott Woolley formed the Michigan Radiator & Iron Company of Detroit. Woolley’s company manufactured cast iron (rather than the more expensive steel) radiators. The business was a success, and by 1891 the company merged with the Detroit Radiator Company and the Pierce […]
In 1930, Amherst Central High School (ACHS) was established as a public school. Located in Snyder, New York, Amherst Central High School caters to grades 9-12. Serving Eggertsville, Snyder and a portion of the Village of Williamsville, ACHS is the only high school in the Amherst Central School district system. Today, it has a student population […]
Founded in Binghamton, New York, in 1901, Ansco was a manufacturer of photographic products and film. Ansco was originally founded through the merger of E. Anthony & Company and Scovill Manufacturing. In 1928, Ansco merged with Agfa to form Agfa-Ansco. The new corporation was a division of General Aniline and Film (GAF) Corporation, which was […]
Armstrong Cork is one of the nation’s oldest houseware manufacturers. The company was originally founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1860 by Thomas Armstrong, and the business quickly became well-known for its hand-carved corks. By the 1890’s Armstrong Cork was the world’s largest cork company. In 1891 the company incorporated as Armstrong, Brother and Company, Inc. […]
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Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC represents numerous former and retired workers who were once employed at the Ashland Oil, Tonawanda, NY refinery. In recent years, former employees at Ashland Oil have developed and died of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Our Firm has represented Ashland Oil workers with mesothelioma who worked in a wide variety of jobs at the […]
The history of Ashland Inc. (Ashland Oil) began in 1910 when J. Fred Miles founded the Swiss Drilling Company in Oklahoma. The growth of Ashland Inc. occurred during the years following the federal government’s breakup of the Standard Oil monopoly in 1911, during a time when low prices offered for crude oil made it difficult […]
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Auburn Plastics, which was located in Auburn, New York, was originally established as Auburn Button Works in 1876 by John H. Woodruff. The company originally manufactured its products in Auburn’s post office located on Exchange Street. In 1900, the company moved its operations to 1900 Washington Street opposite Dunn & McCarthy. As the company’s product […]
The BASF plant in Rensselaer was established in 1882 as the Hudson River Aniline Color Works. The building that was erected in 1882 was the sole building for the plant and served as its production, engineering and administrative facility until 1895, when a fire burned the building to the ground. The main plant building was […]
The Batavia School for the Blind was founded in 1868. It was renamed the New York State (NYS) School for the Blind in 1929. The School for the Blind aimed to provide public education for blind children utilizing an adapted curriculum to meet their special needs. Since its inception, the school has grown and evolved […]
The Bath Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center was founded in 1879 as the New York State Soldiers and Sailors Home. It was established to care for Union veterans of the Civil War. In 1929, the United States government took control of the facility, and in 1930, the medical center was incorporated into the newly formed […]
In 1941, the Bell Aircraft Company constructed an aircraft manufacturing plant in Wheatfield, New York. Due to the numerous wars raging around the world at the time, the United States government provided the funding for this vital facility. Located at the corner of Niagara Falls Boulevard and Walmore Road, the plant consisted of fifty buildings […]
Bennett High School was established in 1925 as a public school in the Buffalo City School District. It was named for Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school. Located on Main Street in the University Heights neighborhood, Bennett High School is a four-story, 270,000 square foot building that enrolls around 1,100 students […]
In recent years, former employees of Bethlehem Steel have developed and died of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. Individuals who worked in the steel industry were at high risk for exposure to asbestos and coke oven emissions. Asbestos was utilized throughout the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant and could also be found in workers’ protective clothing. […]
Originally founded in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Lackawanna Steel Company moved its operations to Lackawanna, New York (a small city just outside of Buffalo) in 1902. After its transition from Scranton, the Lackawanna Steel Company grew rapidly, thereby removing workers and machines from its Scranton operations. Lackawanna’s new steel plant quickly grew and prospered as the […]