Back in April, 2009 we took a look at the former L.A Young Factory on McDougall. During a recent trip to the Home and Leisure Show at the Windsor Expo Centre/Ex-GM Transmission Plant, I was surprised to see a painted sign on the back of this St. Luke Rd. building.
The building is old, looking from the 1920’s or 1930’s and is connected to the former Canadian Motor Lamp factory fronting Seminole.
Upon closer inspection the painted sign reads “L.A. Young Spring & Wire Corporation – Plant 3”, I did not know there were multiple plants for L.A. Young in Windsor. No idea if there was a plant 2 in Windsor as well…
I can only guess that the back of the plant was painted in the days before the Monolithic Transmission Plant took over the entire east side of Walker Road. The plant and sign, was probably once visible from Walker.
As a point of reference, this is the front of the building (Still partially in use at least) facing St. Luke.
that’s pretty cool, thanks Andrew!
i bet that was a sharp looking building when it was new, with a big ol flag flying above the door. i noticed if you go a bit further north on st luke there is a smoke stack on the roof of the old CML that’s looking as if the roof has collapsed underneath it and it’s pulling another down with it.
thanks again!
My uncle started as an apprentice at Young Spring & Wire (this would be in the 1940’s) as my Dad had pointed out the old site east of Walker Road years ago to me. So many plants and buildings in this town are gone or long forgotten. There’s a ton of stories and history waiting to be rediscovered. Then again, maybe not.
While I worked, we referred to this plant as plant 7 . I was sent to all plants in windsor at various times and only once had to go to this Plant to pick up some weld tips we were short of in Plant 3. I’ve got an interesting question to some of you Chrysler buffs ??? Where are Plants 4 & 5 ??? Everybody knows the others ??? I know one of the ones in question ….
http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/windsor.html
This website only talks about plants 1,2,3 and briefly mentions the now defunct plant 6. Maybe a little more surfin around the site might reveal some more info.
I think Chrysler bought the company in the sixties.
The company in there now is called Klinic Manufacturing
MWannick: Plants 4 and 5 were not here in Windsor. I have an old photo that says ‘plant 5’ on it but to my understanding, it is elsewhere (I think up in the GTA area if I remember correctly). Plant 1 was on Tec and McDougall; Plant 2 was in the location of the current bodyshop (demolished in ’94); a foundry on Kildare near the GM plant (not sure if this might have been referred to as plant 4); plant 6 being the former Pillette rd. plant. There was also Spring #1 and Spring #2 on McDougall back before the 80’s.
Over the years there was a lot of plating done in a couple of these facilities. The sewer trunk on St. Luke was known to the authorities as “HOT” meaning that there were a lot of chemicals dumped into it. So much so that the steel rungs of the ladders leading down from the manholes were eaten away. Service guys had to be very careful going down. At one time a portion of St. Luke simply caved in swallowing a city bus with it. A little research project in the making. Also… There were a lot of other such industrial beauties along Walker and St. Luke until the mid 1980s. Most were a part of Windsor’s automotive legacy. A rash of deliberate fires took them down one at a time over the coarse of a few years. It was rumoured that the arsonist was a juvenile and his identity was protected.
Foundry was referred to as Walker Metal in the time I was at Chrysler it may have been numbered but you are right (to the best of my knowledge) Plant 4 or 5 was out of town & I pretty sure in Chatham. It supplied some type of parts or was a transportation wing of some sort. This being told to me by someone a lot older & wiser than me while I was still working.
My father worked there.
He was a tool & die maker which made him skilled labor before the term was even popularized.Of course that was also the pre union days.
He/ himself designed many of the dies they used back then. That certainly wouldn’t happen now.
And then Chrysler bought it out in the 60’s, but, he remained at that plant until he retired.He was hired there in the 40’s fresh out of high school.
Wow, folks, thanks for the memories!
I worked at Chrysler Spring Plant 1, 2 and 3 as a Skilled Trades supervisor. Plant 1 at 1441 McDougall welded seat frames, Plant 2 at 321 Ellis wound coil springs, zig zagged springs, assembled all to frames, painted and baked them and shipped them by truck or rail. Plant 3 at 1500 something St. Luke Rd. was a stamping plant.
Plant 4 and 5, I believe were the Walker Metal Complex as Shepherd and Kildare, 4 at the S.E. corner of the intersection to the tracks (now a GM parking lot)and Plant 5, north across Shepherd and west of the existing hotel/restaurant. I was there once in the mid 70’s, just previous to the demolition of plant 5.
I used to drive by the Walker metal plant on a steamy hot night and one could see the open doors, the conveyors bearing the freshly cast,red hot wheel drums being delivered to the shaker and the foul, filthy air all around. It was a health and environmental shit hole. I never thought that I would ever have to write about this.
Please what is difference between ‘L A Young Spring & Wire’ and ‘Young Manufacturing’ and ‘Young Spring & Wire’ ?
Question Difference between ‘L A Young Spring And Wire’ , ‘Young Spring & Wire ‘ and ‘Young Manufacturing’ ?? Thanx
LA Young Spring and Wire Corporation built the wheel assembly for the Montgomery Wards trailer. Would anybody have any info or know which plant something like that would be built.
Thanks.
I have a plastic case with 2 decks of cards with “A. L. Young Spring and Wire Corporation, Detroit, Miching. Sign of SOS Superiority” Anyone interested? Contact me through my website.
I have a Metal /Brass/ Bronze/ not sure 20 person Truss Life Raft Sign Made August 8th 1945 From oakland Calif. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Model # 7 is on ID sign evenmo@live.com
Thank You
Does anyone know what happen to the Chicago plant? My husband worked their back in the 60″s and we think he may have bought some stock through the company. He worked their for over 10yrs and they were going out of business so he went to GM, since they were making GM parts. Does anyone know how I could track the stock? It’s a long shot, but we have to try! Thanks for your help.
My faternal grandfather’s brother (Harry) stole equipment in the late 40’s or early 50’s and started his own company. Not sure what the name of his company was… does anyone know about this?
I am adding another element to the puzzle. Gonset Radio, started by Faoust Gonset in Burbank, California (I think it was on 801 Main St.), became a division of L. A. Young Spring & Wire Corporation. While in college, I worked at Gonset part time as a warranty repairman of ham radio and Cival Defence radio transmitters, radio receivers, and transceivers. Gonset pioneered 6 meter and 2 meter transceivers. They also built the Gonset Radar Ray television antenna wich was no more than a dipole receptor placed in front of a large reflector reminiscent of an old army bed spring of aluminum tubing. I worked there from July 1951 until February 1958. I met Mr. Gonset, a very talented radio design engineer but had no idea who the parent company was or where they were located. Judging from their name, it seemed like an odd alience.
Could you please supply me with any information about SEMON ATOKA . He was an elevator operator at L.A. YOUNG for many years. I believe he worked there from 1920? to 1945? He passed away 1951. My mom is 91 years old and believes he was her father. Any information would be really exciting for her. THANKS, Marilyn could please email any pictures you might have or even his employment record.
I have a double bed size springs from an antique bed with L A Young metal plate attached starting price of $19.75… anyone interested
My dad, Doug Harway, worked there as an apprentice til it closed, and he transferred to the Chrysler Pillette van plant. He worked with Jack Pring, Charlie the foreman, Al Lanteigne, Pete Boron, etc from 50s to 70s. He was a die maker and was sent to the LA Young Chicago plant to retool a set of spring dies for seats. They had 5 plants dad said…only one in Windsor, kiddy- corner from Kelsey Hayes plant on MacDougall. He worked 2 shifts most of his life there, and only was at the new Chrysler Van plant 2 years til 1978 when he passed away of a heart attack.