Waltham Factory

[Snide]

Just returned from Waltham, Mass. I was quite pleased to find that the Waltham factory is in great condition and not all run down. I brought along a few watches-my earliest Waltham has an 800 thousand serial number (1875) and a few Model 92s. I have photos of me holding a Riverside by the river's side and a Crescent Street under a Crescent Street street sign. Very hoaky I know but it was neat bringing them back to their home. Directly across the Charles River is a cemetery and we pulled up to take a photo of the backside of the factory right in front of Duane Church's grave. We then went to the Charles River Museum of Industry which was also very neat. I'm already looking forward to going back some time.

Jim

[RON in PA]

Well when are you going to post your shots? Also, is there anything left of the U.S. Watch/E. Howard factory?

[Frank Menez]

The best time for horologists to visit the Charles River Museum of Industry is on a Thursday. On Thursdays Chapter 8 Volunteers are present to give tours, work on the collections etc. The graves of many of the Waltham factory workers are in the Mount Feake Cemetary across the Charles River from the factory. Charles Vander Woerd, Church, Marsh etc are buried there. The E. Howard factory building still exists in Waltham.

If you plan on visiting the Boston area give me a call at-

603 692 0499

Frank Menez
Trustee CRMI

[StanJS]

Snide,

And a big 'so what?' My commute takes me through Waltham every work day. That'll change with the new year.

Actually, I never thought of looking up the factory. I may have had a job interview in it a couple of decades ago. What's it used for now? I wonder if I can talk my wife into a couple of hours at the Charles River Museum of Industry. I signed her up as a NAWCC member when I joined up again.

Cheers,
Stan

[Jon Hanson]

AND HOW MANY OLD WALTHAM PARTS AND DIAL HAVE BEEN TOSSED INTO THE CHARLES?

[BrianC]

Tons of parts got thrown into the river. I even threw in a few myself.
Brian C.

[Kugler77]

Hehe, that might be a good place for a fishing tour! Just change the hook against on of these powerful neodym magnets, and maybe you might catch a 23 jewel Vanguard, or some replacement parts! :biggrin:
I would like to go there to, maybe next time when I´m in USA. (And I will bring my fishing rod!)

Peter

[Jerry Matthews]

Stan asked a good question which I would like to hear answered.....what's it used for now? The Elgin factory was knocked down some years ago, wasn't it?

Jerry

[StanJS]

Snide,

I've been told that I sounded rude to you above. That was not my intent. I was being flippant and then offset that with my interest in your sight/site-seeing.

If my humor went awry, I'm sorry. To paraphrase our local senator, John Kerry: I don't think it will affect my run for the presidency in 2008.

Cheers,
Stan

[Frank Menez]

The old Waltham Watch Factory has been the home of several small companies. The factory was sold a few years ago to a firm that wants to turn it into a resturant. condos etc. The Charles River Museum of Industry has approached the new owners to see if a part of the factory could be used as a museum.

[Snide]

The factory sees limited use. There would appear to be a few businesses leasing small portions of it but most of it seems to be just plain empty. It is unfortunate that there is no marker indicating what it is, or was. As metnioned above, I was struck by what good shape it is in, but I was also impressed by its size...it's huge. Of course as we started to take photos, it started to rain. Here is a poor attempt at a panorama (http://www.tedsgiftandjewelry.com/factory.ivnu) and here are some real touritsy shots (http://www.tedsgiftandjewelry.com/factoryb.ivnu). Under the street sign I am holding a first run Model 92 Crescent Street and in front of the factory a Model 57. There is also a poor photo of Duane Church's grave-have to go back and take another one.

Stan-no problem-Perhaps Kerry could run as Vice Prsident with you. However, at the risk of being melodramatic, I have to say that it was awe-inspring to be there. To think of the wonderful watches that were made there-the talented craftsman that worked there-the inventive geniuses that created there. It was just plain great. I hope that it can be put to use in such a way that will allow it to stand with very little alteration. Certainly a small museum area would be wonderful.

We found Waltham to be a friendly town and a place that is still somewhat aware of its heritage as "Watch City". There were a number of manufacturing firsts in Waltham and they can be explored at the Charles River Museum of Industry. I hope to go back in the spring.

Jim

[RON in PA]

Snide: Thanks for sharing.

[Jerry Treiman]

Jim - thanks for sharing your trip and photos. I have visited the factory (outside only) twice. First in the fall of 2002 when I attended the nearby NAWCC Seminar and again this past June. Each time I, too, brought a Waltham watch "home" for a visit. Here I am outside the factory during my most recent visit.
http://static.flickr.com/119/303370382_180b09bc19.jpg

... and here is another shot of Duane Church's monument at the Mt.Feake cemetery.
http://static.flickr.com/121/303370379_93d0cb98ee.jpg

[Clint Geller]

As Jerry noted, participants at the 2002 NAWCC Seminar, "Boston: Cradle of Industrial Watchmaking," toured Mt. Feake as part of the seminar. Chas V. Woerd is buried up there too, as well as persons of special interest to me, such as Josiah Moorhouse.

A little over 20 years ago, one corner of the factory was still occupied by the Waltham Aircraft Clock Company (I may not have the name exactly right). When they went out of business, they sold off the contents of their vault, which turned out to include some unique prototype legacy watch movements from the original watchmaking operations. I understand there was an experimental American Grade Model 1859 movement with helical hairspring in there, and some one-off wristwatch prototypes, among many other things. And to think that all these prizes were sitting there right under the noses of the Boston area watch collecting community for so many years.

[Jon Hanson]

The watches in the vault included a crystal plate in its orig box, an 1872, a chronodrometer mov't and others. These were discovered because there was some type of tax lein and the former owners wanted to get what they could, quickly. The 59 experimental mov't only was sold several times and passed through various hands.

There also was another hoard from the same vault sold at a different time which inc some unique and excessive rarities and new old stock Walthams as well as unique Moorhouse Waltham items.