So a little history and such.
I am going off from data supplied from a back issue of the VCCC newsletter from spring of 2000, it gives in the letter a complete list of all vacuum cleaner manufacturer's and their addresses circa. 1940. The hardest one to find was Electric Vacuum Cleaner Company of Cleveland Ohio (or Premier and later General Electric the back to Premier.), and that was because the was NO mailing address. The easiest one was the 1070 E.152nd Street location of Apex.
Okay my surprise was founded a few months ago when I went on a search for the address of Premier Electric, who made several vacuums I have which gave a mfg. address of 1732 Ivanhoe Rd which brought to my very eyes the last factory of Premier Electric. Another suprise was the finding if you go down to 16234 Euclid Avenue, on the south side of that building you see VERY plainly General Electric.
If you look from a large shot aerial view, Apex and Electric Vacuum Cleaner Company werre neighbors seperated by railroad track, adn now we come to find out that it was ALSO later part of Hupp Corporation.
Heres how I believe the situation and topography went. The Apex Company Started at the tri-corner of 152nd st East Side and West side of the street, and St Clair Avenue and Ivanhoe Rd. went straight down on both sides of 152nd, ( with possibly some)different company factories along the way on the west side until you hit Woodworth Rd. Even where you see the new track/sports field and up to the shopping plaza on the N.E. corner of St Clair Avenue and 152nd, was all factory site. You can see it on the ground and the fact that many of those things are new developments. Now, Woodworth Rd, to the extreme south of the Apex complex going east is all still fine until you hit the railroad tracks, then following the tracks over to the West side of Ivanhoe Rd. At first I figured that Apex then continued all the way back up to St.Clair completing the kinda trainglish property line, and looking from ground level all the factories looked like they were built the same way with the same building signitures. Apex was huge at one point, and the factory grounds prove this.
But No Apex was large enough that they also Continued their property line, AND factories, as the later Hupp plant has the same build signitures as the buildings the toher side of Ivanhoe. So, from the E. Side of Ivanhoe and the Railroad tracks and followed the tracks NE until the property line ended at London St. Then the property line went N.W until you hit Mandalay Avenue. Mandalay Av.follows a kinda S. Westerly slope until it ends again back at Ivanhoe Avenue. I do have a APEX document that shows the company from the air as well, and besides a few liberties given to make it look pretty seems fairly on spot with what you see, and I've tried to explain.
The funny part is, is that SOUTH of the RR tracks and W. Of Ivanhoe N. of Euclid Rd, and E. Of Noble Rd. were all once the factories of Premier Electric/Electric Vacuum Cleaner Co, and subsequently at some point General Electric.
Confusing enough for ya?
So the aerial shot of what became Hupp Corporation,and subsequently the Easy washing machine plant was the building that encompassed the East side of Ivanhoe Rd and was "most likely" part of what was Apex. ITs not super hard to find our where it all happened..... Kinda a neat look see!!!
Chad
Ann Arbor Michigan
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