Figured I'd share this in the Super forum since it's not directly appliance-related, but I know we have some history buffs here. I just finished cleaning up this film from 1956, produced in-house by Whirlpool-Seeger Corp. In the mid-50's they produced several with this homespun approach, tackling motion economy, eye safety, and other mundane topics. This film survived, only because someone realized in the 1970's that it was a time capsule; amazing how quickly things changed in only 20 years. I was able to track down the obits of some of the names in the credits, including the narrator. Bittersweet knowing they're gone, but at least some of their work lives on here.
Some things to note. This was the original WP manufacturing site, established back when Upton merged with the 1900 Corporation. R&D and Headquarters were also in the "twin-city" area. The Blossomland Bridge had been completed in the late 1940's to better connect St. Joe and Benton Harbor (and you can still find it on Google Maps). This carried US-31 traffic, which funneled right through the industrial area of WP and surrounding manufacturers. Clearly not ideal. Towards the end of this film, you can see hose practice under a concrete overpass. This is the fix for the traffic problem and visible under construction in the attached pic. The (majorly expensive) overpass was built only a few feet OVER the factory, and the concrete support columns also support the factory roof structure itself. Pretty wild. Folks in the area have mentioned a set of stairs that lead down to the ground from the overpass above, where employees could catch a ride. I believe these are visible in my earlier film "A Day's Production at Whirlpool" 1953.
For some, this is hallowed ground since their other divisions were acquired by corporate buyouts (Evansville & St. Paul were Seeger. Marion was Motor Products Corp. Clyde was Bendix & Clyde Porc. Steel. Hamilton OH was Estate Stove Co). Sadly, washer production moved out in 1985. And after several fits and starts, the area became a brownfield site. Despite this, their Technical Center and Headquarters remain in Benton Harbor.
Some things to note. This was the original WP manufacturing site, established back when Upton merged with the 1900 Corporation. R&D and Headquarters were also in the "twin-city" area. The Blossomland Bridge had been completed in the late 1940's to better connect St. Joe and Benton Harbor (and you can still find it on Google Maps). This carried US-31 traffic, which funneled right through the industrial area of WP and surrounding manufacturers. Clearly not ideal. Towards the end of this film, you can see hose practice under a concrete overpass. This is the fix for the traffic problem and visible under construction in the attached pic. The (majorly expensive) overpass was built only a few feet OVER the factory, and the concrete support columns also support the factory roof structure itself. Pretty wild. Folks in the area have mentioned a set of stairs that lead down to the ground from the overpass above, where employees could catch a ride. I believe these are visible in my earlier film "A Day's Production at Whirlpool" 1953.
For some, this is hallowed ground since their other divisions were acquired by corporate buyouts (Evansville & St. Paul were Seeger. Marion was Motor Products Corp. Clyde was Bendix & Clyde Porc. Steel. Hamilton OH was Estate Stove Co). Sadly, washer production moved out in 1985. And after several fits and starts, the area became a brownfield site. Despite this, their Technical Center and Headquarters remain in Benton Harbor.
