Marker photo not
available at this time
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Oil
City Iron Works
This modern plant grew
from the small machine shop and foundry started on this site in 1866 by
John Winship (1826-86) to make parts for his cotton gin. He sold the
operation in 1886 to businessmen Joseph Huey (1827-1904), James Garitty
(1842-1925), and J. E. Whiteselle (1851-1915), who named it The
Corsicana Manufacturing Company. In 1898, the factory was leased to
William Clarkson (1858-1941), A South Carolina native who came to Texas
after the Civil War. He renamed it the Oil City Iron Works, because this
area was then in the midst of an oil boom. He bought the company in 1908
and became president after it was incorporated in 1921.
In addition to parts
for cotton gins, the plant began making castings for the oil and
building industries. It was converted to defense production during World
War II (1941-45). When the importance of cotton declined here after the
war, Oil City Iron Works diversified its operation to provide castings
for the oil field, road building, farm machinery, and other industries.
In 1960 it pioneered in certain uses of ductile iron and today supplies
major companies around the United States with a work force of 325. The
plant not ranks among the three largest employers in Navarro County and
in the top ten per cent of the Nation's foundries.
Location: 819 South 12th Street,
Corsicana,
Texas
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