Wagemaker
Wagemaker Co., Ltd. [predecessor to Wagemaker boats?]
Company Name: Wagemaker Co., Ltd.
Location: Grand Rapids
Date of Filing: Nov. 10, 1906
Date of Cessation of Business:
Annual Reports Filed: 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910
Company Name: Wagemaker Co., Ltd. "Out"
Location: Grand Rapids
Date of Filing: Nov. 10, 1906
Annual Reports Filed: 1910, 1911
Sources:
Michigan State Archives, RG 61-11, Abstracts of Reports of Corporations, Lot
3, Vol. 4 (1903-1909). p. 690.
Michigan State Archives, RG 61-11, Abstracts of Reports of Corporations, Lot
3, Vol. 5 (1910-1914.) p. 690.
Wagemaker Company
TheWagemaker Company was a boat building firm in Grand Rapids, Kent County,
beginning in 1899 as a manufacturer of wooden flat-top and roll-top desks,
filing cabinets, filing supplies and other specialty cabinet work. The
company's boat product line emerged out of its furniture-building business
by the early 1950s. It was especially well-known for its molded plywood
hulls.
The company's shop was located at 566 Market Avenue, S.W. in Grand Rapids.
Officers of the firm in 1953 consisted of R. O. Wagemaker, president and
general sales manager; L. A. Wagemaker, vice-president, treasurer and
purchasing agent; J. H. Bushnell, secretary; and J. Van Domelen, treasurer.
The company became one of the larger boat manufacturers in the state by
1955, employing 98 males and 30 females.
In the late 1950s it became involved with U.S. Molded Shapes, makers of
molded plywood hulls.
In 1960, management of the firm consisted of R. O. Wagemaker, Sr., president
and general manager; O. I. Wagemaker, Sr., vice-president; Jane Van Domelen,
secretary; Robert Moore, treasurer and purchasing agent and Kenneth Urick,
sales manager. The company employed between 50-250 males and 20-40 females.
The company also had a plant in Cadillac, Wexford County, in 1960, which
produced boats and plastic products.
The company went out of business in 1960.
[see Bob Speltz account in "The Real Runabouts"]
Sources:
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers--1940, No. 2, March, 1940 (Detroit: Manufacturer Publishing
Co., 1940.) p. 375.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers--1944, No. 3, June, 1944 (Detroit: Manufacturer Publishing
Co., 1944.) p. 416.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1946 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1946.) pp.
34, 280.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1950-1951 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1950.)
p. 11--classified products section.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1953 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1952.) p.
296--classified products section. p. 163-geographic section.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1955 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1954.) p.
365--classified products section. p. 188-geographic section.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1957 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1956.) p.
390--classified products section. p. 205-geographic section.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1959 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1958.) p.
402--classified products section.
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record. The Directory of Michigan
Manufacturers, 1960 (Detroit, MI: Manufacturer Publishing Co., 1960.) p.
410--classified products section. pp. 193, 336-geographic section.
Carron, Christian G. Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America's
Furniture City (Grand Rapids, MI: The Public Museum of Grand Rapids,
1998.) p. 224.
1959 Information:
1959 Brochure p1
195? Information:
195? Misc
195? Misc
