Grand Rapids Furniture Company History

The technological improvements of railroads and the steam engines would transform the grand rapids furniture industry and economy.

Grand rapids furniture company history.

Charles sligh began working in furniture production in 1862. A large smokestack is visible at the left. Company merges with kelvinator detroit mich. Company purchased by edsko hekman and a group of associates.

The youngest son of a war widow and his brother also away at war the responsibility of providing an income to the household and supporting his mother and sisters fell to sligh who started work as an employee at berkey gay then a leading furniture company in grand rapids michigan. Name changes to kelvinator leonard co. Firm is purchased by baker furniture co but furniture is still produced under the grand rapids chair name. Brief history and description.

Company operates as a subsidiary of sligh lowery but continues to produce furniture under the grand rapids chair name. Company changes name to the gunn furniture co. Some refrigerators are manufactured under the name northern refrigerator co. No further expositions were held however until 1910.

They timed their exhibits to coincide with the annual furniture exhibitions in grand rapids and furniture buyers began visiting jamestown on their way to grand rapids. A trip through time. Grand rapids michigan successor to gunn folding bed co. The three story factory with rows of evenly spaced windows displays the name of the company across the front of the building.

Grand rapids michigan is one of the most well known places for furniture manufacturing in the united states and is even referred to as furniture city the furniture city is known for manufacturing fine furniture and shipping it worldwide. The pioneer cabinet maker williaim haldane other early workmen history of the development progress by years. Gunn adds a retail furniture department to his hardware business. Grand rapids furniture history.

Description grand rapids michigan. Made possible through a generous grant by the furniture manufacturers heritage advised fund grand rapids community foundation furniture city history is a sister site to history grand rapids. The furniture industry of grand rapids had its birth in the system prevailing eighty or more years ago in the smaller towns throughout the country. More information about the history and heritage of the furniture industry in grand rapids is also available on the grand rapids public museum website.

Grand rapids chair co. Incorporated the following year. Furniture company 1883 1926. Grand rapids fancy furniture company.

Between 1910 and 1917 furniture manufacturers began to exhibit their wares regularly in their factories and in hotels.