Memories from the Homestead: Branson's first big industry, the Winch Spoke factory
Down along what is today Branson Landing Blvd., near where Bass Pro is located, was the home of the Winch Spoke Co. Opened in 1908, the factory had been established in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1877. Owners Willard and Sherman Winch along with E.W. Hall chose to move their business to Branson due to the area's abundance of timber, the market in Springfield thanks to the Springfield Wagon Company, and the establishment of the recently completed railroad.
In my collection of vintage newspapers, I was looking through some headlines from the September 4, 1908, edition of the Branson Echo newspaper. I have a piece here I'd like to share.
Board meeting makes final arrangements for starting the factory
The Winch Spoke Factory had a meeting of the board of directors at the office in Branson, Monday of this week.
Those present were: C.M. Ketchum, President; S.O. Morrow, Thomas Henby, and J.M. McClurg of Carthage. They transacted considerable business of importance, making arrangements for starting up the factory being the most important.
The managers started up the machinery to show the board how everything would work, and the test was entirely satisfactory to everyone on the board and highly appreciated by the spectators.
The members of the board and several others carried away with them a couple of spokes as souvenirs of the first work turned out of the factory. They will open up the work and put on a large force of hands in a few days.
The locating of this factory in Branson is the starting of a new industry that will be of lasting benefit to the entire country and the means of building up the town.
The managers tell us that they are having calls for the output of the factory from nearly every state in the Union and several foreign countries. By means of this institution, Branson is destined to become known all over the country as a manufacturing city.
Wow, I just love that last sentence! The Winch Spoke Co. saw great success for just nearly a decade. By 1918 the factory was closed due to the coming of the automobile. At the height of the operation, the factory saw 6,000 wagon spokes manufactured daily with regular shipments by train to Springfield happening three and four days a week.
Automobiles and later, area highways, definitely brought a major change to our community. Hollister would see one of the first automobile service stations by 1925.
Take a look at today's photo. We are looking east; the left area of the photo is where Coon Creek empties into Lake Taneycomo.
Happy trails, everyone!
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