Virtual Museum: The Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee

This presentation provides stories of engineering, innovation, and enterprise creation in Milwaukee, focusing on Allis-Chalmers and Pawling & Harnischfeger. These two Milwaukee companies, along with seventy others, are chronicled in the Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee, a recent book that explores industrial Milwaukee during the Century of Progress-the hundred years following the US Civil War. Milwaukee was one of the principal centers of industrial innovation in the United States and became known as “the Machine Shop of the World.”
Author Tom Fehring is an engineer by training and practice, having worked for thirty-five years at “keeping the lights on” at Wisconsin Energy Corporation and its various subsidiaries. Earlier in his career, he also worked for a time at Falk Corporation, Briggs & Stratton and Ford Motor Company. He was born and grew up in Milwaukee in the shadows of the A.O. Smith factory. Tom attended Marquette University and attained bachelor and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering.
Tom’s foray into industrial history began 40 years ago and escalated following his retirement when he was appointed to the history and heritage committee of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). He has also been involved with community history, serving on the Whitefish Bay Historic Preservation Commission and publishing three books on the Village’s history.
Part of NMIH’s Virtual Museum Live Programs. Get more info at nmih.org/virtua...

[@Oldtimeytools]

Fascinating thank you!

[@timjohnson1199]

Yes, they were magnificent. I saw them all over the country. I used to work for Falk which, sadly, is no more. For a hundred years these machines powered and built America and the world. I also worked for Philadelphia Gear, another important old company. Thanks for this history lesson. What we've lost might be gone forever.

[@garysheehan5907]

Falk still has a presence in the Menomonee River Valley.

[@timjohnson1199]

@@garysheehan5907 Still activities at the plant?

[@garysheehan5907]

@@timjohnson1199 most definitely! I know a lot of guys that still work there.

[@garysheehan5907]

@@timjohnson1199 they shut down their plant on the northwest side. Their flagship plant is still very active.

[@RJ1999x]

Just a note here. The name is Allis Chalmers, you pronounce it as Ellis, but it's pronounced Alice. EP Allis died before the merger, and was being run by his family and Edwin Reynolds. Edwin negotiated the merger between EP Allis and Chalmers & Fraser, becoming Allis Chalmers. It was financed by East coast money and the new plant was built by Allis Chalmers, not EP Allis. It moved to "west Allis" because the new land was "west" of Allis Chalmers plant then at the Reliance Works. The Manhattan engines were the largest steam engines ever built. The wall you are referring to is inaccurate. Allis Chalmers bought the Hawley factory and all Manhattan project manufacturing was done at the Hawley works. Even the employees were sworn to top secret and the West Allis works had no idea what was going on right next door at the Hawley works