bit, drill
Catalog Number
2017.31.3
Date of Origin
ca. 1930
Manufacturer
unknown
Dimensions
17.2 X .7 X .7 in.
Description
Metal drill bit.
History
Used by Holland, MI resident Joseph Slajer (1884-1952) during the 1930s and 1940s to make barrels at Heinz in Holland, MI. Joseph was the donor's grandfather.
In 1896 an agent from the H. J. Heinz Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania traveled to west Michigan looking for a place to build a processing factory. Eventually Holland, MI was chosen due to the soil, harbor access and the lobbying of local businessmen (including William Beach, Gerrit J. Diekema, Arend Visscher and Oscar E. Yates).
By 1898 a three-story factory went up on west 16th Street on Black Lake (Lake Macatawa) known as branch No. 7 (1903, 1914 city directories). John J. Baxa (1874-1967) was Holland's manager in 1906 through 1914, followed by James A. Hoover (1872-1957) from approximately 1921 to 1940 and Charles B. McCormick (1897-1977) from approximately 1945 to 1961 (Holland city directories).
Gift of
Howard, Pam