Industry in Wayne County

Creston Mill Pic.jpeg

This is an image of the Creston Mill, in Creston, Ohio, in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

This image of the Creston Mill depicts not only Wayne County’s commitment to agriculture and farming, but also their commitment to the fast changing industrial world that was every present during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Creston, a rural village in Wayne County was a crossing for three major railroad, as well home to many small businesses, the Creston Mill was one place that continued to push Wayne County to keep up with the rapid industrial changes. The industrial changes that were happening in the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries would not only move places such as Creston away from the agrarian economy that had been the backbone of these villages, cities, and counties economies, but it would also change the way that all people lived. They would not only be able to travel at a much faster pace, especially in Creston with three major railroads crossing through the city, but they would also be able to get goods much easier. This image of the mill is an example of how the citizens of Creston would be able to use the new industrial advances to their advantages to make Creston not only a larger center for industry, but also for a better living standard for many of the citizens of Creston because of the mills and other factories that would come to Wayne County.

 

Use Ohio Social Studies Standard for American History 10 (The rise of corporations, heavy industry, mechanized farming and technological innovations transformed the American economy from an agrarian to an increasingly urban industrial society) for integration into the classroom.

Ohio Salt Pic.jpeg

This is an image of the Ohio Salt Company, in Rittman Ohio, in the 1930s.

This image of the Ohio Salt Company in the first part of the 1930s, adds not only to the plethora of industry and other businesses that were present in Wayne County during the early portion of the twentieth century, but also shows the magnitude that a Wayne County business can reach. The Ohio Salt Company would become Morton Salt known as Morton salt in the mid-twentieth century. The Ohio Salt Company shed light on the natural resources that were present in Wayne County, with salt deposits surrounding Rittman and other portions of Wayne County. Finding these salt deposits during the 1930s would help Wayne County recover from the Great Depression that the United States, and the rest of the world, was experiencing. The booming businesses and factories that were forming around the United States would struggle during this time because the demand was lessened following the war and people simply had less money to spend. The Ohio Salt Company would continue to perceiver, changing its name in 1948 to Morton Salt Company.

 

Use Ohio Social Studies Standard for American History 20 (The Great Depression was caused, in part, by the federal government’s monetary policies, stock market speculation, and increasing consumer debt. The role of the federal government expanded as a result of the Great Depression) for integration into the classroom.

Wooster Brush Pic.jpeg

This is an image of the Wooster Brush Company, still in operation today, in 1910.

This image from 1910 of the Wooster Brush Company, founded in 1851 by Adam Foss, shows the new building that was built in 1909, which is still the Wooster Brush Company’s headquarters today. The Wooster Brush Company originally was a door-to-door selling company, but would come to evolve to have over 500 employees and become an integral part of not only the painting community, but the Wayne County community.

 

The industrial boom that was occurring at the turn of the twentieth century would give many people a higher standard of living, both by creating more factory and industrial jobs and also freeing many workers from the back-breaking work that was required before mechanization. In addition, many industrialists attempted to build their businesses as big as they could, rapidly expanding their business, as the Wooster Brush Company did with their new building in 1909. The expansion of industry would lead to people moving into cities and larger towns, or urbanization. The city of Wooster would flourish as many new companies, including the Wooster Brush Company would expand and need more workers during the industrial boom at the beginning of the twentieth century.

 

Use Ohio Social Studies Standard for American History 10 (The rise of corporations, heavy industry, mechanized farming and technological innovations transformed the American economy from an agrarian to an increasingly urban industrial society) for integration into the classroom.

Wayne County Democrat Article.png

This is an article from the Wayne County Democrat on November 7th, 1913, detailing the death of an engineer.

This article taken from the November 7th, 1913 edition of the Wayne County Democrat describes an incident between trains that would lead to the death of an engineer. The engineer was killed in a crash after, two trains collided, showing the uncertainty of both working conditions in all sorts of professions and the rapidly changing transportation options. With the rapid changes in technologies happening in the United States during the opening of the twentieth century, keeping up on safety standards was not always on the forefront of the minds of factory owners and the individuals that invented the new technologies. The push for economic reform during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century would be a contributing factor to lack of safety at most workplaces, especially those working in factories and transportation, such as the gentleman from this article.

                                                                                        

Use Ohio Social Studies Standard for American History 10 (The rise of corporations, heavy industry, mechanized farming and technological innovations transformed the American economy from an agrarian to an increasingly urban industrial society) and 11 (The rise of industrialization led to a rapidly expanding workforce. Labor organizations grew amidst unregulated working conditions Statement and violence toward supporters of organized labor) for integration into the classroom.

Industry in Wayne County