Porch Swings and Coat Hangers and Civic Pride, on Railroad Street

April 9, 1910 headline in the Ypsilanti Press:

BRILLIANT PROSPECT FOR YPSI COMPANY

"In the Lewis Geer Manufacturing Co., Ypsilanti has an institution which promises to grow to large proportions. The company recently purchased property on Railroad Street and built thereon a cement factory building 80 x 144 feet, one story and basement.

"The company in the seven weeks in which they have been occupying their new building have shipped 2,100 [?--hard to read] porch and lawn swings and say they are way behind on their orders and that their present capacity is being taxed, and the business shows that enlargement will be necessary if the prosperity of this young industry continues to grow in the future as it has in the past.

"The machines used in the factory are all driven by individual motors and are of the very latest type.

"The products of this factory all bear the name of the Manufacturers and the name of our beautiful city, giving it no small amount of advertising as the company's product is shipped as far east as Connecticut, south as far as Tennessee and west as far as Arizona.

"At the present time the company is employing 80 men besides the representatives on the road.

"In the finishing of the swings and seats there are used one barrel of [tlons? lions?] The company recently put varnish from one to three barrels of naptha and from two to three hundred pounds of paint each week.

"Besides the five styles of swings the firm manufactures they turn out a fine line of porch and lawn seats, sleds, and wagons, and coat hangers."

Dusty D is charmed and a little saddened by this story of the little porch furniture company.

The story reflects so much pride in the little company, whose porch swings will carry the name of "our beautiful city" over several states, which the reporter took pains to check: Connecticut, Tennessee, Arizona. Perhaps there's still an Ypsilanti-made porch swing, swinging with a tiny creak or two, on the porch of some foreclosed home on an Arizona back road. Swaying just a bit in the dry wind, symbol of an largely vanished era of industrious hometown Ypsilanti manufacturing.