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January 28, 2013
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I have seen many photos of the Winchester New Haven factory, mostly B & W but occasionally in colour – the problem I have is that almost withour exception the photos are undated, like this one “winchester-repeating-arms-factory NRA Website”, on the NRA website.
I think it is pre 1900. Can anyone advise?
I have been looking for a similar photo from the 1960 to 1980 period. Has anyone seen one, and if so please tell me where to look.
May 2, 2009
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In looking at it I would call it a drawing rather than a photo. There is a drawing in Pauline Muerrle’s book “The Way it Really Was” that shows the building map of the factory that looks to have been updated from 1944 thru 1959
Here is a 1920 drawing
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
May 23, 2009
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That lithograph drawing of the factory is from the year 1876 and can be seen on the back cover of the 1878 catalog.
I have been looking for a similar photo from the 1960 to 1980 period.
Do you mean 1860 to 1880?
The well known factory located on Winchester Avenue was built there in 1870 and it took a little time for them to move all the equipment to the new location.
This is what it looked like in 1870.
If you want to know what it looked like from 1960 to 1980. Here is a aerial photo from 1972 that might interest you.
Sincerely,
Maverick
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January 28, 2013
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Thanks 1873 Man and Maverick.
I have had another look through Pauline’ excellent book, but whilst I vould get the photo from source it is not what I want, and I have managed to get a really good map listing the buildings, Now what I am looking for is a photo of the plant after 1960, similar to the one I have shown.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Nix-
I suspect this won’t help, but in my collection of catalogs (1936-1963) the latest to show an aerial photo of the New Haven plant is the February 1950 Wholesale-Retail catalog (Form No. 2013). Even at that, it’s not clear when the photo was taken, only that it was published in 1950.
I haven’t got any post-63 catalogs…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
May 23, 2009
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winchester nix said
Now what I am looking for is a photo of the plant after 1960, similar to the one I have shown.
I don’t believe that you will ever find one. At least not exactly like you’re thinking or wanting. What you showed on your first post is a “drawing” of the factory and not a photo. I’ve seen several other such “drawings” of the factory, but they stop at about 1920 or so. (I may own one from the 1930s) Which for the main plant property that is about the largest the factory ever got. I believe at about 1923 or so all the buildings had been built and this is after a few had been demolished.
The only reliable source (that I’m aware) of “photos” of the entire plant from the era of your interest is from USGS aerial photography. Taken by a US government airplane on a specific date because of the lack of cloud cover.
I did find an aerial photo that is at a lower elevation that shows the majority of the main plant. It is Post-1960, based on the buildings present. It is a view from the north side back towards the south-west to Winchester Ave sort of along the railroad tracks. The problem with the photo is that is damaged and warped along the right side of it.
Its technically impossible to have a photo of the entire Winchester Plant property and depending on the timeframe in question. Winchester owned and operated the land that was the old Whitney firearms plant in Whitneyville. They also had large tracts of land in Hamden, CT. The Pine Swamp is where the Powder Magazines were located and the Pine Rock is where the Fulminate Magazines were located in Hamden. They also had outdoor shooting ranges in Madison & Clinton, CT. The “Hammonassett” shooting ranges were on the beach and is now a State Park. Which years later the State gave the factory hell for all the lead contamination on the beach. They also had large tracts of timber for making stocks and wood shipping crates and for firewood in the plant boilers.
If do end up finding what you’re looking for, I would appreciate you send me a PM about it. As if you can’t tell Factory Research is an interest of mine.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
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May 2, 2009
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Here is a 1951 and 1974 aerial photo
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
May 2, 2009
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Here is a 1970 photo. This one still has the shot tower were the 1974 its gone
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
May 23, 2009
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Louis Luttrell said
I suspect this won’t help, but in my collection of catalogs (1936-1963) the latest to show an aerial photo of the New Haven plant is the February 1950 Wholesale-Retail catalog (Form No. 2013). Even at that, it’s not clear when the photo was taken, only that it was published in 1950.
I imagine that catalog photo was taken in 1949 to early 1950 at the latest. If you look at the August 2nd 1951 photo that 1873man posted, there are two new large capacity fuel or water tanks in the north-west corner that have been constructed that do not appear in the Catalog photo.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
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May 23, 2009
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1873man said
Here is a 1970 photo. This one still has the shot tower were the 1974 its gone
Bob
There is a November 10th, 1972 aerial photo that shows the shot tower still present. So I guess sometime in 1973-74 they demolished it. I imagine you could pull up a newspaper article about it being demolished given enough research. The concrete where the shot tower building was in that 1974 photo looks pretty fresh.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
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January 28, 2013
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Good day
I understand this is about the latest photo available
Can anyone date it?
Keith
July 17, 2012
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winchester nix said
Good day
I understand this is about the latest photo available
Can anyone date it?
Keith
I can’t date that photo but here are the latest photos I have, I took them on Friday. They are in the process of gutting the last big building.
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
May 23, 2009
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winchester nix said
Good day
I understand this is about the latest photo available
Can anyone date it?
Keith
The photo is pre-1974, as the Shot Tower is still shown present. The 1974 photo I posted earlier is after yours as the Shot Tower has been demolished and no longer in the photo. Its also post 1959, as a portion of the original “A” building has been demolished and turned into a parking lot.
That is the best I can come up with at present. But imagine there maybe some other details in your photo that would help date it further.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
March 20, 2010
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winchester nix said
Good day
I understand this is about the latest photo available
Can anyone date it?
Keith
Looks like it predates the demolition of the shot tower (if that is the shot tower in the upper right of the image you posted).
Here are a few other images of the changes over time (at least since 1991 to present based on satellite imagery)
4/2/1991
3/29/2012
3/21/2022
7/25/2024
3/31/2025
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