For nine decades General Motors’ Malleable Iron Plant was an important part of the region’s economy and an important landmark. We detail the story of its creation, growth, and closing in our exhibit Geared for Production, while doing research we stumbled across these paragraphs explaining the selection of the site and wanted to share them with you.
“The site selected is located at the south side of Center Street, between the Saginaw River and Salt Street, and extending from Center Street to the beltline of the Pere Marquette railroad. This will give easy access to labor in South Saginaw, necessitating crossing the Center Street Bridge only, as well as access to the labor situated in and about the locality at the south end of Michigan and Washington Avenues.”
“After careful consideration was given to labor, streetcar facilities and general conditions, special care had to be exercised in locating the plant convenient to some low ground, owing to the fact that there will be several tons of refuse in the way of fine sand and screenings from castings, to be taken care of daily. The refuse will be placed on these low lands near the river, thereby developing a substantial foundation for the continuation of this industry and additional plants; at the location selected the river has a channel to Saginaw bay eighteen feet in depth and the land is reached by the Pere Marquette and Michigan Central with direct shipping connections with all railroads entering Saginaw.” The Saginaw Daily News, January 17, 1917
The next time you visit the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, leave time to view Geared for Production.