A CN local passes Dura-Fibre, LLC, and approaches 7th St. as it heads north via former MILW rails at Menasha, WI on 24 Jun. '18. Organized as the National Tractor & Machinery Co. at Chicago in 1916 (some references state ’18). They reorganized as the Uncle Sam Tractor and Machinery Co. ca. Mar. ’18 and moved to Menasha, WI ca. Feb. ‘19. They constructed a new 60’ x 125’ factory and 25’ x 40’ office building at 344 6th St. and erected 2 additions in ’20, with further expansion in ’22. The company reorganized as Wisconsin Automotive Corp. ca. ’23 in order to add automobiles to its line of products, particularly the Harris Six. They went out of business sometime between ’24 and ’28. The Neenah Shoe Co. occupied the plant in ’28. The Wisconsin Container Corp. was organized ca. ’31 to manufacture solid fiber and corrugated containers at this facility. The company was acquired by Menasha Corp. ca. ’69 and became their Solid Fibre Division. On 8 Feb. ’73, Menasha Corp. was granted a trademark for their “Grain-tainer” fiberboard grain doors for boxcars, but I’m not positive if they were made here or at another Menasha Corp. facility. Menasha Corp. sold the facility in ’04 and the name was changed to Dura-Fibre at some point. Their spur can be seen in the background, but (unfortunately) it has not been used for quite some time. |