09 December 2013

Remembering Studebaker

It was on this day, December 9th, 50 years ago that South Bend was dealt a pretty tough blow.  Studebaker announced that it would be closing its plant after a long history of production in the city from horse-drawn wagons to automobiles.  That history has been extensively erased from the city's landscape, but two buildings serve as towering reminders of a past that put South Bend on the map.  The following are photos I recently snapped from a tour of the last surviving assembly building on the city's near south side.  Here's to hoping for better days again......


Typical assembly floor


Stair tower


Top assembly floor


Stair tower



Top assembly floor

Looking down on the Studebaker Administration Building

Last assembly building and administration building flanking Lafayette Boulevard

3 comments:

Kestrel said...

timely post, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Multi floor assembly,just one of many reasons StudEbaker closed

Unknown said...

Thank you for giving me a peek into the world where some of my family members worked for decades of their lives.

Ode to a Truck

Wednesday, I took my travel companion on its last trip, from which it didn't come home with me. I took it for a drive the day before, to...