Dean,
I'm not home to look it up but from memory I thought it was 1980 when the fire occured. I still remember the pictures in the Meriden Record the next day.

Maybe so Larry. I had a picture of the burned out buildings around here somewhere with the date.... I'm lookin' for it....

In 1900, there were 14 Foundries in the city of Hartford alone. I owned and ran the last one, which I closed in 1999. It was, at that time, the largest steel foundry in New England. Old factory buildings are of great interest to me, and I've been through a mess of them. Many of those that still stand have been repurposed, many stand empty except for rats and squatters, and most have been torn down. Dave Suponski and I are always joking about getting the old UMC shot tower going again. It can't get any more 'brown' so what the hell.
My grandfather's cousin took my dad to Meriden, where he was born, on his 16th birthday, and bought him his first Parker.

That would be great edger. I am sure all the PGCA members would be happy that your were doing your part to end some of the componant shortage and that you were going to give all of us a huge discount on our shot purchases.

Yes, The Parker Bros. factory burned in 1980. I was set on fire by kids playing in the then abandoned building. Prior to the fire it was used as a warehouse. The original office building for Parker Bros gun Manufactory is still standing and in use today.

The Parker Gun Works shortly before the fire.

And the Charles Parker office building which is still standing.

And Babe Del Grego and Kevin McCormack on the 2003 visit to Meriden.

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a mighty handsome office for sure...thanks charlie

I love that building. If it were only here. A '34 Ford roadster, my '74 Country Squire, and my Harley in the garages. But what to put behind the overhead door in the front?

Your Deusenburg of course...

I took this picture in August at Bill and Linda's



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