I personally think it would be a great place for the PGCA museum, Probably could be bought for a song, I will donate a gun to go to the first raffle to generate funds to buy the place, I know this sounds crazy but what better place for a Parker museum than at the old site where they were made, Gary

I'm with you, Gary. I can't imagine a finer place.

I would ask Edgar about the area. Security might be an issue all the way around. Nice idea if the semantics work out.

Edgar can buy up all the houses on the street in order to clean up the area.

:shock:Do you know something I don't? Where is all this cash coming from? Last I checked, No one has died and left me any money, but if they had, Houses in a Bad section of Meriden aren't very high up the list of things I'd spend it on. I think Brian has me confused with George P.

The PGCA attitude about a PGCA museum has always been "ZZZZZZZZ", even though some fairly good ideas were presented. I somehow agree with them, after many years of discussion and non discussion that a museum would be a difficult project. I'm OK with no museum. However, this building in Meriden could be a bit of Parker Brothers history, even if it were restored and made into something other than a museum, or left empty or near empty.

Does anyone know whatever happened to the machinery? I assume it went to Ilion From there?

I am sure some was moved to illion. Some was maybe absorbed by some of The Charles Parker Co's other facilities/operations. Some maybe left. Parker still owned the factory building after the gun works moved to illion. It was utilized by the company until it burned in 1980. It was used primarily for warehousing and storage for The Univac products at the end if i am not mistaken.

Maybe someone should address these questions to Louis, Bill or Charlie---they just might know the answers.

Allan

Allan, Kevin, Ron, The Parker Story authors and I know the answers. The machinery was shipped to Ilion, was used for a while, but then was put into storage at the beginning of the war. After the war, Remington made a valiant effort to put the guns back into production with the existing machinery, but the machinery could not be brought back up to speed, or operation at all. Some companies were approached to assist in the effort, but it didn't work out. The companies included Griffin and Howe, Frank Lefever and Son, and others. End of story, sort of. There is more, but those are the basics. I don't know if any of us are interested in more of the details, but I have them in my research material. I would love to share this research material if anyone is interested.