In the early 20th century, Springfield, Ohio, was known not only for its agricultural manufacturing but also as a leader in the funerary industry, ranking among the nation’s largest casket manufacturers.
This photograph shows the Springfield Metallic Casket Company, located on the northeast corner of Main and Mechanic (now Lowry) streets in Springfield, Ohio.
The company was founded in 1884 by A. A. Baker, D. R. Hosterman, Ross Mitchell, Scipio E. Baker, and Edgar N. Lupfer. The company grew to become one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of metal caskets and burial vaults.
Started in 1884 and incorporated in 1886, The Springfield Metallic Casket Company was in a small second-story room on Walnut Alley (between Main Street and High). To get the needed materials to their second-floor shop, they had to use pulleys to bring them up.
Soon after, they outgrew that operation and moved to several other places before buying two buildings on Columbia in 1899. They built up a passageway to connect the buildings and expanded it seven times!
Rapid Expansion
The 1918 Influenza epidemic that hit the country so hard was one of the main reasons for the need for expansion. In World War II, nearly all of the factories turned over to war production. The few caskets that were made were made of wood because steel was needed for the war.
By 1959, the Springfield Metallic Casket Company had 230 employees. In the early 1960s, the company became a division of Springfield Greene Industries, Incorporated. Later, it became a subsidiary of A-T-O Corporation of Willoughby, Ohio. The casket company finally had to close its doors on November 30, 1974, after nearly 100 years of continuous production.
Present Day
The property sat vacant for many years until Mother Stewart’s Brewing Company made its home in the summer of 2016. The former administrative office building has been converted into artist lofts, now called Hatch Studios.
Want to know more?
Check out this virtual program hosted by the Clark County Historical Society where they explore the history of Springfield’s funerary industry through archival photos, materials, and more.