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Reflecting On Firestone's History In Woodstock

Thursday, 5 October 2017 06:14

The Woodstock Firestone Plant will shut down for good next year, marking the end of an 82 year era.

WOODSTOCK - The Woodstock Firestone Plant will shut down for good next year, marking the end of an 82 year era.

The plant first opened its doors in 1936 and hired 200 people right off the bat.

Chad Curtis with the Woodstock Museum tells Heart FM what he thinks attracted Firestone to the Friendly City in the first place.

"What leads me to believe why they came to Woodstock was that there was an existing company and they bought them out and the Firestone plant was created out of this company that they bought out."

Curtis says the local plant was known as a good career centred workplace even in the beginning.

"They hired 200 people in 1936 and they had a line-up going around the block of people who were looking to get a job there."

The plant hired lots of women during the World War Two, in order to keep the plant going while the men were overseas. The Woodstock Museum has pictures of those women collecting war bonds, helping the war effort and the home front.

The local Firestone Plant was also known for their legendary Christmas parties that were always well attended.

Approximately 200 people will be out of the job when the plant closes at the end of 2018.
 

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