Waukesha in Waukesha County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Waukesha Engine Division
Photographed By Linda Hansen, 2009
1. Waukesha Engine Division Marker
Harold L. Horning, Fred Ahrens, and Allan Stebbins founded the Waukesha Motor Company in 1906 in the Blue Front Garage on North Street. The company prospered & by 1910 moved into a larger facility built on St. Paul Avenue.
Waukesha Motor Company signed a merger agreement with Bangor Punta Corporation in 1968. In 1974, Dresser Industries acquired the company and the name was changed to Waukesha Engine Division. In 1998, the company became Waukesha Engine Division, a part of the Dresser Equipment Group in the Halliburton Company.
Erected 2000 by Waukesha County Historical Society. (Marker Number 34-16.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 43° 0.441′ N, 88° 14.6′ W. Marker is in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in Waukesha
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dunbar Oak (approx. 0.2 miles away); Acme Spring (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lindholm Vocational & Adult School (approx. half a mile away); Old Cutler Home (approx. half a mile away); Prehistoric Indian Mound (approx. half a mile away); Waukesha City - Cutler Park (approx. half a mile away); Milwaukee and Madison Railway Depot (approx. half a mile away); Hill School and Park View Park (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waukesha.
Also see . . . The Waukesha Engine Historical Society. Site has many photos of engines, people and the plant over the years, viewable through a photo tour of our museum. Included in the lobby tour is a Historical Marker given to Waukesha Engine by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for developing the device for determining Octane for fuels in 1928. These devices are still being used today. (Submitted on June 23, 2011, by Dennis Tollefson of Waukesha, Wisconsin.)
Additional commentary.
1. History of
Photographed By Linda Hansen, 2009
2. Waukesha Engine Division
The company today known as Waukesha Engine was known locally as the "Motor Works" for many years. The company was originally formed in 1906 by Harold Horning, Fred Ahrens, and Allan Stebbins at the Blue Front Garage at 139 E. North Street (the building still exists). In 1910 they moved to their current location on St. Paul Ave. The first full-size engine, a replacement for steam engines for the construction equipment industry, was developed in 1912. World War I brought the first standard gasoline truck engine for military vehicles. In the 1920s oil drilling equipment was produced along with laboratory test engines. As the company grew, so did the city. At one time 20% of the city depended directly or indirectly on the company.
During World War II the plant was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because of the high demand for their products. They built an F817 gasoline engine which was used in tank retrievers and trucks and an ICK used in portable generators. The highest employee numbers were during WWII at 2,000, most of which were women. Barracks were built across the street as a convenience to house the workers since they were working every day.
Between 1968 and 1974 the company was acquired by conglomerate Bangor Punta Operations, Inc. Eventually it became too expensive for Bangor Punta to keep the plant current and growing in order
Photographed By Linda Hansen, 2011
3. Waukesha Engine Division
In 1998, the company was known as Waukesha Engine Division, Dresser Equipment Group, a Halliburton Company. Today they are the worldwide leader in manufactured gas-fueled engines for gas compression, mechanical drive, and power generation applications.
— Submitted June 10, 2011, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Photographed By Linda Hansen, 2011
4. Waukesha Engine Division
Photographed By Linda Hansen, 2011
5. Waukesha Engine Division
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2011, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 3,252 times since then and 72 times this year. Last updated on June 20, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 10, 2011, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin. 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 15, 2011, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
