Connersville in Fayette County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Grinding Stones
Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 21, 2020
1. Grinding Stones Marker
The grinding wheels around Kiddie Land Playground in Roberts Park were originally part of the manufacturing equipment in the Ansted Spring and Axle Company, located on the east side of Columbia Avenue just north of Mount Street. The Ansted industrial park included two main divisions, the Spring Works and the Axle Works.
Steel springs were used on buggies, carriages and other horse drawn vehicles. The stone wheels were used to grind and shape those springs. The wheels were driven by a steel shaft known as an arbor. The arbor was pushed through a square hole in the center of the wheel and a pulley belted to a line shaft would rotate the stone. Physical pressure was required to hold the springs against the grinding stones during this process.
At one time new buggies were shipped from Connersville factories by the trainload. The Ansted Company supplied its patented Swan Loop Buggy Springs to local carriage manufacturers and to other manufacturing companies throughout the United States.
Erected by The Questers.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas.
Location. 39° 40.26′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: James E. Roberts Memorial Building (within shouting distance of this marker); World's First County Free Fair (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Pavilion: and other park structures (about 600 feet away); History of the Pavilion (about 600 feet away); The Longwood Covered Bridge (approx. Ό mile away); Home of the Lexington Automobile (approx.
Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 21, 2020
2. Grinding Stones Marker
More about this marker.
[Captions:]
Connersville News Examiner, November 8, 1973. Pictured, William Blommel worked at Ansted Spring and Axle Company from 1913 1916. (Crone Photo)
Ansted Spring and Axle Works Spring Works 1906 View of the Company
In 1924 the Ansted Spring and Axle Company sold and the name changed to Connersville Steele Products Company. The building sat idle during the Great Depression and reopened in 1938 by Better Connersville Association. The Stant Manufacturing Company bought the building in 1941 and donated the wheels to Roberts Park in 1943.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
3. Ansted Spring and Axle Works
Credits. This page was last revised on November 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 800 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 28, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
