Imagine walking around this site in 1899, when the Gorham Manufacturing Company was the most famous producer of silver utensils, tea services and decorative items in the world. In the central building, you could find offices, a museum of silverwork, and a library. A stylish “casino” had a dining room and underground bowling alley. An enormous workshop called the foundry blazed with heat to melt bronze for statues and plaques. In front of the fourteen buildings stood a statue of the Greek god of fire, Vulcan. And even though industrial waste from the factory was dumped into Mashapaug Pond, the grounds were spotless – trash-free and well-landscaped.
Today, some people who worked at Gorham remember the factory’s artistry and great work atmosphere, while others think of trouble with management and the effect of the company’s waste on the health of Mashapaug Pond.
Managers at Gorham wanted to turn a profit, but also believed in providing their workers with benefits and a good salary – a system called welfare capitalism. Starting in the early twentieth century, workers received benefits like medical insurance, vacation time, bonuses, paid holidays and education. Supervisors hoped these benefits would create “loyalty and cooperation” and raise morale. Silver designer Jeffrey Herman remembered that he “felt like we were a family there.” From the 1930s on, workers also joined unions to negotiate with management in case of problems, though the first strike at Gorham didn’t occur until 1958.Jobs manufacturing silver flatware were steady and well-paid, but could be difficult and dangerous. Robin Tagliaferri, whose grandfather worked in the foundry, remembers stories of him coming home feverish and shivering from working near the fires. Smoke, debris, and dangerous chemicals were produced in the factory. Early machinery was also used without safety guards, risking workers’ fingers. Safety conditions only improved after national health and safety rules were established in first half of the twentieth century.
In 1967, another company, Textron, acquired Gorham. That same year, workers went on strike because of changes to the factory’s system of incentives, or pay based on how many pieces a worker made. Organizers of the steelworker’s union coordinated more strikes over the years to protest violated contracts, promotions of newer employees over more experienced coworkers, and impossibly high workloads. One strike lasted for over seven months, showing the employees’ unity and determination, but taking a toll on their livelihoods. Meanwhile, rising costs and the declining popularity of silver flatware weakened the Gorham company. In the 1980s, the company shrunk from thousands of employees to hundreds, moving its manufacturing to Smithfield, Rhode Island, and then to New Jersey.
If you visited this site in 1997, just before the former factory buildings were torn down, you would see the large structures without windows, crowded by vines. No businesses wanted to buy the property, and the brick and wood were thought to be too damaged to save. Today, the only physical remains of Gorham are the toxins in the pond and soil.
Discussion Questions
Would you apply for a job at Gorham, if it still existed today? Why or why not?
Why might Gorham workers have gone on strike in the 1960s and 70s? What kind of effect do you think that a strike had on the workers and their families?
Why do you think the first strike at Gorham only happened in 1958, over a century after the factory was founded?
If things were unsafe where you worked, what would you do?
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]]>In 1873, an economic depression gripped the country and threatened the future of the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The company’s skilled metalworkers and innovative designers had a reputation for creating quality goods, but none of these things mattered if people couldn’t afford to purchase the company’s products.
Suddenly, Gorham received a commission to create a silver service like no other in the world. Costing more than $1 million dollars to produce, this 24-person set of dishes, utensils, and decorative items consisted of 740 pieces, that, when completed, filled seventeen trunks. In all, it took nearly seven years to create this impressive collection for insurance magnate Henry Jewett Furber. The Furber commission defined the Gorham Manufacturing Company’s reputation as the country’s premier silver manufacturer for the next century.
The Gorham Manufacturing Company began in 1831, as a small partnership between two Providence silversmiths, Jabez Gorham and Henry Webster. By the 1860s, Gorham was the world’s leading producer of silverware. Even Mary Todd Lincoln purchased a Gorham silver tea service for use in the Lincoln White House.
Though the company initially focused on silver goods, Gorham also dramatically expanded its bronze casting facilities when it accepted a commission to cast “The Skirmisher,” a massive sculpture commemorating the battle of Gettysburg. By the 1890s, Gorham had the world’s largest bronze foundry. Gorham’s bronzes include such well-known pieces as the 12-foot-tall “Independent Man” atop the Rhode Island statehouse, the statue of George Washington in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, and the 1893 statue of Christopher Columbus erected at this location.
In 1900, the company showcased its work at the Paris Exposition Universelle. Receiving a grand prix and five gold medals, Gorham’s amazing display was a highlight of the exposition. As the century continued, however, Gorham’s fortunes ebbed. Interest in silver flatware waned in favor of modern products. The Great Depression decreased the company’s sales even more dramatically.
During World War II, Gorham virtually abandoned its civilian industries to focus on producing goods for the war effort. These included small arms parts, tank bearings, torpedo components, and millions of 40mm shell casings. After the war, Gorham struggled to retain its preeminence, and decreased demand and increased production costs plagued the company. In 1986, the company’s Providence facilities closed after nearly a century of operation.
Today, Gorham’s legacy lives on through the hundreds of bronzes that dot the American landscape and the company’s unique and highly collectable silver products.
Discussion Questions
Why might the sale of a silver tea set to Mary Todd Lincoln have helped Gorham silver become popular?How could Henry J. Furber afford to buy such an extravagant set of silver during a time when many Americans were struggling financially?
Why did Gorham Manufacturing Company have increased trouble selling their products in the twentieth century?
Why isn’t silver flatware as popular today? What do most people use instead?
Why might the residents of Providence have erected a statue to Christopher Columbus where they did? Would you put up a Columbus statue today? Where?
For more (including 5 images, 2 audio files, & 1 video) view the original article
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