[Texas Historical Commission Marker: Washington Iron Works, Inc.]

Description

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Washington Iron Works, Inc. in Sherman, Texas. Text: In 1875 Solon Totten (1847-1932) made two horseback trips to Texas from Quincy, Illinois, searching for better conditions for the family blacksmith business. Finding stage companies operating out of Sherman which required blacksmith services, he persuaded his father and family to move here. In 1876 Solon and his brother Levi Totten (1844-1915) opened "Totten Bros. Blacksmith" on Cherry Street. The business made wheels for freight wagons and stagecoaches and repaired the vehicles. L.L. Roussel, Adolph and Max Seisfeld, Noah Swain and Levi and Solon … continued below

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 2716 x 1690 px.

Creation Information

West, Carolyn Effie 2011-12/2012-03.

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This photograph is part of the collection entitled: Texas History Collection and was provided by the Private Collection of Carolyn West to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 390 times, with 4 in the last month. More information about this photograph can be viewed below.

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Private Collection of Carolyn West

The private collection of Carolyn West consists of a photographs of historical markers and related buildings in Grayson County.

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Description

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Washington Iron Works, Inc. in Sherman, Texas. Text: In 1875 Solon Totten (1847-1932) made two horseback trips to Texas from Quincy, Illinois, searching for better conditions for the family blacksmith business. Finding stage companies operating out of Sherman which required blacksmith services, he persuaded his father and family to move here. In 1876 Solon and his brother Levi Totten (1844-1915) opened "Totten Bros. Blacksmith" on Cherry Street. The business made wheels for freight wagons and stagecoaches and repaired the vehicles.

L.L. Roussel, Adolph and Max Seisfeld, Noah Swain and Levi and Solon Totten were the original stockholders. The named changed in 1881 to "Washington Iron Works". In 1890 the firm moved to East Lamar Street and settled here. By 1893 the Totten brothers and their father Joseph (1821-1906) gained full ownership. It remains in the Totten family. After 1904 Solon operated the company with his sons Harry (1877-1964) and Jesse (1880-1946) until he retired in 1922. Harold Totten (1900-1969) ran the company with his father Harry after Jesse's death.

The foundry section closed in 1938. During World War II, the shop made gun barrel molds. This industry, the oldest in Sherman, has expanded to a worldwide service for oil and gas processing, petrochemical plants, power generation and marine interests.

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 2716 x 1690 px.

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  • [Photograph of Washington Iron Works, Inc.]

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Texas History Collection

Drawn from collections at the UNT Libraries and various partners, these materials about Texas history include artifacts, books, documents, manuscripts, photographs, maps, letters, and more.

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Creation Date

  • 2011-12/2012-03

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Start & End Dates

  • 1876 - 2012

Added to The Portal to Texas History

  • Nov. 1, 2012, 8:27 p.m.

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Yesterday: 2
Past 30 days: 4
Total Uses: 390
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West, Carolyn Effie. [Texas Historical Commission Marker: Washington Iron Works, Inc.], photograph, 2011-12/2012-03; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth256961/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Private Collection of Carolyn West.

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