Trico Plant No. 1
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Rayman
N 42° 53.758 W 078° 52.190
17T E 673922 N 4751463
The Trico Plant #1, located in Buffalo, was the manufacturing facility for the first automobile windshield wipers.
Waymark Code: WM127A
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 12/22/2006
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 15

The Trico Plant #1 in Buffalo is significant architecturally as an outstanding local example of the so-called Daylight Factory. With the exception of a portion of the plant that incorporates an historic brewery building from the 1890s, Trico Plant #1 is constructed of reinforced concrete piers and floors and curtain walls of metal sash windows and brick spandrels. This type of manufacturing building superceded earlier factories that had been built with load bearing brick walls and wood floors.

The plant is also significant for its association with significant contributions the company made to the progress of the automotive industry. Trico manufactured the first windshield wiper blades for automobiles.

Finally, the building is significant for its association with the life of John R. Oishei, the founder in 1917 of Tri-Continental Products, which later became Trico Products Corporation. Together with Buffalo inventor John Jenson, Oishei developed and manufactured the first windshield wiper blades for automobiles. The steady expansion of his business is reflected in the pattern of additions and alterations that Oishei made during the 1920-1950 period of significance. With the wealth Oishei accumulated from his business, he established the John R. Oishei Foundation, the largest philanthropic organization in Western New York.

The Trico business continued to operate at this facility until 1998, when after having transferred most of its manufacturing facilities to Texas and Mexico, the company moved out of its historic building.

Finally, the Trico Plant is significant in the history of manufacturing in Buffalo as one of the city's major employers during the Depression and post-Depression eras.
Street address:
817 Washinton St
Buffalo, NY United States
14203


County / Borough / Parish: Erie

Year listed: 2001

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Person, Architecture/Engineering, Event

Periods of significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949, 1950-1974

Historic function: Industry/Processing/Extraction: Manufacturing Facility

Current function: Residential: Multiple Dwelling

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 1: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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uccacher visited Trico Plant No. 1 07/24/2011 uccacher visited it
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