The ABCs of Lowell History is back for another round. This popular series explores a wide variety of topics in Lowell area history in weekly online articles and is written by volunteers and staff from the Lowell Area Historical Museum.
M is for Michigan Motor Garment Company
Lowell was once the home for a company that machine manufactured garments. While the old woolen mill made garments, the first factory with a work force using machines was the Michigan Motor Garment Company.
In 1917, the Greenville based Michigan Garment Company went through a reorganization. They changed the name, adding “Motor” to the name. In 1919, the company began expanding and chose Lowell for a new factory. Machines and equipment were installed in the last week of June and operations began the next week.
The factory was set up at the west storefront of the Reed Building, also called Music Hall. The building longer exists. It was a three-story building in what is today’s empty space between Farm Bureau Insurance and Rogers Neighborhood Realty.
The Board of Trade worked hard to encourage business to come to Lowell and great appreciation was given to the Board of Trade for this addition to Lowell. The company had a great start with twenty-four workers and another twenty-six on the waiting list.
The Michigan Garment Company specialized in coveralls. The coveralls were marketed to men, for work and outdoor activities, and for children, for playtime.
In 1919, the company advertised for workers. The advertising method was genius. The target for workers were young women. At a time when women were just entering the workforce, the company needed to present itself in a wholesome manner that would appeal to young women.
To accomplish this, the company chose “letters” from a matronly woman, Helen Anderson, to reach out to younger women. Her letters were written to help them as they got a start in life. These letters were a five-part weekly series, titled “A Letter to Ambitious Girls.”
The first letter is introductory, sharing the value of having a good trade. She points out that this work is clean and offers the security of a permanent position.
The second letter advised girls on choosing the right trade to learn. She encouraged girls that sewing in a factory is not so different from sewing at home, except you would have electric motors that do the work, you just had to guide the cloth properly under the needle. She encouraged girls to come by and see the work, stating that “girls naturally like it because it is clean, attractive, wholesome work.”
The third letter was on choosing the right place to start. She encouraged girls to stop by and see the real “homey” atmosphere that will help her to find contentment and happiness while at work. Again, she emphasizes the environment, “The rooms are light, airy, cheerful and clean as can be.”
Letter number four is on “Your Value as a Craftswoman.” She encouraged girls that trained skilled workers are more highly paid. She assured the reader that employees become highly specialized craftswomen.
The fifth letter is titled, “The Girl and the Place.” She explained the value of being an ambitious girl. “There is a place here for the ambitious girl who is anxious to get ahead in the world. The more ambitious you are, the better pleased we shall be and the better we shall be able to work with each other.” Her letter concludes with “This is the place – are you the girl?”
Each “letter” ends with “Yours truly, Helen Anderson, Forelady, Michigan Motor Garment Company, Lowell, Michigan – Advertisement.”
Business seemed to be going great for a while. In February of 1920 the company increased its capital stock from $100,000 to $200,000. But a year later everything fell apart.
In March of 1921 the Lakeview factory “mysteriously” burned to the ground. A factory was started in Stanton but went into receivership just five weeks later. The manager of the Stanton factory was arrested in Milwaukee by the Montcalm County Sheriff and charged with obtaining money from the stockholders under false pretenses. It was assumed the manager was aware of the company’s financial position when he was selling the stocks.
The Michigan Motor Garment Company went into receivership and the Grand Rapids Trust company was appointed as receiver on July 19, 1921.
The Michigan Motor Garment Company had a short lifespan in Lowell, but during that time they brought factory garment making and introduced a creative, new advertising technique to Lowell.
Others followed including in October of 1922, a new company, the Universal Garment Company started work in Lowell. They manufactured women’s dresses and started with 15 female employees.
Leave a Reply