Gas Engines/Company History/Company History

Vintage Photos of the Olds Gas Engine Works

By Staff
Published on September 1, 2005
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The Detroit, Mich., and Lansing, Mich., factories of the Olds Gas Engine Works.
The Detroit, Mich., and Lansing, Mich., factories of the Olds Gas Engine Works.
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This photo reads: “Hassett pouring iron into jig bed. 8-14-’06.”
This photo reads: “Hassett pouring iron into jig bed. 8-14-’06.”
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Printed on photo: “View in one of the main buildings at the Detroit Works. Size, 300 x 70 feet; room traveled by electric crane.”
Printed on photo: “View in one of the main buildings at the Detroit Works. Size, 300 x 70 feet; room traveled by electric crane.”
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“Assembly room looking south” is handwritten on the front of this photo.
“Assembly room looking south” is handwritten on the front of this photo.
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Printed on photo: “View among the improved machinery in the Olds Works at Lansing.”
Printed on photo: “View among the improved machinery in the Olds Works at Lansing.”
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General view of the machine shop and employees.
General view of the machine shop and employees.
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Grinding Olds cylinders with a vertical boring bar.
Grinding Olds cylinders with a vertical boring bar.
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Shipping room at the Lansing Works. Printed on photo: “Before leaving the Works, every engine is carefully crated and packed free of charge.”
Shipping room at the Lansing Works. Printed on photo: “Before leaving the Works, every engine is carefully crated and packed free of charge.”
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The catalog caption for this photos states: “On the testing stand at the Olds Works, where every engine is run from one to two days, and tested to its full brake horsepower.”
The catalog caption for this photos states: “On the testing stand at the Olds Works, where every engine is run from one to two days, and tested to its full brake horsepower.”
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Handwritten on this photo it says: “165 HP, Sept. 16, ‘06, 5 ton”
Handwritten on this photo it says: “165 HP, Sept. 16, ‘06, 5 ton”
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Erecting floor at the Olds Works.
Erecting floor at the Olds Works.
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Employees of the Ferro Foundry Machine Co. Photo from original Olds catalog, taken December 1906. Can we assume Ferro was subcontracted out by Olds?
Employees of the Ferro Foundry Machine Co. Photo from original Olds catalog, taken December 1906. Can we assume Ferro was subcontracted out by Olds?
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The caption on this photo claims it is the paint shop at the Detroit Works. Doesn’t look much like a paint booth, does it?
The caption on this photo claims it is the paint shop at the Detroit Works. Doesn’t look much like a paint booth, does it?
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The catalog caption for this photos states: “Inside the new Olds Gasoline Engine Works engine test area, 1905.”
The catalog caption for this photos states: “Inside the new Olds Gasoline Engine Works engine test area, 1905.”

Olds Gas Engine Works’ roots can be traced back to 1880, when the Lansing, Mich.-based company was established as P.F. Olds & Son. For the next 25 to 30 years, the company underwent many changes, most notably the transition from Olds Gas Power Co. to the Saeger Engine Works.

The photos shown here are from the collection of David Kolzow Jr., Hampton, Iowa. Some were originally produced for Olds catalogs, while others were taken by A.L. Pouleur, an Olds chemist in the early 1900s. Most of these photos have never been seen by the general public.

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