The gasolene pump was first manufactured in Fort Wayne, IN. It went on to become the "Gas Pump Capital of the World." Tokheim was one of the manufactures that made gas pumps.
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| Don Jones posted 1947. Tokheim gas pumps were also made in Fort Wayne Indiana. |
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| posted from Kenneth Childers (3D Satellite) 330 Old Tokheim water tower, from corner of Anthony & Wayne Trace, looking east [Childers 2017-09-05] 2 |
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| posted from Kenneth Childers, cropped (3D Satellite) 470 Neat old industrial bldg near old Tokheim water tower [Childers 2017-09-05] 2 Gregg Schmitz I started my manufacturing career on that loading dock in July 1975. We used to ship gas pumps and other parts when I worked at Tokheim. Julie Morrison My father in law Ron Morrison was a 'high up' guy at Tokheim. Ron moved to Washington, IN to lead that plant. He passed away before they closed. |
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| posted from Kenneth Childers 480 Old Tokheim outbuilding on Wayne Trace [Childers 2017-09-03] |
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| posted from Kenneth Childers 560 A&E [Adhesives & Equipment] courtyard off of Wayne Trace [Childers 2017-09-03] 2 Gregg Schmitz Large Pump Assembly used to be on the other side of that wall. |
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| posted from Kenneth Childers 565 'General Office – Tokheim Corporation' photo dated 2017-05-26 [from Greg Michell in You are positively from Fort Wayne...] Probably on Wabash Ave, per Greg Michell. |
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| James T. Billings shared Gregg Schmitz That's a 785 pump. I assembled a lot of them 75-84 at the Wabash Avenue plant. [Back in the 60s I know a dollar would buy a few gallons. But the comments indicate this was the 70s, the peroid of the oil embargo. I can't remember if a dollar would still by a gallon at the end of the 70s.] |
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| James T. Billins shared a post |
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| Shawn Van Pelt posted |
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| Becky Osbun posted June 10, 1970. "Tokheim meets anticipated demand for pumps and gauges to handle gasoline without lead." - News-Sentinel, via ACPL Community Album Keith E. Hanson Tokheim's bankruptcy was a financial fraud and a scam! They gave out over $20 MILLION in "PREFERRED STOCKHOLDERS DIVIDENDS" and then filed for bankruptcy claiming $18 MILLION in debt!!! I did not hold enough shares to get attention....but I tried. A few of their Officers and Directors should be in jail. At one time it was an honorable company. Becky Osbun The worst part was how badly it hurt the pensioners, one of whom was a friend & neighbor. The 'disappearance' of the Pension Fund greatly altered lives. Shameful. Ben Guthrie Keith E. Hanson in the last 3-4 years before closing, the execs used to walk up and down the production lines in the last week of each quarter and crack the whip. Not sure if their motivation was bank covenants or just their own contract bonus terms, but we'd pull in orders from a month ahead in order to pump up the quarter, then lay off and slow way down for the next month. Seemed like a big distraction from an improvement environment. Philip Davis Can anyone give me a short answer as to what happened to Bowser - - and why Tokheim and Wayne Pump moved to Fort Wayne. Did they get some of Bowser's top personnel? Just wondered. [I've wondered about this also.] |
Adam Griebel Photography posted seven photos with the comment:
Fort Wayne has a rich industrial history, at one time rightfully being able to claim the title of "Gas Pump Capital of the World". Tokheim Corporation played a big part in that.
Founded in 1901 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it was purchased by businessmen in Fort Wayne and moved here in 1918 and grew to be wildly successful becoming the world's largest producer of gasoline pumps. Unfortunately, the company fell on hard times in the late 90's, and filed bankruptcy for the first time in 2000. The Fort Wayne plant was closed in 2006. Today, Tokheim is a part of Dover corporation.
John J. Tokheim was a prolific inventor; it's interesting looking through his many patents: https://patents.google.com/?inventor=John+J+Tokheim
A few worthwhile links:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/.../poli.../tokheim-corporation (this one was written right before things went south)
Adam Griebel shared
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