L. & I. J. White Co. (Perry/Columbia St. location)

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Photo credit: toolemera.com, PRS

Location

143 Perry Street, Buffalo, NY 14204
Also known as 137-159 Perry Street, 65 Columbia Street, 100 Columbia Street
SBL: 122.05-7-1
Fillmore Council District
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Erie County Property Info
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Owner

HOCKEY WESTERN NEW YORK per City of Buffalo Property Information
NYS Corporation and Business Entity Database

Physical Description

Large brick industrial complex occupying much of a city block with 1-4 floors

Current Condition

Demolished. Now an under-used surface parking lot.

History

  • 1837-1928 - The L. & I. J. White Company was a family owned business producing a host of woodworking tools.
  • 1837 - Two brothers, Leonard and Ichabod Jewett White, start a tool making company in Monroe, Michigan the same year their father moved to Buffalo, NY
  • Early 1840s - The brothers sell their company in Monroe and move to Buffalo
  • 1843 - Leonard and Ichabod start an edge tools shop. The same source says it began in Black Rock but also mentioned an address of 22-24 Ohio Street. By 1854, 3 Indiana Street is also mentioned. Indiana Street no longer exists, but this location would be where the Sabres arena is now, as that section of South Park Ave was a continuation of Ohio Street at the time.
  • 1860 - The company receives a patent for improving the design of fastening ice skate blades to their wooden base
  • 1867 - The Ohio/Indiana St factory burned to the ground. This same year, they possibly build the Perry Street location. (The source gives the address from the Perry St location but the name from the Exchange St. location)
  • 1870 - An ad shows a building with their name located at 310 Exchange Street. Possibly a storefront or additional manufacturing space.
  • 1928 - The company became a part of the Simonds, Worden, White Co. - Dayton, Ohio.
  • 1940 - "By 1940 the former factory of White brothers in Buffalo was closed due to the lack of meaningful demand for hand tools."
history courtesy toolemera.com and wkfinetools.com

Recent Events and Actions Taken

Other Pertinent Facts

  • Across the street from the Cobblestone Historic District, and likely would have been included if any of the buildings remained
  • Makers of "a full line of chisels, planes, drawknives and many of the tools specific to a skilled trade... Firmer Chisels, Coopers planes and tools, Carriage makers routers, Axes, Hatchets, Adzes, Plane Irons, Paving Irons, Fireman's Axes, Butchers Cleavers, Ice Tools, and everything else edge tools." toolemera.com
  • One of Buffalo's many tool manufacturers, including:

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Added 2017-03-16 • Last changed 2017-03-21