Businesses Past...
Emmitsburg Shoe Factory
by Richard D. L. Fulton
The Emmitsburg Shoe Factory, formerly located on Chesapeake Avenue, served as a primary place of employment for the residents of Emmitsburg and surrounding areas for decades.
Talk of the possibility of establishing a shoe factory surfaced during February 1946, when that topic became the subject of discussion at a meeting of the local Lions Club. On February 23, 1946, The (Frederick) News reported, “Other guests (at the Lions Club meeting) were representatives from the Fairfield Shoe Co., who made interesting talks on bringing a shoe factory to Emmitsburg.”
By September, the possibility of an Emmitsburg shoe factory had become an assured reality. The News reported on September 26, “A deed by which the Vigilant Hose Company… transfers to the L. E. Beaudin Shoe Company (who also owned the Fairfield shoe factory), the land on which the company is erecting a shoe company…”
The deed for the land was presented to the shoe company at a meeting of the local Lions Club, the club having been instrumental in raising the funds needed to help progress the project.
The News further reported that construction had already been initiated at the site (which presently houses the Emmitsburg Antique Mall). The article further stated, “The factory is nearly complete, and it is expected will start around the first of the year.”
The factory was projected to employ some 250 employees.
By October 8, The (Hanover) Evening Sun had reported the shoe company had also begun work on the 65’ x 25’ x 75’ macadam parking area.
At this stage of construction, the shoe company had expended some $85,000 on the Emmitsburg project, which would have been equal to $1,375,971.28 today.
The Emmitsburg Shoe Factory opened in January as predicted but encountered operation issues along the way. The News reported on January 11 that the factory “has started to operate, but with only a few employees.” The company blamed difficulties in securing all of the equipment necessary to fully function. However, the newspaper reported that the shoe factory was expected to be fully equipped and staffed by early spring.
The (Frederick) News reported on June 7, 1948, that the Emmitsburg Shoe Factory “had been closed down for some time,” although no reason was printed. During the course of the shutdown, the factory was sold to the Shepherd-Myers Company (which also owned the Hanover Shoe Company), and the new owners expected to have the factory back in operation “within a few weeks.”
On July 3, The Gettysburg Times reported that The Hanover Shoe Company planned to manufacture mainly boys’ shoes at the facility, which would employ 150 to 200 employees.
In 1953, the Emmitsburg Shoe Factory was sold once again. The (Frederick) News reported on August 11, that Hanover Shoes, Inc. had been sold to the H.O. Toor Shoe Corporation, which included “buildings and improvements in Emmitsburg.” The price paid for Hanover Shoes, Inc.’s assets amounted to $75,000, or about $861,646 in today’s money.
Sometime during or before 1975, H.O. Toor Shoe Corporation facility in Emmitsburg was sold to the Freeman Shoe Company, which was owned by the U.S. Shoe Corporation.
In 1986, the Freeman Shoe Company closed the doors on the Emmitsburg facility forever. The (Baltimore) Evening Sun reported on May 1, 1986, “The Freeman Shoe Co., plant here will close its door after the workday tomorrow, throwing about 150 people out of work…”
The company stated that the reason for closing the facility was “reduced sales and competition from foreign imports.”
On July 17, The Evening Sun reported that “Governor (Harry) Hughes went to Frederick County on Tuesday, where he announced a $100,000 grant” for job-training assistance for the 132 Emmitsburg workers who had lost their jobs when the Freeman Shoe Company went out of business.
Salt in the wound? On September 17, The (Baltimore) Sun wrote that Charles Boersig, spokesman for the U.S. Shoe Corporation (which owned the Freeman Shoe Company facility) had stated “that despite the lack of advanced notice (to the Emmitsburg workers), business at the plant ‘was so lousy,’ that employees ought to have realized their jobs were in peril.”
The Emmitsburg Antique Mall now occupies the building that was once The Emmitsburg Shoe Factory.
