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In 1941, Chester Underwood of Pennsylvania-based Knox Glass Bottle Co. called Jim Keller, a company representative in Texas, with plans for a new plant. Product demand in the western United States for bottling and canning operations had increased, and Underwood asked Keller to scout locations for a plant with good rail access. Keller met with the Palestine Chamber of Commerce and banker Clifford Huffsmith, who in turn worked with bankers Clyde Hanks, J.E. Angly and others to identify area resources, including transportation. The final deal included natural gas provided by brothers Julian and Jack Meeker, and a Missouri Pacific Railroad spur to the plant site. The new facility began production on July 5, 1941. It housed a 90-ton-capacity furnace and equipment for manufacturing clear glass; Frank Hicks served as plant manager for 10 years. Company officials and area residents celebrated with a formal dedication on July 19. Employees belonged to unions related to their jobs, which varied from mixing and machine operations to mold makers and packing. Products included glass jars for the food industry and home bottling. The Knox plant played a vital role in the local economy for decades, with more than 450 employees at its peak. Glass Container Corp. purchased Knox Glass in 1969, but demands of a changing industry led to closure of the plant in 1984. The final glass jars manufactured here, bearing the closing date, Dec. 20, 1984, serve as souvenirs for three generations of area residents for whom the Knox plant represented a secure way of life. (2006) |
