History with HLOM: Batavia woodworking company was a powerhouse

A vintage postcard of the Batavia & New York Wood Working Plant ca. 1920.

During the early decades of the 20th century, Batavia was teeming with industries of all kinds, many that do not exist today, or at least in the same capacity.

One such industry was that of woodworking, and Batavia had one of the top companies in the field in the form of the Batavia and New York Wood Working Company. It was a leader, especially in interior wood designs, for many prominent businesses and homes in Genesee County.

It was also recognized further afield in places like New York City, being nationally known for the craftsmanship of its workers.

The company’s plant was located at Buell and Elizabeth Streets but stretched all the way to Cedar Street. It was not the first to occupy that area, as a factory had been on the site since the 1880s.

It began as the Batavia Machinery Company, then Batavia Sewing Machine Company, and then the New York Lumber and Wood Working Company. This final iteration was reorganized in 1892 as the Batavia and New York Wood Working Company.

Its first officers were J.N. Scatcherd as president, C.H. Honeck as vice-president and general manager, and E.T. Squires as superintendent. Honeck managed the business until its eventual closure in 1939 and became the man synonymous with the company.

The structure was massive, comprising of a three-story brick building, along with an engine house, warehouse, sheds and drying kilns. At its peak in the 1920s, Batavia and New York Wood Working employed 350 people.

The plant was one of the most extensive and modern facilities in the world used for making interior wood finishes. It developed a unique process for fireproofing wood, which was not used by any other manufacturers.

Its early business model focused solely on contract orders from architect’s designs and drawings. The designs were laid out by the contractors and the skilled workers then made the pieces to the specifications, including doors, partitions, and moldings that were made for a specific room in a specific building.

During this time, Batavia and New York Wood Working Company made the interior woodwork for big hotels in New York City, such as Pennsylvania Hotel, Roosevelt Hotel and Savoy-Plaza Hotel. Other clients included banks and office buildings all over the United States.

Its last major job outside of Genesee County was the interior of the Sterling Library on the campus of Yale University, which was completed in 1931.

The company also dealt with smaller projects, such as making shipping crates for other goods.

One instance in 1919 was for Victrolas and talking machines that were called The Batavia. It was also responsible for much of the wooden trim of local homes built into the 1930s.

With the coming of the Great Depression, business slowed dramatically. The demand for wood interiors became too expensive and fell out of fashion.

Once the many backorders were finished, the company was left with only a small percentage of its former clients.

The Batavia and New York Wood Working company ceased its operations in 1939. The title to the property of its factory went to the Genesee Trust Company, and it was sold to the city through foreclosure. Today several industrial companies call the property home, and Elizabeth Street no longer runs to Cedar Street.

Ryan Duffy is executive director of the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia. His “History with the HLOM” column appears twice a month in The Daily News. Read past columns online at www.thedailynewsonline.com.

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