11/22/2024
A fun view of the old Uniroyal plant yesterday. The Eau Claire Uniroyal plant closed all its doors in June of 1992. Manufacturing tires in Eau Claire for 75 years, Uniroyal employed thousands of people in the area, and is an iconic memory for so many of us. When the plant closed, over 1,000 people lost their jobs. I had some friends in high school in the late 80's whose fathers worked at the plant. These men were so close to retirement with great pension plans within reach. In order to keep these pensions, they decided to commute the near 500 miles one way to Ft Wayne Indiana each week to ensure their families would be taken care of. Back then, remember, one income families were common and were often able to provide a good lifestyles for a middle class. The wages and benefits these workers had were in many cases as good if not better than wages today. That was 34 years ago!
The building has since been refurbished and and houses many small businesses and some residential tenants. # I love this town.
