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Holcomb W.A. Foundry & Machine Works
Industrial 1896-1957
About
Foundry and machine works founded by William Allen (W.A.) Holcomb, who brought a small machine shop to Poplar Bluff about 1896. Operated as Breuer & Holcomb (proprietors, Poplar Bluff Foundry & Machine Shops) until Holcomb bought out Robert Breuer Sr. in January 1909. The plant was destroyed by the tornado of May 9, 1927 and rebuilt that year in reinforced concrete on the same site; it continued as Holcomb Machine Works, heavy hardware and industrial supplies, until the death of Frank Holcomb in 1957.
Name History
1
Breuer & Holcomb, Poplar Bluff Foundry & Machine Shops
1906–1909
Partnership of Robert Breuer Sr. and W. A. Holcomb; Holcomb bought Breuer’s interest in January 1909.
2
Holcomb W.A. Foundry & Machine Works
1909–1927
W.A. Holcomb sole owner; plant at 623 South Fifth destroyed by the May 9, 1927 tornado.
3
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Works
1927–1950
Rebuilt in reinforced concrete at 623 South Fifth; listed in the 1931 directory.
4
Holcomb Machine Works
1950–1957
Heavy hardware and industrial supplies under Frank Holcomb; documented in the Daily American Republic, December 31, 1954.
Related Historic Sites
Holcomb W.A. Foundry & Machine Works — Original Plant
623 S 5th
Foundry and machine shop operated by W. A. Holcomb, destroyed by the tornado of May 9, 1927 and rebuilt on the same site.
Lost
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Works — Rebuilt Plant
623 South 5th Street, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Reinforced-concrete foundry and machine works rebuilt by W. A. Holcomb on the site of the plant destroyed in the 1927 tornado, and operated at 623 South Fifth Street into the 1950s.
Standing
People Connected
These connections were automatically identified by AI from historical records and have not yet been verified. They may be inaccurate or incomplete. They are shown for research purposes and will be updated as they are reviewed by our archivists.
Details
- Address
- 623-627 South Fifth Street, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
- Owners / Operators
- William Allen (W.A.) Holcomb (founder, to 1940); Frank Hoysardt Holcomb (1940-1957); Robert Breuer Sr. (partner to 1909)
- Era Active
- 1896-1957
City Directory Appearances
Auto-matched by name — this business listed in city directories over the years.
Holcomb W A
623 S Fifth
1911
Holcomb W A Foundry and Machine Works
623-627 S 5th
1926
Holcomb W A Foundry and Machine Works
623-627 S 5th
1926
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Wks
623
1931
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Wks
623 S Fifth
1931
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Wks
623 S Fifth
1931
Holcomb Foundry & Machine Wks (W A Holcomb) Foundry and Machine Shop
623 S Fifth
1931
Successor To Breuer & Holcomb
623 S. Fifth.
1910
W. A. Holcomb
623 S. Fifth.
1910
Holcomb Wa
623 s 5th
1910
Sources
Poplar Bluff city directories, 1906, 1908, 1909-1910, 1911, 1926, 1931
Poplar Bluff Republican, January 28, 1909
Daily American Republic, May 10 & 13, 1927; May 9, 1928; December 31, 1954; March 4, 1957
Weekly Citizen Democrat, June 9, 1949
Extracted From
Holcomb W.A. Foundry & Machine Works
Machine-extracted from a verified source. Facts are as stated in the source.