Name/Title
Histories, Business, Morse & Morris Carriage FactoryDescription
Waupun Historical Society Letterhead:
The Morris Carriage Factory was founded some years prior to 1876 when it was owned by J. S. Morris alone. It grew to be one of the most important in the state of Wisconsin in the manufacture of fine work. Patronage came fromm such cities as Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and from a large number of smaller distant cities.
Located on East Franklin Street, east of the Waupun depot, the buildings covered an area of 133 by 332 feet. The carriage repository was 40 by 110 feet, two stories high, and the surplus stock building, 30 by 60 feet, while the wood and iron department was housed in a building 24 by 90 feet, two stories high. There were also several other large buildings and a number of smaller ones used for various purposes. In all, a very large operation for those days. Twenty skilled and expert workmen in their field were employed. Morris' objective was not to make a large number of vehicles of a poor quality but a smaller number of only the best quality of wood and iron.
J. S. Morris was a native of Canada and a resident of Waupun since 187. Although some remodeling has been done, the large imposing Morris home still stands just one block away on the northeast corner of East Franklin and North Forest streets.
A special edition of the Waupun Leader of July 22, 1892 provided the above imfonma.tion showing J. S. Morris the owner yet a half page advertisement in the 1876 centennial directory of Fond du Lac County showed 0. A. Morse, Jr. , the owner. (see 2005.0028.0004)
What remained of the factory was destroyed by a large fire sometime in the early part of this century but no residents can recall exactly the year.