From Planning Mill, to Furniture Factory, to Ruins Park

From Planning Mill, to Furniture Factory, to Ruins Park

In 1870 Samuel K. Hoshour, C. Gore and J. C. Fallon established a planning mill and sash factory under the firm name of Hoshour, Gore and Company. In 1878 the firm became Hoshour, Dise and Company.

Having out grown this location they purchased a plot of ground to the rear of their original location. Their entire lumberyard was traversed by a switch from the main track of the N. C. R. R., which was hemmed on either side by lumber sheds allowing the transfer of lumber direct from the cars with the least amount of labor.

The mill, workshops, drying and engine houses were quite a distance away from the lumberyard. The two were divided by the creek, which was spanned by a bridge about 30 feet in length. This set-up was used as a precaution against fire. [picture below]

1884 calendar from Hoshour, Dise & Company

The original location of the planning mill was on the lot adjoining the Northern Central Railroad and fronting on Water Street until 1884.

It was on March 6, 1894 that the Glen Manufacturing Company, successors to Hoshour, Dise and Company commenced business. About 1920 Glen Manufacturing sold off most of their

property within the borough and relocated to just north of Glen Rock.

During 1901 Wesley Koller built a six-story building to house his Cosmo Carriage Company at 46 Water street. This was the same general location of the original Hoshour, Gore and Company planning mill in business there from 1870 to 1884.

Building of Cosmo Carriage Factory - 1901

Things appeared to be going well for Cosmo, but during 1904 the company declared bankruptcy. With the closing of the Cosmo Carriage factory in 1904, the Enterprise Furniture Company saw an opportunity to expand and they relocated their plant from Hanover street to the former carriage factory. Probably by the mid to late 1920's the Enterprise acquired the property behind their building, once home to Hoshour, Dise and Company, and later Glen Manufacturing. However, by October 1934 the Enterprise Furniture Company had filed for re-organization under the National Bankruptcy Act.

Completed Carriage Factory with Planning Mill in foreground

The Enterprise never recovered and in 1937 Tom C. Coleman bought the business and opened under the name of Coleman Enterprise Corporation. In an effort to expand, in 1937 buildings and a smokestack to the rear of the six story factory were demolished, some of which were from the planning mill and sash factory. Several new structures were built to accommodate the manufacturing of Coleman's dinning room and bedroom furniture as well as their own line of furniture called Kenbury Masterpieces.

By 1967 Coleman Furniture was having a tough time financially and the business was sold to Yorktown Kitchens, who engaged in the manufacturing of kitchen cabinets. About 1969 Yorktown stopped furniture production in Glen Rock, but maintained an outlet in various buildings, including what would become "Ruins Park", until July 1987. In 1980 Cecil Artrip bought the Enterprise property and in November 1980 proceeded to renovate the property by removing the top three floors of the six story factory and some of the buildings to the rear. Following the closing of the Yorktown outlet, the remaining buildings to the rear were demolished, with the only thing left standing was the skeleton of the building known today as "Ruins Park".

In March 2011 the owners of the Glen Rock Mill Inn, Cindy and Terry, bought the property and proceeded to fix it up as a venue to hold various types of public events, deeming it "Ruins Hall", but becoming "Ruins Park" in 2016.

Artwork (above and right) painted on the walls at "Ruins Park"

PHOTO GALLERY

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Location of Hoshour, Gore & Co. in 1876

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Glen Manufacturing - circa 1890 Backs of houses at left on Hanover street

General view of Glen Rock showing lumber sheds at lower left, planning mill in center and the future site of "Ruins Park" marked by the white box at right.

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The Glen Manufacturing Complex within the red lines Factory to right of creek and lumber sheds to left of creek

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WAITING AND WATCHING FROM COTTAGE AVENUE

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Wood props used to support the smoke stack were soaked with oil and then set on fire. When the props burned, the support was gone and the stack came crashing down in 1937.

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FUTURE SITE OF "RUINS PARK" IN YELLOW

EVERYONE ENJOYED THE SHOW

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