Although no one in my family ever worked for Ford, several of my high school buddies' fathers did, as well as several of our neighbors on Skyline Drive while I was growing up.
The Ford plant was a huge part of Lorain's heritage. Together with the steel mill, the shipyards, Thew Shovel, and various other industries, it defined Lorain as a working man's town. That's why it's still so distressing to drive down Baumhart and look over the closed plant (although it's enjoying some success being redeveloped as an industrial park).
Nevertheless, the former UAW Local 425 Union Hall still sits across from the former plant. It's the subject of today's vintage
Journal ad from November 30, 1963 announcing its grand opening dedication (
below).
Today the hall serves the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America Local 2192. Here is the
link to its Facebook page.
Here's my shot of the hall from over the weekend.
