Thew Shovel Demolition

Undated aerial photo of Thew Shovel
(Courtesy Dennis Lamont)

Courtesy P. C. Campana

I guess I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the demolition of many of the original Thew Shovel buildings that’s been going on at the P. C. Campana complex on E. 28th Street since last year.

I happened to pass by it on the way home from Oakwood Park on Sunday and thought it was strange to not see the buildings that were so familiar to generations of Lorainites.

Thew Shovel is sometimes overlooked when it comes to celebrating Lorain’s glory years as an industrial powerhouse. Perhaps that’s because after a merger in 1964 the name was changed to the Thew – Lorain Division of Koehring Co.

Nevertheless, Thew Shovel was an important part of making the name ‘Lorain” known all over the world.

July 1949 newspaper ad

Anyway, I took a few photos from my car as I proceeded west on E. 28th Street. 

The intersection of Fulton and E. 28th Street

For great and poignant photos documenting the gradual demolition of the former Thew Shovel buildings, visit the always interesting Lorain365.com website.

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I did take a few photos on another Sunday morning back in 2013. I’m kind of glad I did.

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Speaking of the Thew Shovel buildings, it didn't take long for the company to expand its operations in Lorain in the early years. As this news item that appeared in the Norwalk Reflector of December 12, 1901 explains, a 100-foot extension to the shop on the west end was planned.

(Courtesy Drew Penfield)

Also, according to the May 26, 1913 edition of Industrial World, a 125 x 60 extension to the Thew Automatic Shovel works main building was being pushed to completion.