1937: CONSTRUCTING THE TERNSTEDT DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS

When I began working in the bearing industry in 1952, it was still known as the Ternstedt Division of General Motors, It began as Ternstedt, changed to Eastern Aircraft during WWII, then back to Ternstedt, then Fisher Body. It was a sad example of American industry being upstaged by cheaper imports and unreasonable operating costs.

1946: TERNSTEDT DIV. OF GENERAL MOTORS EWING

"Gentlemen, start your engines!"

Ahh yes, I remember it well. Parkway Avenue in the area of the late lamented General Motors plant was no place to be whether in an auto, on a motorcycle, and especially on a bicycle. When the quitting bell rang ending another day of making hardware for GM cars, all hell broke loose as the employees raced to the gate, and continued racing eastward on Parkway Avenue. We all stayed away from GM at closing time.

1938: Ternstedt Division fo General Motors in Ewing

BACK IN 1938, THE LOCAL PRESS WAS ALIVE WITH ARTICLES AND PHOTOS ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HUGE GENERAL MOTORS PLANT ON PARKWAY AVENUE. REMEMBER ALL THOSE GLASS BRICKS ON THE WALLS OF THAT NOW DEMOLISHED FACTORY?

Ewing's Eastern Aircraft

During World War II, I remember with with remarkable clarity the daily flights over my Hartley Avenue home. They flew so low, one could see the pilot in the cockpit as he flew over our house testing a brand spanking new Grumman "Avenger" from the assembly line at the Parkway Avenue facility.