The Algoma Foundry and Machine Company of

Algoma, Wisconsin Algoma ( ) is a city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,243 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Algoma is part of the Green Bay metropolitan area. History The Ahnapee settlement, which eventually beca ...

began its corporate existence in 1883 as a regional manufacturer of horse-drawn

farm machinery Agricultural machinery relates to the machine (mechanical), mechanical structures and devices used in farming or other agriculture. There are list of agricultural machinery, many types of such equipment, from hand tools and power tools to tractor ...

. However, in 1920 the company started making the "OK" silo filler or stationary

ensilage Silage is fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by fermentation to the point of souring. It is fed to cattle, sheep and other ruminants. The fermentation and storage process is called ''ensilage'', ''ensiling'', or ''sil ...

harvester. Immediately following its introduction the OK silo filler became very popular with the

dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for the long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for the eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a h ...

market across the

Upper Midwest The Upper Midwest is a northern subregion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed upon, the region is usually defined to include the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wi ...

of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Sales of the OK soon made the ''Algoma Company'' a leading producer of silo fillers in the entire nation. The ''Algoma Foundry and Machine Company'' was founded in 1883 as ''A. Hamacek and Company'' by Adolph and Anton Hamacek of Algoma Wisconsin. The Company manufactured horse-drawn farm machinery for the regional market. However, on August 28, 1891, Adolph Hamacek left the

business partnership A partnership is an agreement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments or combinations. Organizations m ...

and moved to nearby

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Sturgeon Bay is a city in Door County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 9,646 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located at the bay of Sturgeon Bay for which it is named, it is the most populous city o ...

. Anton continued to operate the business alone at the building located in the 600 block of Fremont Street in Algoma until 1893, when he formed another partnership with Joseph Wodsedalek and August Ziemer. On August 6, 1895,

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

broke out at the building that on Fremont Street that served as the

Foundry A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...

's place of business. The two-story building was totally destroyed by the fire. Consequently, following the fire the business obtained new property located north of the Ahnapee River, just east of the Fourth Street Bridge in Algoma. This property was owned by John Ihlenfeld who happened to be the father-in-law of Joseph Wodsedalek. The business was fortunate to obtain this property because it was served by the nearby depot of the

Ahnapee and Western Railway The Ahnapee and Western Railway (A&W) was a common carrier shortline railroad located in northeastern Wisconsin. The railroad ran from a connection with the Kewaunee, Green Bay and Western Railroad at Casco Junction to the lakeshore terminals of ...

located just south of the Ahnapee River. Based on the new

transportation Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...

opportunities opened up by the connection with the

the foundry entered a period of business expansion as they began to serve the

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

market of the entire multi-state upper Midwest area of the United States. In 1962, the company was sold for $800,000 to Badger Northland, Inc, of

Kaukauna, Wisconsin Kaukauna () is a city in Outagamie and Calumet counties, Wisconsin, United States. It is situated on the Fox River, approximately north of Milwaukee. The population was 17,089 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Appleton, Wisconsin M ...

, a manufacturer of mechanized farm equipment.

References

{{Reflist Kewaunee County, Wisconsin Companies based in Wisconsin