As a disclaimer, this company is not related to City Machine Corporation, which was established in 1998 and, as of 2026, remains in business at 155 North Canal Street.
With so much machinery and equipment necessary to operate Holyoke’s diverse industries, companies were established to repair, service and/or manufacture parts to keep the machines in sound working order. Today’s story focuses on one such company: City Machine Company, Inc.
Charles Harding House was born in Rainbow, Connecticut, on June 20, 1867. He arrived in Holyoke with his family in the early 1870s. In 1888, he was listed as a machinist for the Holyoke Machine Company while residing at 38 Hamilton Street. Several years later, he was employed by the William Skinner Manufacturing Company. It was from the mid-1890s through about 1909 that he was with the Merrick Thread Company (later American Thread).
Edgar S. Ferris was a native of Peru, New York, born in 1852 and the eldest of 11 children. He arrived in Holyoke in 1878. For 9 years, he was employed by the Connecticut Lumber Company as a master mechanic. In 1887, he joined the Merrick Thread Company, where he remained until about 1909. With his insight into the workings of machinery and equipment, he used his skill to invent improved machines. His most notable work was the Ferris shaft aligner.
The City Machine Co. began in 1909 as a partnership between Charles H. House and Edgar S. Ferris, who had worked together for several years at the same thread company. The company was initially located at 90 Sargeant Street, near the southeast corner of Commercial Street. The company performed general repairs on industrial equipment, sharpened various knives, lawnmowers and skate blades, and used the Ferris shaft aligner.
In 1915, their work expanded to include automotive work, including rebuilding auto cylinders and manufacturing new pistons and rings. City Machine also performed welding and die work, pattern making, gear cutting and making electric motor bushings and iron castings.
1915 was the last year Mr. Ferris was listed as part of the company. He died in 1918, and Mr. House moved forward with the operation.
In late 1924, City Machine relocated to 362 Race Street. In 1937, Mr. House developed night-vision glasses to reduce glare from oncoming cars while allowing the driver to continue seeing the road. Mr. House died in 1947, and John Harvey Morgan and his sons purchased the business and continued it. Mr. Morgan had invented a static eliminator for the printing industry, which was sold nationwide.
In 1953, Mr. Morgan relocated the business to 18 North Bridge Street, the former long-time location of the Affleck Ruling & Stationery Company, opposite the bus barn. John Wiley Morgan and William Dwight Morgan were assistants to their father in operating the business. The business overhauled, repaired and rebuilt steam compressors in addition to their general service work.
John H. Morgan died in 1954, and his sons were now in charge of the business. In 1957, the company built a 32-by-31-foot extension to the rear of its building. Five years later, the company became the exclusive distributor for Worthington Pumps in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties under a franchise arrangement.
In April 1971, the company received another setback when William D. Morgan, the company President, was stricken by a heart attack, which ended his life. John W. Morgan kept the business moving forward, and his new business partner was his daughter, Diane Morgan, who managed the plant operation.
The business was growing, and another 4,000 square feet of floor space was added in 1972. At the time, the company was renting space on Race Street and Front Street, which enabled it to consolidate all work at 18 North Bridge Street.
The company continued its inventive streak by developing an offset plate for the printing industry in 1974. The plant had 12 skilled, highly proficient and creative machinists.
Very little information was discovered after August 1977 for this company. The business property at 18 North Bridge was sold on September 12, 1978. The Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office lists the corporation as voluntarily dissolved on January 17, 1979, so the business likely ceased operating in late 1977 or 1978.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Secretary of State, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, Boston, Massachusetts
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