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The Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building was the original
Harley-Davidson's first location was a backyard shed where William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson built three motorcycles in 1903. Arthur Davidson's father was a cabinet maker and he constructed the shed in the Davidson backyard: it was . In 1904 the shed size was doubled with an addition and the fledgling company produced 8 motorcycles. In 1905 the shed size was doubled again with another addition. By the end of 1905 Harley and Davidson applied for and received a loan to build a factory. They purchased land at what is now Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began constructing the 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue). The first Juneau Avenue plant was .
The original factory was at the current location of Harley-Davidson's corporate headquarters. In 1906 the company produced 50 machines in their new factory.
The building was continually expanded to meet the demand with construction occurring often. The company also rented factory space in other Milwaukee locations. The demand for Harley-Davidson motorcycles was growing each year: In 1909 they produced 1,149, motorcycles, in 1911 5,625, in 1912 3,852, in 1913 12,966. Motorcycles were produced at the original location from 1903 to 1973.
By 1909 the machine shop occupied . The building was considered modern in 1909 but by 1913 it was inadequate based on the increased demand for Harley-Davidsons. The company razed the structure from April 17 to 23, 1913, and began building a larger factory which would be open by June 1913. In 1913 ''Motorcycle Illustrated'' published an article on Harley-Davidson constructing their 8th building on the property. It was a 6-story structure with of floor space designated for the machine shop and the building was . The structure was built at a cost of US$100,000.
The original 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building site was added to the
File:The original 1903 Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory.png, The original 1903 Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory
File:Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building with entire staff 1907.jpg, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building with entire staff 1907
File:1910 Sanborn map of Harley Davidson factory.jpg, 1910 Sanborn map showing the Harley Davidson factory
File:Harley-Davidson ad Altoona-Mirror-Apr 15, 1913-p-9.jpg, Harley-Davidson ad Altoona-Mirror Apr 15, 1913
File:1917 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building- Assembling Room.jpg, Assembly room 1917
File:Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Machine used for making tool steel roller bearings.jpg, 1917 making roller bearings
File:1917 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building - Manufacture of side cars.jpg, 1917 Harley-Davidson sidecars
File:Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building - Gear shapers and gear hobbers working on transmission parts.jpg, Gear shapers and gear hobbers working on transmission parts. In the plant of Harley Davidson Motor Co 1918
File:Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building electrical box with 1903.jpg, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building electrical box with 1903 date
File:Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building original site.jpg, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building - now Harley-Davidson offices
The Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building was the original Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
motorcycle factory constructed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
, in 1906. The factory was located at what is now 3700 W. Juneau and it was regularly expanded with additions in the early 1900s. It was added to National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
on November 9, 1994.
Background
Harley-Davidson's first location was a backyard shed where William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson built three motorcycles in 1903. Arthur Davidson's father was a cabinet maker and he constructed the shed in the Davidson backyard: it was . In 1904 the shed size was doubled with an addition and the fledgling company produced 8 motorcycles. In 1905 the shed size was doubled again with another addition. By the end of 1905 Harley and Davidson applied for and received a loan to build a factory. They purchased land at what is now Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began constructing the 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue). The first Juneau Avenue plant was .
Design
The original factory was at the current location of Harley-Davidson's corporate headquarters. In 1906 the company produced 50 machines in their new factory.
The building was continually expanded to meet the demand with construction occurring often. The company also rented factory space in other Milwaukee locations. The demand for Harley-Davidson motorcycles was growing each year: In 1909 they produced 1,149, motorcycles, in 1911 5,625, in 1912 3,852, in 1913 12,966. Motorcycles were produced at the original location from 1903 to 1973.
By 1909 the machine shop occupied . The building was considered modern in 1909 but by 1913 it was inadequate based on the increased demand for Harley-Davidsons. The company razed the structure from April 17 to 23, 1913, and began building a larger factory which would be open by June 1913. In 1913 ''Motorcycle Illustrated'' published an article on Harley-Davidson constructing their 8th building on the property. It was a 6-story structure with of floor space designated for the machine shop and the building was . The structure was built at a cost of US$100,000.
The original 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building site was added to the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society (officially the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a state agency and a private membership organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of N ...
Register of Historic Places on January 1, 1989, and added to the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
on November 9, 1994.
References
{{coord, 43, 02, 46, N, 87, 57, 36, W, type:landmark_region:US-WI, display=title Wisconsin Historical Society National Register of Historic Places in Milwaukee Harley-Davidson Buildings and structures in Milwaukee 1906 establishments in Wisconsin