Dodge Manufacturing Company

Established in 1878 by Wallace Dodge as a small sawmill and factory, the Dodge Manufacturing Company produced wood hardware specialties, wood-split pulleys, and later, power transmission devices. In 1881, a year after the company was incorporated, the frame buildings were hit by lightning and destroyed. The immediate rebuilding phase between 1881 and 1888 resulted in many of the one- and two-story buildings on the current site. The decision in 1884 to manufacture only the Dodge Independence Wood Split Pulley was a huge success. In 1886, Dodge perfected a system of power transmission devices that ran on manila ropes. By 1890, the complete line of Dodge power transmission equipment was sent all over the United States. Dodge furnished the immense power supply for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. By 1902, Dodge Manufacturing Company took up nearly 65 acres of ground with its 40 buildings, and branch companies were established elsewhere in the U.S. Dodge was eventually purchased and became a division of Reliance Electric Company in 1967. The factory was closed in 1999 and reopened with new owners and operated under the name of RMG Foundry. The factory eventually closed for good in 2006.

For more information about historical Mishawaka, visit: Mishawaka Museum | The Princess City