On Monday I noticed that a large parking lot was being excavated in the center of town. I wasn't able to get out and detect after work. So Al and I arranged to meet up before work on Tuesday at 4:30am to detect the lot before anyone else got to it. Pic of us detecting by the headlights of the car. Well, neither of our luck hasn't been good lately and we didn't find a thing >{. Al decided he'd got home. I still had over an hour before I had to go home to get ready for work, so I headed back out. I hit an area they had torn up the road....again....nothing. Still had about 45 min, so I hit a park around the corner.....just digging clad. Then I got a deep hit that was hitting like an Indian, which could be feasible in the area. So I dug. In the hole I saw a disk. 
eace: I was excited, then I saw the holeand the size (quarter size) and realized it was not what I thought. I wiped off the dirt and saw the numbers on one side, but didn't make out the other. I got home cleaned it off and saw that it said Lozier Mfg. I PM'ed Al on it and he did a bit of research
Biographical Information: The Lozier Manufacturing Company of Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio brought their bicycle manufacturing business to Westfield , taking over the Morse Farm on East Silver Street. Construction for the factory started Dec. 27, 1896 by contactor named Blodgett. The factory was completed in 1897 and the first product was the Cleveland bicycle. The Lozier Company became part of the American Bicycle Company that was bought by Pope Manufacturing Company in 1898. IN 1904, Colonel Pope moved all of his bicycling manufacturing to Westfield and the local factory was re-named Pope Mfg. Co. The brand names Columbia and Rambler were added in 1905. The company name changed to Westfield Mfg. Co. in 1915 and Pope and Columbia motorcycles were made in Westfield from 1914-1917.
In 1933. The company was purchased by the Torrington Company and the name was slightly changed to The Westfield Mfg. Co. In 1960, it was purchased by a corporation formed by Norman A. Clarke which renamed the company Columbia Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Columbia Manufacturing started to produce school furniture in 1953 and baby strollers. In the 1970s, it began manufacturing Yard Man lawn mowers and mopeds. It also manufactured gymnasium-training centers while still producing millions of bicycles every year.
Very cool a pre Columbia Bike thing... It was in a prk about 2-3 blocks from the Columbia Bike plant...figured it dates from 1897-1904...but have NO idea what it was for:huh:thinkingabout:? Anyone have an idea?
eace: I was excited, then I saw the holeand the size (quarter size) and realized it was not what I thought. I wiped off the dirt and saw the numbers on one side, but didn't make out the other. I got home cleaned it off and saw that it said Lozier Mfg. I PM'ed Al on it and he did a bit of researchBiographical Information: The Lozier Manufacturing Company of Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio brought their bicycle manufacturing business to Westfield , taking over the Morse Farm on East Silver Street. Construction for the factory started Dec. 27, 1896 by contactor named Blodgett. The factory was completed in 1897 and the first product was the Cleveland bicycle. The Lozier Company became part of the American Bicycle Company that was bought by Pope Manufacturing Company in 1898. IN 1904, Colonel Pope moved all of his bicycling manufacturing to Westfield and the local factory was re-named Pope Mfg. Co. The brand names Columbia and Rambler were added in 1905. The company name changed to Westfield Mfg. Co. in 1915 and Pope and Columbia motorcycles were made in Westfield from 1914-1917.
In 1933. The company was purchased by the Torrington Company and the name was slightly changed to The Westfield Mfg. Co. In 1960, it was purchased by a corporation formed by Norman A. Clarke which renamed the company Columbia Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Columbia Manufacturing started to produce school furniture in 1953 and baby strollers. In the 1970s, it began manufacturing Yard Man lawn mowers and mopeds. It also manufactured gymnasium-training centers while still producing millions of bicycles every year.
Very cool a pre Columbia Bike thing... It was in a prk about 2-3 blocks from the Columbia Bike plant...figured it dates from 1897-1904...but have NO idea what it was for:huh:thinkingabout:? Anyone have an idea?
