What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

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FangKC
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What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by FangKC »

Does anyone know what's in the former Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 7&t=h&z=16
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by loftguy »

It was my understanding that the property is part of the estate of Skip Slyster.  Heirs and related status unknown.

He was distributing steel I-beams, rebar, joists and Stihl Chainsaws and who knows what else out of the facility.  I believe he had also partitioned other segments of the facility and leased out to various enterprises.

I keep expecting his visage and pithy quotes to show up in the Star.  Kinda figured he was a guy that wouldn't let death stand in the way of his rabble rousing and politico pounding.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by FangKC »

Do you know what is in the old Ford auto plant at 1025 Winchester?

http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_view ... ISOPTR=667
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by loftguy »

FangKC wrote: Do you know what is in the old Ford auto plant at 1025 Winchester?

http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_view ... ISOPTR=667

Fang, I didn't realize this properties history as a Ford plant.  Sure appreciate you sharing these nuggets from your research.

Currently, this building is also divided up into multiple tenants.  Perhaps as many as ten.  There are distributors of fork lifts, brake components, fabricators and such occupying this property, which is actually in pretty good shape.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by NDTeve »

loftguy wrote: It was my understanding that the property is part of the estate of Skip Slyster.  Heirs and related status unknown.

He was distributing steel I-beams, rebar, joists and Stihl Chainsaws and who knows what else out of the facility.  I believe he had also partitioned other segments of the facility and leased out to various enterprises.

I keep expecting his visage and pithy quotes to show up in the Star.  Kinda figured he was a guy that wouldn't let death stand in the way of his rabble rousing and politico pounding.
Think this is true as well. Know that he has a son in the business. Probably still runs it and his other enterprises.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by shinatoo »

loftguy wrote:
Fang, I didn't realize this properties history as a Ford plant.  Sure appreciate you sharing these nuggets from your research.

Currently, this building is also divided up into multiple tenants.  Perhaps as many as ten.  There are distributors of fork lifts, brake components, fabricators and such occupying this property, which is actually in pretty good shape.
I believe it was the first automotive plant built outside of Detriot. Henry liked the centralized distribution point.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by FangKC »

The Ford plant on Winchester opened in 1909, and I think I read somewhere that it produced Model T's when it opened.  It operated at that site until 1957, when Ford moved assembly to the Claycomo plant, which started producing cars in 1956.

When it ceased operation at Winchester, it was then the world's oldest branch auto assembly plant in the world.

The Ford Motor Company's Kansas City Assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri  has been called the largest car manufacturing plant in the United States in terms of units produced.

The Fisher auto body (GM plant) in Leeds opened in 1928. GM operated the plant there until 1987.  GM finally sold the plant in 1993.

After World War II, GM purchased the North American Bomber Plant in Fairfax and converted it to car production. It operated at that plant until 1986, when Fairfax auto plant No. 2 opened.  On August 23, 2005 the Fairfax facility built its 10 millionth car.

At one time, Missouri was second only to Michigan in automotive-related jobs.

Here's an interesting article about a big strike at the Leeds plant on the Kansas City Library web site. It was significant nationally because it led to General Motors having to recognize the United Auto Workers union.

http://www.kclibrary.org/blog/week-kans ... king-chord
Last edited by FangKC on Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by staubio »

shinatoo wrote: I believe it was the first automotive plant built outside of Detriot. Henry liked the centralized distribution point.
and if you look closely at the smokestacks, you'll see the Ford logo in pale bricks.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by mlind »

FangKC wrote: The Ford plant on Winchester opened in 1909, and I think I read somewhere that it produced Model T's when it opened.  It operated at that site until 1957, when Ford moved assembly to the Claycomo plant, which started producing cars in 1956.

When it ceased operation at Winchester, it was then the world's oldest branch auto assembly plant in the world.

The Ford Motor Company's Kansas City Assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri  has been called the largest car manufacturing plant in the United States in terms of units produced.

The Fisher auto body (GM plant) in Leeds opened in 1928. GM operated the plant there until 1987.  GM finally sold the plant in 1993.

After World War II, GM purchased the North American Bomber Plant in Fairfax and converted it to car production. It operated at that plant until 1986, when Fairfax auto plant No. 2 opened.  On August 23, 2005 the Fairfax facility built its 10 millionth car.

At one time, Missouri was second only to Michigan in automotive-related jobs.

Here's an interesting article about a big strike at the Leeds plant on the Kansas City Library web site. It was significant nationally because it led to General Motors having to recognize the United Auto Workers union.

http://www.kclibrary.org/blog/week-kans ... king-chord
The Fairfax auto plan was built on the site of the Fairfax Airport in KCK.  It was a lovely building and had an incredible aircraft history - TWA maintenance, WWII B-52 bombers, etc. My father used to drive us there in the 1950's to look at the airplanes.  Another bit of history that is gone.

Read the information at the url below.  It also talks about other long-gone airstrips in eastern Kansas as well. Very interesting for we history buffs.

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/KS/Airfields_KS_E.htm

Also http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/KSCOLL/lochi ... w/TN05.htm

Pictures
http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_view ... OX=1&REC=4

http://www.shorpy.com/node/93

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photograph ... =&listid=3

http://www.oldbeacon.com/airports/image ... s-1-27.jpg

Good picture on ebay, but I don't know how long you will be able to see it
http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-AUTOS-FAIRFAX ... 2542397338
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

mlind wrote: It also talks about other long-gone airstrips in eastern Kansas as well.
If I am not mistaken, the airstrip is technically still there.  Someone posted a sat photo awhile back that showed most of the airstrip and taxiways and I believe someone said they still use them for taking the vehicles on their post-build test run.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by staubio »

LenexatoKCMO wrote: If I am not mistaken, the airstrip is technically still there.  Someone posted a sat photo awhile back that showed most of the airstrip and taxiways and I believe someone said they still use them for taking the vehicles on their post-build test run.
There are portions of the runway remaining but the factory has expanded to be right in the middle of the intersection of the two airstrips.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hne ... 7&t=h&z=15
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds District now?

Post by mlind »

Other than the partial Fairfax runways, the only other thing left is a sign that says Fairfax in front of the nearby fire station.  A fire fighter told me it came from the airport.
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Re: What is in the old Fisher auto body plant in the Leeds D

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Go Brotha!
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