Endicott-Johnson (NY) (Images of America) [Paperback]

Ed Aswad (Author), Suzanne M. Meredith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2003

The Endicott-Johnson Corporation emerged from the modest Lester Brothers Company, manufacturers of boots and shoes, that began in 1854. It was created through the tenacity and vision of great American entrepreneur George F. Johnson. Johnson rose from abject poverty to ownership of one of the largest shoe industries in the world. The village of Endicott was built by Johnson c. 1901, and the Triple Cities of Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott made up a classic shoe town USA. At its peak, during the 1920s and 1930s, EJ employed twenty thousand people. The monumental impact of corporate policies on life and the local landscape survived long after company doors closed. ÝÝEndicott-Johnson combines nostalgia, insight, stories, and memories from area residents. This volume offers a comprehensive view into the lives of early-twentieth-century factory workers and the men who guided the corporation into the annals of industrial history. The EJ brand of ìwelfare capitalismî resulted in a company town where employee benefits nearly overshadowed the making of shoes and where intense loyalty to the company still exists. Revolutionary labor-relation policies and a benevolent relationship between corporation and community made EJ an example of a ìsquare dealî business. ÝÝ

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Historians Ed Aswad and Suzanne M. Meredith have authored a number Arcadia titles, including Broome County: 1850ñ1940, Binghamton, and Broome County in Vintage Postcards. Both authors have ties to EJ. Aswadís ancestors arrived in America specifically to work in the Binghamton shoe industry in the late 1890s, and Meredithís grandfather George Rose was a butcher in the EJ market.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (August 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738513067
• ISBN-13: 978-0738513065
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,511,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story on authentic business hero, August 22, 2005

By 

John Oloughlin (Newberg, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Endicott-Johnson (NY) (Images of America) (Paperback)

I grew up in area where Endicott-Johnson began and prospered under true visonary Geo F Johnson. Didn't appreciate at that time

what a outstanding job Johnson did in developing not only

a huge shoe manufacturing business but the great benefits

he provided to the workers, as well the wonderful parks,

golf course, etc he provided to not only the EJ workers but all residents

of the area. Inspirational. We need today in particular such

leadership and vision.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars EJs, July 11, 2011

By 

D. A. Wasneechak (Gorham, ME United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Endicott-Johnson (NY) (Images of America) (Paperback)

This is a must buy for anyone who worked or had a relative work at EJs. Kept scanning the pictures for my grandparents. This brought back lots of memories of waiting outside of the factory for my grandfather and riding the carosel hundreds of times at the West Endicott Park.