Connecticut Telephone and Electrical Company

 




Artist's view of plant in 1918, from the Hughes and Bailey bird's eye view.



The former Connecticut Telephone and Electrical Company building in Meriden, Connecticut, is a place that feels like a snapshot from another time. It had been years since I last stepped foot inside, but on a warm day, my companion, J, and I ventured in again, slipping in quietly like field mice. The moment we entered, the familiar layout of an old mill greeted us—wide-open spaces punctuated by rows of sturdy wooden support beams stretching from one end to the other.





As we climbed to the top floor, something unexpected caught our attention: piles of fabric strewn across the floor. It was an odd find, especially in a building like this, and it made us pause. For arsonists who haunt these forgotten places, it could have been a dream—kindling for flames in a structure largely made of wood. But, remarkably, this old mill had avoided the fate of so many others that succumbed to fire.
























What stood out, though, were the wooden crates scattered around the space. These weren’t just any crates. They were adorned with vibrant advertisements for long-forgotten food brands, a stark contrast to today’s plain plastic bins. It felt like stepping into a movie from the 1960s—one of those scenes where a background character hauls a crate of apples while the main actors deliver their lines. These relics of a bygone era, weathered but still colorful, offered a rare glimpse into a time when even something as utilitarian as a crate had character.





In the basement, we came across another relic: a massive Bigelow boiler surrounded by its network of yellow pipes. Its presence wasn’t surprising; over the years, I’ve encountered plenty of boilers from the Bigelow company, a staple of New Haven, Connecticut. Yet, this one had its peculiar charm, sharing its space with an old, oversized brown couch. The juxtaposition was strange, almost like the remnants of a forgotten lounge area in this industrial labyrinth.














































The Connecticut Telephone and Electrical Company stands as a fascinating chapter in American industrial history, showcasing the rise and fall of a pioneering business in the telecommunications and electrical manufacturing sectors.





Founded in 1893 by Ernest C. Wilcox at just 21 years old, the company had humble beginnings. Wilcox’s career launched when he hand-built and sold four telephones to the Meriden Brewery for $100. A year after establishing the company, he partnered with Burton L. Lawton, who became vice president and treasurer, while B.C. Rogers served as secretary. Initially, the company operated out of the old Malleable Iron plant on North Colony Street, which later became part of the International Silver Company.


























By 1902, rapid growth led to the acquisition of a former saddle harness factory, Chapman Manufacturing Company, on Britannia Street. On March 1, 1903, the company was officially incorporated with $36,000 in capital. Diversification soon followed. By 1905, Connecticut Telephone and Electrical was producing not only telephones and switchboards but also automobile spark coils and a variety of electrical components such as fire alarms, signaling systems, and specialized marine coils, terminals, bells, special marine box coils, distributors, signaling systems, fire alarms, covered marine coils, coil current indicators, timers, volt ammeters, and dash magento switches. By 1906, the company had become the largest manufacturer of its kind in the northeastern United States.



Advertisement for Connecticut Telephone and Electrical Company, Electrical Engineering and Telephone Magazine, December 1899, p.xv.




Advertisement for Employment for Connecticut Telephone & Electrical Co.








The 1910s marked a period of expansion and innovation. The company was among the first to create interchangeable telephones compatible with various systems, an advancement that bolstered its reputation. By 1920, the Britannia Street factory had undergone four significant additions, reflecting the company’s booming business. In 1913, it ventured into battery-type ignitions, and by 1921, it was the world’s largest producer of automobile ignitions.


























However, the company’s prominence in the ignition market was short-lived. Advances in automobile technology rendered its products obsolete, forcing a shift in focus. During World War I, the company supported the war effort by producing portable antenna field sets for the U.S. War Department and mine components for the North Sea Theater. This contribution earned the company recognition in 1920. Post-war, it pivoted to producing molded insulation, a business that was eventually integrated into the Connecticut Molded Products Corporation and later acquired by General Electric.





In 1924, Wilcox bought out Lawton’s shares and remained president until 1929, when the company was sold to the Commercial Instrument Corporation. A reorganization followed in 1938 under Great American Industries, setting the stage for another surge in production during World War II, as the company fulfilled large military contracts.




Despite thriving into the early 1950s, the company faced financial struggles and declared bankruptcy mid-decade. In 1958, a group of local businessmen, led by Carl Schultz—owner of Silver City Glass Company and Radio Station WMMW—purchased and revived the company. Under new ownership, production diversified again, with a focus on military contracts and commercial products like dial telephone intercommunication systems for offices and factories. The business endured for several more decades before finally closing in the late 20th century.

















Today, the former factory building serves as one of the few surviving reminders of Meriden’s industrial past. The four-story brick factory that once housed the Connecticut Telephone and Electrical Company now stands on the brink of a new chapter in its long history. Slated for residential conversion, the building offers a rare glimpse into Meriden’s industrial heyday—a time when the city thrived as a manufacturing hub.



In the 20th century, Meriden’s landscape was dominated by factories like this one, bustling with workers and innovation. Today, much of that industrial legacy has faded, with most of the old plants demolished to make way for modern development. This particular structure has managed to escape the wrecking ball, standing as one of the few remaining testaments to the city’s manufacturing past.








































Sources:



1. Finaly, N. (2022, July 16). Up from the Ashes: Fire at the Meriden Britannia Company – Today in History: July 16. Connecticut History.

2. (1950) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut. Sanborn Map Company, - May 1950. [Map] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn01141_005/.

3. Electronics. (1945). United States: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.

4. McKittrick's Directory of Advertisers. (1960). United States: George McKittrick. p.20

5. Popular Science. (1945, May). Popular Science, 146(5), page 230. 

6. Electrical Engineering and Telephone Magazine, December 1899, p.xv.

Location: 70 Britannia St, Meriden, CT 06450, USA

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