Vintage Pics of the Day

[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

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[BigLakeBob]

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[badger34]

Tomorrow will mark the 90th anniversary of my paternal grandparents hiring into the H-D Juneau Ave factory on 4-27-1934. They did not know one another at the time but later met while commuting to and from work eventually marrying in 1938. G'ma worked at the factory roughly 5 years leaving sometime after they married, g'pa continued on for 41 years retiring in 1975. The top image shows their 1934 year end wage statements and a piece of paper documenting g'pa's seniority started on 4-27-34. The bottom photo of them was taken circa 1937 at Highland Park with the Juneau Ave factory 3800 building in the background. Posted in remembrance.

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[1939wl]

Tomorrow will mark the 90th anniversary of my paternal grandparents hiring into the H-D Juneau Ave factory on 4-27-1934. They did not know one another at the time but later met while commuting to and from work eventually marrying in 1938. G'ma worked at the factory roughly 5 years leaving sometime after they married, g'pa continued on for 41 years retiring in 1975. The top image shows their 1934 year end wage statements and a piece of paper documenting g'pa's seniority started on 4-27-34. The bottom photo of them was taken circa 1937 at Highland Park with the Juneau Ave factory 3800 building in the background. Posted in remembrance.

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Badger 34,
Thanks for sharing these memories. The Motor Company went through so many issues after 1930 with the introduction of the VL, almost hanging on by a thread. not to mention the Depression still looming when your grandparents started their careers at H-D in 1934. Exciting time watching the launch of the Knuckle, and the reputation of the Motor Company coming back around in 1936. Teething pains for sure for the Motor Company, it's the people that made the difference, and your grandparents were there making it all happen. I believe you said earlier that your grandfather worked in the Experimental Lab. That has always been a very respected job, trying different cams, exhaust, strokes/flywheels, and dynoing the combinations. Very rewarding work, and such a key part of history. There was a lot of OHV development work being done even in 1934, and your grandfather would have been a part of all of that.
Have a great weekend, celebrate 4-27 !!!!

[JoJo357]

Thank You Badger for sharing this. Please enjoy your precious memories today.

*M.A.D.*

[badger34]

Thanks for the kind words above. I don't know what job position my G'pa Joe hired in at in 1934 but by 1938 I know he was in production testing. The earliest I can place him in experimental would be 1945 when he was one of four men taking part in a long distance trip from Milwaukee to Arizona and back testing hydraulic fork assemblies. My grandmother worked in the electrical dept along with her cousin Mary who I assume also hired in at roughly the same time in 1934 along with my g'pa's cousin Joe a machinist and my great grandfather George who worked at the factory for about 20 years before retiring in the mid-late 50's and was an inspector in the stamping dept at that time.

One of the stories I'm thinking of today is of my grandmother telling me that if she had a working position near one of the south facing windows that she could watch my g'pa riding cycles in an out of the factory campus for short runs as part of production testing.

This is a picture thread so I'm including a photo below from the 1939 booklet Let's Visit the Harley-Davidson Factory. The pic is found on page 25 and shows production testing, my g'pa is the fourth man in from the right crouched at the front wheel of a cycle.

Lets visit H-D pt25.jpg

[1939wl]

Thanks for the kind words above. I don't know what job position my G'pa Joe hired in at in 1934 but by 1938 I know he was in production testing. The earliest I can place him in experimental would be 1945 when he was one of four men taking part in a long distance trip from Milwaukee to Arizona and back testing hydraulic fork assemblies. My grandmother worked in the electrical dept along with her cousin Mary who I assume also hired in at roughly the same time in 1934 along with my g'pa's cousin Joe a machinist and my great grandfather George who worked at the factory for about 20 years before retiring in the mid-late 50's and was an inspector in the stamping dept at that time.

One of the stories I'm thinking of today is of my grandmother telling me that if she had a working position near one of the south facing windows that she could watch my g'pa riding cycles in an out of the factory campus for short runs as part of production testing.

This is a picture thread so I'm including a photo below from the 1939 booklet Let's Visit the Harley-Davidson Factory. The pic is found on page 25 and shows production testing, my g'pa is the fourth man in from the right crouched at the front wheel of a cycle.

Lets visit H-D pt25.jpg

Hello Badger34,
I have looked at that same photo many times over the years. I have owned a 1939 Harley for 45 years, purchased from the original owner who bought it new from Ray Tursky in Madison, WI. I had no idea who that fellow was crouched at the front wheel of bike #4.......now I do ! Thanks again for sharing your family history, and celebrate today March 27, 90 years is quite a milestone.

[badger34]

1939wl, nice score to be second care taker of machine sold out of Ray Tursky's.

I thought I'd be out for a ride this morning but the weather isn't cooperating at the moment so I'll get out in just a bit when things improve some. I'll share one more story and photo this morning. In 2010 I took part in a H-D Museum event that had 20-30 riders leave out the H-D Juneau Ave factory campus, head up to the Kettle Moraine area and return. After completing the ride I drifted off alone by the old factory garage with emotional thoughts running though my head when one of the other participants (the only other AMCA member) walked up beside me, put his arm around me and said " I don't think this experience today could have meant more to anybody other than your self, riding out of the old factory and returning here just like your grandfather had thousands of times" and that's when tears began to roll. My g'pa passed just after my 18th b-day and we lived in separate states for the last 6 years so I never had the opportunity to have man-to-man adult conversations with him about his life and career, I think that's a large part of why I've been researching H-D and Wisconsin motorcycling history as vigorously as I have for the past 15 years.

So I'll leave with posting the pic below, this is captured from a 1978 8mm home movie filmed when I was 15 years of age and riding a H-D solo for the very first time. The cycle is our family's 1956 ST 165 bought new through the H-D front office and still owned by me today, and that's my G'pa Joe standing in the background.

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[JoJo357]

A shame You didn't get those intimate conversations with Grandpa, but who knew at that early age it would be so vital to our existence. Your family history with the Motor Company would be worth someone's right arm! Again, this is priceless~thank You again Badger.

*M.A.D.*

[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

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[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

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[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

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[BigLakeBob]

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[BigLakeBob]

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[Skirted]

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What a classic shot this is. If its in the raw and not from a movie or staged these guys and gal are just plain cool in the truest sense.