P&H RETIREES

Henry Harnischfeger and Alonzo Pawling founded the Pawling & Harnischfeger Machine and Pattern Shop in 1884. In its early days, P&H built carving machines, brick-making machines and a special device called the poppet valve governor, designed for use on slide valve steam engines by Bruno Nordberg (who later founded the Nordberg Manufacturing Company). Another future industrial giant, the E.P. Allis Company - later Allis-Chalmers - asked Pawling and Harnischfeger to building the first electric traveling crane in 1887. The result was so successful that P&H became permanently associated with the crane industry. In 1903, the company established itself at the subject location with its plant designed for the manufacture of electric traveling cranes and other heavy machinery. In 1911, ill-health forced Pawling to dissolve the partnership and the name of the firm was changed to Harnischfeger Corporation, although the P&H trademark was retained. In 1915, P&H built a mechanized trencher using..

Primary location: Milwaukee United States