John Hallwas wrote in his 1990 book “Macomb A Pictorial History” that in the early 1930’s, Macomb, Illinois was in desperate need of employment.
When the Buckeye Pottery declared bankruptcy on June 22,1938, 70 people lost their jobs. But in the following year the Buckeye plant was leased by the Haeger Company of Dundee, Illinois, which produced mixing bowls, jugs, and other stoneware.
The first pottery was drawn from the kiln on Dec.
15,1940, and the following year Haeger bought the plant.
By 1948, the company had 200 employees. By 1967, Haeger employed around 270 workers. One does not have to search far to find persons who actually worked at Macomb’s Haeger Pottery. Here are stories from but just a few: Gwynne Evans Worthington said, “I worked at Haeger Pottery usually as summer jobs around 19701972.1 was just 16 years old or so. It was a good summer job and I didn’t mind it, except that I was in the glaze room and it got mighty hot in the summer months.
It was quite common for multiple family members to work at Haeger Pottery. My two sisters, Tonna and Kim, also worked in the Haeger offices and the showroom.
My mother, Patricia Evans, worked at Haeger some 35 years, in between having her three daughters, mainly in the packing department.
The factory had a good janitorial staff and was kept clean, especially since groups of school children and women’s clubs were invited to tour the facility.
Gwynne recalls the morale being good, with occasional minor grumblings about such things as being asked to work Saturdays, etc., typical with any job.”
Paula Locke Markey recalls her mom, Marilyn “Joyce” Locke, working at Haeger Pottery: “Working at Haeger was hard work for not a lot of pay, but it helped my mom provide for our family and she was so proud of the beautiful products she helped to produce.
She could spot a Haeger piece a mile away. Every time I see a Haeger Pottery piece now I am reminded of my wonderful childhood, mom’s work ethic, and the pride she took in creating each item.
She made the best life long friends while working there. They were a wonderful work family who cared about each other. I think she worked in about every department at one time or another.”
Former Haeger Pottery worker Teresa Powell (14.5 years), has an extensive list of family members that worked at the pottery.
Her dad, George Parsano, was employed there for 16 years as a janitor and in the molding department.
Her mom, Helen Parsano, worked for 23 years in the finishing and glazing areas.
Crystal Frakes, Teresa’s daughter, also worked at Haeger as did her brother, Marty Parsano, and her nephew, Steven Parsano.
Powell remembers Haeger Pottery being like “one big family” and she loved working there. She claims if it were still open today she’d likely still be there. Powell worked on the inspection line and also in the glazing department, adding there were at least nine spraying booths and one hundred carts to set glazed products on that were waiting for the kiln. She remembers making items for Pampered Chef, liners for Crock-Pots, and even grills, in addition to the other Haeger Pottery items.
Haeger Pottery, Macomb, Illinois, shut down Oct. 31, 2004. After that date only clean-up operations were conducted. The Royal Haeger Lamp Company stayed open until closer to the closure of the Dundee parent company in 2016.
The pottery established in 1939 in Dundee started out producing bricks, then artware, Rival crockpots, lamps, Budweiser ashtrays and many, many more collectibles. The pottery is highly sought after still today.
Haeger Potteries was a victim of foreign competition that flooded the market with imitations and lower quality merchandise.
Local Union 340 was organized in 1965 under the former Potters Union. Some of the Local 340 members at the end were the same ones who had joined the first union.
A severance package was negotiated. Following the closure of the Macomb factory. The main parent company Haeger Potteries continued operation in Dundee until it closed in May 2016.
Credits: Macomb A Pictorial History - John Hallwas Teresa Powell Paula Markey Gwynne Worthington
