Program

NYS Historic

Subject

Industry & Commerce, People, Site

Location

30 Elm St, Walden, NY 12586, USA

Lat/Long

41.559856, -74.183256

Grant Recipient

Historical Society of Walden and Wallkill Valley

The village of Walden, New York in Orange County was once known as a major manufacturing hub of knives and cutlery. However, knives weren’t the only things produced in Walden. The village was also known as an important manufacturer of textiles and clothing, thanks in part to the Tin Brook creek and the Wallkill River, which allowed for the establishment of knitting mills throughout the community.

Hiram B. Wooster, a local businessman, began working in the garment trade circa 1872 when he purchased a storefront on Main St. in Walden. Not long after, he began producing overalls, eventually growing the storefront and factory to increase output. In 1883, Wooster partnered with George W. Stoddard, and in 1887 the business partners located a suitable location to continue the businesses’ expansion: the former Walden Knitting Mills, located on the banks of the Tin Brook Creek. The factory had already served as a garment manufacturing plant and after acquiring the property the following year, the then called, “Wooster and Stoddard” business flourished, in part thanks to their signature line of “Kantrip” working clothes.

The “Kantrip Line” proved popular, garnering a jingle and other marketing ploys to draw further attention to the hardy work ware. The two-story repurposed factory served Wooster and Stoddard well, and the Walden Factories—both on Main St. and near the Tin Brook Creek—provided employment to many Walden community members, primarily woman.

Eventually, Stoddard sold his shares in the corporation to Wooster, at which point the business was reincorporated as the Wooster Manufacturing Co. It continued to operate as such until 1926, following Wooster’s death, when the business was sold. By that point, the factory where this marker sits had already been sold to another garment manufacturer.

As of 2022, the former Factory is privately owned. This marker commemorates the storied history of the clothing manufacturing business operated by Wooster and Stoddard, along with its ties to the existing structure and importance to the Walden community.