At it's peak, over 1,350 people worked for the Wadsworth Watch Case Company

Wadsworth, 1922	An aerial view of the Wadsworth plant, 1893	An aerial view of the Wadsworth plant, circa 1901
A contemporary account of Wadsworth is here.

 

In the 1937 Flood, 8 feet short of the crest.
From a Facebook post by Carole Winters

Understand the pocket watch industry was such that you could, and often did, buy the watch and the watch case separately. Wadsworth Watch cases can be really beautiful examples of quality of their workmanship; don't miss the examples of them we have.

Wadsworth would eventually expand their line of watch cases into also making cigarette cases, compacts, tie bars, and cigarette lighters.. We've found some really beautiful examples of the quality of their workmanship; don't miss them.

Wadsworth Watch Case Company, Dayton	Wadsworth Watch Case Co., 1948

 

Likely the same scene as below. We have no idea what they're honoring/celebrating.
From a Facebook post by Carole Winters

 

Wadsworth
from a Facebook post by Barbara Sparks Rawe, of a Tharp Dayton Heritage Museum image.

 

Ad from Wadsworth, 1893	Read all about J.A. Wadsworth himself.

1902 ad

A small chart of Wadsworth employment statistics thru the Great Depression is here.

You weren't allowed to wear pants with cuffs and work at Wadsworth. There was a concern about specks of gold dust accidently being carried away.

There's a site here with a little more history of Wadsworth, plus a collection of links to ads from the company that show various watch case designs.

The Wadsworth Band

 

The Wadsworth Basketball Team
From a Facebook post by Bary Lusby

In its March, 1950 issue, In Kentucky Magazine ran a feature on
Wadsworth.  All of the following images are from that issue:

 The story they ran with these pictures is here.

For the second World War, Wadsworth converted from making watch cases, cigarette cases and compacts to making precision instruments for the war effort. Pictures and descriptions of that conversion.

If you can identify anyone in any of the above photos, please drop us an email.