1906 – Oswego Starch Factory

The Oswego Starch Factory, City of Oswego, N.Y. 1906

Kingsford’s Starch Factory, Oswego, N. Y., postmarked 1910

     Famous the world over for its production of starch, Oswego owes its wide reputation for the manufacture of this commodity to the plant at present owned and operated by the National Starch Company.  Kingsford’s Silver Gloss Starch for laundry use and Corn Starch for food have been manufactured at Oswego since 1848, and these two products are now known as household words in every country in the world.  From a small beginning a Bergen, New Jersey, in 1842, has grown up an industry of immense magnitude and Thomas Kingsford, who first invented a process for the manufacture of starch from maize, or Indian corn, was the founder of this great enterprise.  After years of careful experiment in the manufacture of starch Mr. Kingsford built a small factory and established the business under the firm name of T. Kingsford & Son. 

     

     In this little industry the long-cherished plans of its founder, a chemist of many years experience in the laboratories of William Colgate & Son, were successfully carried out.  The new enterprise thrived from the start and for several years business was successfully conducted at Bergen until, on account of better facilities for the manufacture of this world renowned product, Messrs. Kingsford & Son removed to Oswego in 1848.  New and suitable buildings were erected and the manufacture of starch was begun under the corporate name of The Oswego Starch Factory. 

The death of Thomas Kingsford occurred in 1869, the business then passing into the hands of his son, Thomson Kingsford. 

Under his direction the industry attained a marvelous growth, the buildings having been seven times enlarged and today the factory with its adjuncts covers an area of over twenty acres.  After building up the greatest starch industry in the world Thomson Kingsford died in 1900 and two years afterward The Oswego Starch Factory entered the combination of starch industries under the control of the National Starch Company.