HwBoro Rockwell / Kooltronic Brief (2021)

Property Brief: Smith / Rockwell / Kooltronic, 57 Hamilton Ave., Hopewell
The Smith/ Rockwell / Kooltronic manufacturing facility at 57 Hamilton Ave. in Hopewell Borough began as the Smith Novelty Co. and then H. A. Smith Manufacturing Co. (1900 – 1945), but is best remembered under the name of Rockwell (1945 – 1974), which was a major employer in Hopewell. The site was then used by Kooltronic (1975 – 1999), and since has been used for office space and storage.
1900 – Hugh A. Smith arrives in Hopewell and starts the Smith Novelty Co.
c1903 – Moves to first factory, in what is now the parking lot across Somerset from the facility
1915 – Incorporated as the H. A. Smith Manufacturing Co., Inc.
1927 – Builds the first part of the facility in its current location, along
1929 – Sold to the Pittsburgh Equitable Meter Co., reorganized as the H. A. Smith Machine Co.
1935 – New addition towards Lafayette
1945 – Parent renamed Rockwell Manufacturing, facility becomes the Hopewell Division
c1950 – Three additions, Quonset Hut
1960 – Lafayette addition
1963 – Becomes Rockwell Taximeter operation
1973 – Parent merger into Rockwell International
1973/74 – Rockwell closes plant
1975 -1999 – Kooltronic
1990s – Site contamination, remediation
2000s – Office space and storage
Tag – HwBoro
File – 2021-HwBoro-Rockwell-Kooltronic-Brief-HvHist.pdf