Exploring the Pontiac Knitting Factory.

Pontiac Knitting Factory is one of the historic yet long forgotten factories of Pontiac, Michigan. This news article will explain and explore the renown extensive history pertaining to Pontiac Knitting Factory and Pontiac Knitting Company.

Pontiac Knitting Factory operated under several names over the years such as Pontiac Knitting Company, Pontiac Knitting Co., Pontiac Knitting Mill, Pontiac Knitting Works Co, Pontiac Knitting Works, Pontiac Knitting Works Company, and Knitting Works Co.

Not too many people know this or aware but Pontiac Knitting Factory was one of the first pioneers in manufacturing of felt boots and was the first to make a full fitted mitten. Pontiac Knitting Factory set legendary trends in fashion. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20563156/)

The carriage trade was not the only big industry during the 19th century and early 20th century. The textile industry was the other big industry which dominated Pontiac. The annual product of the Pontiac Knitting Mill and Pontiac Knitting Factory amounts to upwards of $200,000 dollars yearly. 140 people were employed, to whom $4,000 per month is paid in wages. Pontiac Knitting Mill was a pioneer in the manufacturing of felt boots and was the first to make a fulled mitten. Pontiac Knitting Factory was the largest manufacturing plant in Pontiac during the 19th century and 20th century. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=16394010)

Pontiac Knitting Factory/Pontiac Knitting Works was the main industry of Pontiac and one of the leading mercantile houses of in the State of Michigan during the 19th century. (Ref: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/BAD1024.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext)

The Pontiac Knitting Works mill pond is where all the young people went ice skating during winter during the 19th century and 20th century. Ice skating was a past time leisure activity for Pontiac residents. (Ref: https://www.ocphs.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Gazette-43-2-June-2010.pdf)


Pontiac Knitting Factory and Pontiac Knitting Company was established in 1846. William Dawson was the owner and president of Pontiac Knitting Company, Pontiac Knitting Mill, and Pontiac Knitting Factory. William C. Owen (Wm. C. Owen) was treasurer. J. T. Pertelli, who had over 44 years experience in the business, was the superintendent and general manager of Pontiac Knitting Company. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16258926/)

Pontiac Knitting Works was established in 1872. “This important branch of the industries of Pontiac was established in 1872, by Mr. E. Wakeman, who started operations with two "Lamb" machines over John Pound's store. The business was continued at that place during one winter.” Pontiac Knitting Works provided and manufactured knitting goods. (Ref: https://www.genwebsite.org/oakland/documents/67FE483066FF9C0610A7BF14DDF2430AB4208D68.html)

Pontiac Gazette reported Pontiac Knitting Factory had been employing an upwards count of 350 employees by 1880. There were close to 360 employees by that year and 1881. (Ref: https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=OaklandPG18800220-01.1.5&srpos=1&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN-knitting-------OaklandPG18800220%252D01--)

“The Pontiac Knitting factory. The hands it already employs, directly and indirectly, counts upwards to 350. If the capital of some of our business men that has been forever sunk in oil, and mining stocks of one kind and another, had been diverted to other and similar enterprises there would today be no need of our sober and industrious mechanics and merchants seeking other fields of labor. Five years will make a wonderful difference in the magnitude.”

Herbert Hitchcock was an employee whom had worked at/in the Pontiac Knitting Factory for several years. He was quite known over there. “Herbert Hitchcock for several years in the Pontiac Knitting Factory, is at present at Plymouth, Indiana.” (Ref: https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=OaklandPG18830803-01.1.5&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN----------)

The Knitting Works fire was caused by spontaneous combustion at Pontiac Knitting Factory/Pontiac Knitting Works in 1886 as reported by the Pontiac Bill Poster. Spontaneous combustion caused a fire at Pontiac Knitting Factory. (Ref: https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=OaklandPBP18860120-01.1.1&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN----------)

[The Pontiac Knitting Works had a very narrow escape from destruction by fire Sunday evening. About eight o’clock the night watchman discovered a blaze in the picking room, over the boiler room, and at once sent in an alarm to the engine house. He then set the steam pump at the mill at work, and had the fire nearly out before the department could aid him. In a few minutes more the fire would have been beyond control, as an elevator near by would have acted as a chimney.

“Stub” Keys had an escape from drowning. He went down the ladder under the Pike street east bridge to break the thin coating of ice that bad formed over the hole kept open for fire purposes. He found the hole, broke the ice and made a hasty examination of the bottom of the river. By the lusty use of his lungs and a board “Stub” was relieved from his perilous position, and lost no time in getting home. The public test of H. G. Monroe’s fire alarm system last Thursday was a decided success in every respect. The apparatus consists of iron street boxes, connected with wires leading to an annunciator at the engine house, and the opening of one of these boxes drops a shutter, shows the location of the box, strikes the district in which the box is located on the tower bell, and also on the electric gong in the houses of the firemen about town, and lights the gas at Firemens’ Hall.

The expense of the system is less than half charged for the various systems now in use, and is in many ways superior to any for cities the size of Pontiac. Our competent engineer has invented and perfected this system during spare moments, and he offers to give our citizens the benefit of it at bare cost. The city fathers were more than pleased with the apparatus and at the next meeting will doubtless authorize Mr. M. to furnish his fire alarm system for Pontiac. H. G. invites the inspection of his invention by all citizens interested.]

“The Knitting Works fire was caused by spontaneous combustion.”


An unfortunate tragedy occurred on the night of July 5, 1891 when most of the contents located inside of the stock room and shipping department of the Pontiac Knitting Works were badly damaged by a fire. The fire resulted in a loss of $35,000 dollars worth of damage. The Boston Globe newspaper reported about the fire under the caption of “Fire in a Knitting Mill” on the day of  July 6, 1891. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/430686424/)

“The stock room and shipping department of the Pontiac Knitting Works, with most of the contents, were badly damaged by fire last night. Loss $35,000.”

The finances for Pontiac Knitting Works/Pontiac Knitting Factory in 1985 were as follows:
[Pontiac Knitting Works. Amount of stock, $100 000, paid in; real estate $,15. 000; personal. $76,19189; debts, $10,600,’ 19; credits, $9,819.81 Shareholders; P. A, Hitchcock 6,660, C. E. Wakeman $3 330, H. B. Hitchcock 10.]

A dam was established for Pontiac Knitting Factory and Pontiac Knitting Company prior to 1896. The exact date of when this dam was established is unknown. (Ref: http://www.pontiac.mi.us/departments/community_development/docs/1896_Plat_Map.pdf)

Pontiac Knitting Works got entailed in a lawsuit called Pontiac Knitting Works Co. Vs Hubert Heitsch in 1898. Pontiac Knitting Works claimed injury to its mill pond by reason of Hubert Heitsch filling in his property which bordered on the Clinton River. An injunction was secured and Hubert Heitsch filed a demurrer to the bill of complaint. The demurrer was held. Pontiac Knitting Works changed hands several times since the lawsuit was instituted, settled their difficulties and the Hubert Heitsch matter is disposed of, but still remained in court. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118578914/)


In summer of 1900, City of Pontiac sought out an injunction against Pontiac Knitting Works Company over mineral rights and property rights. The City of Pontiac had declared their mill pond to be a nuisance and a danger to public safety. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119371847/)

During the middle of June 1900, the City of Pontiac decided to experiment with a street sweeper in an effort to clean the streets. The City of Pontiac Pontiac Knitting Company’s company’s mill pond and mineral rights. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119371847/)

“Pontiac is now experimenting with a street sweeper. It has been decided that the sweeper is the best means of keeping the streets clean, inasmuch as the city does not dare wash the refuse from the street into the river on account of the injunction held over the head of the city by the Pontiac Knitting Works Co. Although the matter has been up for settlement for several weeks and the city has expressed a desire to purchase the knitting company’s mill pond and rights, the end seems no nearer in sight.”

“The proposition to bond the city for $20,009 for the purpose of purchasing the mill pond in Clinton river of the Pontiac Knitting Works Co. will also be submitted at the same time.”

(Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119385043/)

An interesting injunction case was by the City of Pontiac against Pontiac Knitting Works Company over mineral rights and property rights in August of 1901. This resulted into the injunction case called Pontiac Knitting Works Co. vs. the City of Pontiac.  Detroit Free Press reported about the injunction in a news article with the heading of “INTERESTING CASE. Injunction Brought by the Knitting Works Company.” on August 10, 1901. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119562776/)

“The injunction case of the Pontiac Knitting Works Co. vs. the City of Pontiac was taken up in the City Court yesterday. The suit is but one chapter of a controversy that has existed between the city and the owners of the mill pond in the heart of the city for nearly fifty years. In May of 1900, the officials decided to quietly flush the Saginaw street pavement. Previous to that there had been a great deal of trouble over the matter of bridges, and the city entered into an agreement with the Knitting Works Co to avoid one injunction suit. Last year it was proposed to buy the mill pond and the rights of the Knitting Works Co. but the measure failed to find the required two-thirds suit at a special election called for that purpose.”

A resolution carried authorizing the city to borrow needed funds for constructing the bridge over Clinton River on Water Street was carried out in 1901. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119556995/)

The Pontiac Knitting Company was organized in 1902, with Mr. Dawson as president, succeeding the Pontiac Knitting Works Company. Under the firm hand of Mr. Dawson and the management of J. D. Partello, a fine business is carried on, employment being given to 140 employees of both sexes. Pontiac Knitting Company kept operating despite the injunction suit imposed against them by the City of Pontiac. (Ref: https://archive.org/stream/biographicalrec01compgoog/biographicalrec01compgoog_djvu.txt)

A part/portion of the Clinton River was filled in 1903 after the injunction case of Pontiac Knitting Works Co. vs. the City of Pontiac was settled. The City of Pontiac considered the mill pond to be a nuisance and a danger to public safety. A 40 foot wide channel was erected between Saginaw Street and the Water Street bridges as the rest of the river bed was filled in. Water Street had been closed for 2 years because of the wooden bridge was deemed unsafe. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118572291/)

“The Pontiac Knitting Co. have a force of men at work making a channel to Clinton River between the Saginaw and the Water street bridges. The channel is to be forty feet wide and the rest of the river bed will be filled in. This is in accordance with the contract between the city and the Pontiac Knitting Co. to get rid pf the mill pond nuisance. A force of men is also at work building a cement arch bridge over the river at Water street. The street has been closed for two years because of an unsafe bridge.”

The line of the channel of the pond, between Pike Street and Water Street, was established after an agreement was made between the city and Pontiac Knitting Co. and Pontiac Knitting Factory in 1903. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118593817/)

The Pontiac Knitting Works Company has offered to help clean out the Clinton River between Water Street and Saginaw Street in 1903. The city of Pontiac had dumped in refuse to the line. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118568063/)

“A special meeting of the council will be held this week to consider the matter of cleaning out Clinton river between Water and Saginaw streets. The Pontiac Knitting Works Company has offered to do the work for $350, but the offer was considered rather indefinite.”

Water in the Clinton River and the mill pond is so low that the Pontiac Knitting Works Co. resorted to using steam power in 1903. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118559267/)

“For the first time in a long period the water in the Clinton river and the mill pond is so low that the Pontiac Knitting Works Co. is obliged to use steam power. This leaves a great portion of the filth of the river and the pond exposed to the sun and what will happen a little later is the question which bothers residents in the vicinity of the mill pond. It is also expected that the low water will help the city in its condemnation proceedings to secure permission to build a bridge of thirty-eight feet span across the river at Water street. The company demands that the bridge lie of ninety feet span.”

At first the City of Pontiac did not want to construct a bridge for Water Street over Clinton River. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118289670/)

“The city is again in difficulty over the proposed bridge on Water street. The Pontiac Knitting company, which controls the water rights in the river, has refused the city permission to construct a bridge of thirty-two feet span and states that if condemnation proceedings are begun their rights of ownage will protect them, on the other hand, the company has an injunction granted years ago which prevents the city from narrowing the span of the bridge. The council several weeks ago voted to award the contract. The contract has not been signed and the contractor has taken no steps to proceed with the work owing to the controversy.”

The Water Street bridge was rebuilt in 1903 despite Water Street being closed to traffic for more than a year because of an injunction held by the Pontiac Knitting Works company against the City of Pontiac restraining the narrowing of Clinton River at less than 90 feet. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118564779/)

“The Water street bridge is to be built at once. The street has been closed to traffic for more than a year because of an injunction held by the Pontiac Knitting Works company against the city restraining the narrowing of the river at that point less than ninety feet. The bridge the city will build will be thirty-two feet wide and the city will pay the company $400 for cleaning a channel thirty-two feet wide between Water and Pike streets. The condemnation proceedings brought by the city to get the needed land will be dropped.”


A tragedy occurred at Pontiac Knitting Factory and Pontiac Knitting Company when a fire blaze destroyed the mill factory complex on the night of February 8, 1907. This resulted in a total loss as the fire burned down everything. The fire caused a loss of about $40,000 dollars to the Pontiac Knitting Company mill factory. The origin of the fire was unknown. Detroit Free Press reported about the fire blaze in their newspaper under the caption of “FACTORY IS TOTAL LOSS Pontiac Knitting Co. Loses $40,000 in Fierce Blaze; Well Insured.” in 1907. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118694844/)

[Fire caused a loss of about $40,000 to the Pontiac Knitting Co. tonight. One warehouse, tilled with finished goods for the coming season's trade was insured. On stock is estimated at $33,000, and S. G. Jacobs, a member of the firm, lost $3,000 in personal property which he had stored in the structure. The loss on the building is about $5,000. The insurance will cover about 50% per cent of the loss. Jacobs's goods wore not Insured. The building, which was 200x50 feet, was sheathed with iron, so that the work or the firemen was very difficult. The origin is unknown.]


The Pontiac Knitting Company began reclaiming land around the mill pond to build a garage on the newly acquired real estate land they had purchased in 1912. The new department gave employment to 40 men. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119035712/)

All of the machinery belonging to Pontiac Knitting Company and Pontiac Knitting Factory was put up for sale in 1913. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZNAAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA9-PA181&lpg=RA9-PA181&dq=%22Pontiac+Knitting%22)

Pontiac Knitting Factory dammed up Clinton River to use the flow for industrial purposes thereby creating the mill pond on the southern end in 1916. The Pontiac Knitting Mill was closed in 1919 and the dams were removed thus eliminating the mill pond. Pontiac Knitting Factory closed in 1919 during the 1919-1920 fiscal year. (Ref: https://ulidigitalmarketing.blob.core.windows.net/ulidcnc/2017/12/TAP-Report-2013.pdf)


Pontiac Knitting Factory was located at North Mill Street and East Lawrence Street, Pontiac, Michigan, US 48342.