Tour the northern most mint in the United States. Open for self-guided tours daily, watch the minting process in progress along with giant gold nuggets, a 10? gold scale, authentic assay furnace, and running sluice box.

American Whistle Corporation is the only manufacturer of metal whistles in the United States... and it makes the loudest whistle in the world - 4 decibels louder than the nearest competitor.

That's why the "American Classic" has been chosen as the official whistle of the Boy Scouts of America and the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Come take our guided tour and see "American Classics" being made. You'll have some fun, see some fascinating machinery, and watch a small manufacturing company operate. Best of all - everyone on the tour goes home with a shiny new "American Classic" chrome finish whistle.

Tour talks are tailored for your age group. And all age groups are welcome, from pre-schoolers through senior citizens. On the tour, you'll: See "American Classic" whistles being made - from raw material to packaged product. Learn how a small manufacturing company operates - by seeing one in action.

See mechanical engineering at work - in one-of-a-kind machines designed and built to perform specific tasks in the manufacturing process.
Learn how a whistle works - and how sciences like aerodynamics and chemistry contribute.

Learn how a whistle can be an effective safety tool for people of all ages.

The Annie Oakley Perfumery Story
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Annie Oakley Perfumery was founded in 1980 by perfumer/entrepreneur, Renee Gabet. Her mission was to create world class perfumes right here in the American heartland. She traveled all over the world in pursuit of the finest natural perfume essences. These essences were brought back to her perfumery where she hand blended and created her very own fragrances?.and now, Annie Oakley Perfumery has sold over 2 million bottles and remains the only perfumery in the USA.

Share in the Magic?
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You will meet Renee, her husband, Charles and the Gabet family as they guide your group through their beautiful perfumery located in Ligonier, Indiana. This will be a rare opportunity to view a perfume studio and experience a world collection of natural and organic fragrances. You will learn how our company started and how fragrances are created, blended and bottled. You can also sample Annie Oakley fragrances and products, from the original Annie® fragrance, to not-yet-released products in development. Be the first to try a new Annie Oakley fragrance! We offer the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a personal fragrance just for you! (Subject to availability of Annie Oakley Perfumer) We are thrilled to be able to share the unique process of perfuming with you.

PERFUME STUDIO TOUR EXPERIENCE

History
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You will begin your tour with our enchanting story filled with fun and adventure. ?The Annie Oakley Story of how a Fragrance and its? Brand is Born.? Learn about Annie Oakley?s history, how we began and move on to a walking tour.

The Perfume Factory Tour
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View where the creative perfumery process takes place on your perfume factory tour, including the bench lab where fragrances are created and blended, and the factory where they are bottled and readied for distribution. You will experience first-hand perfumes being hand-made and have an amazing sensory experience with some of the world?s most exquisite perfume essences - including those considered rare and vintage.

Sample and Shop
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Upon completion of the tour, you will have the opportunity to sample more world class fragrances and essences, and shop our gift area. You will also have the opportunity to use your certificate(s) to purchase and take home your favorite perfumes and exotic SPA products.

Create your own Fragrance
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If time permits, one of our perfumers can create a fragrance just for you!

Antique woodworking machinery from the late 1800s and the early 1900s is used in the production of custom millwork in our main woodworking building, sawmill building and moulder building.

Ornamental iron work is produced in the blacksmith shop as well as hardware such as nails and bolts. Items necessary for repairs of our antique machinery are made in the blacksmith shop and the machine shop.

Local clays are used in the wood-fired ceramics kiln to create experimental glazes using a formula from the 1400s. The twin chamber kiln was built by students at our school using recycled bricks ? and bay mud for mortar!

The Corrina Bella, a 40 foot traditional sailing vessel, is being built as a project of our school (See Traditional Boat Building page). A flat bottomed boat, scows were used during the 1800s as the ?work trucks? of the day. When completed the Corrina Bella will offer tours of Humboldt Bay.

The skid camp is a re-creation of the old logging camps featuring a cook shack, bunkhouse and theatre. The buildings were built on sleds so that they could be pulled to the new logging sites by ox teams or steam donkeys. They were the first ?mobile homes?!

Babe and Blue are Belgian Blue oxen trained to work together in yoke. Now fully grown, they weigh 2,400 lbs. each and stand well over 5 feet tall. Thank goodness they are gentle giants!

The Bluffton Slaw Cutter Factory was opened in Bluffton, Ohio in 1915.
Local entrepreneur wanted to manufacture the 'Best Slaw Cutters and
Graters' in the US. Thus the company was started and continues to
operate continuously for the past 93 years. The blades are formed by an
'old world' process of hammering sharp, thus they wear sharp. The
building and equipment are of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The line
shaft is powered by a single antique electric motor. The product has
been distributed by many wholesalers, William Sonoma and most recently
by Cracker Barrel.

Find out how local sustainable manufacturer IceStone® survived Hurricane Sandy and has transformed 10 million pounds of waste glass into high design countertops that rival the strength and beauty of quarried stone—absent the associated environmental damage. Visitors will have the opportunity to handle the raw material, experience a cutting-edge green production facility, and take a piece of IceStone home. For details and to purchase tickets, visit http://bldg92.org/events.

The company handcrafts wood barrels, baskets and planters using equipment from the early 1900s. The tour includes a visit to the sawmill and a hoop-cutting demonstration.

BUCK. INGENUITY RUNS IN THE FAMILY.A young Kansas blacksmith apprentice named Hoyt Buck was looking for a better way to temper steel so it would hold an edge longer. His unique approach produced the first Buck Knife in 1902.

Hoyt made each knife by hand, using worn-out file blades as raw material. His handy work was greatly appreciated during World War II. After the war, Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego and set up shop as H.H. Buck & Son in 1947.

Al Buck revolutionized the knife industry in 1964 with the Model 110 Folding Hunter. The folding ?lockblade? knife made Buck a leader. A position we proudly hold today.

Hoyt and Al Buck's ingenuity may have put the company on the map. But it is our ongoing commitment to developing innovative new products and improving what we have by third and fourth generation Buck family members that have made Buck the successful knife maker it is today.
Frankly, it's what our customers expect from a Buck.

BWP Bats is located in the heartland of Pennsylvania, which is known as the hardwood capital of the world. Only the finest hardwood trees are processed into bats.

BWP Bats is a truly unique wooden bat manufacturer. Our location, state of the art manufacturing processes, and strict attention to detail enables us to provide the highest quality of bats available to the marketplace.

Our capacities speak for themselves; up to 1500 bats per week can be processed at our facilities. This allows us to offer quick lead times and is followed with dependable delivery.

BWP Bats manufactures wooden bats for professionals, adults & youths.

A special treat for Caroler enthusiasts is a trip to the Byers' Choice Christmas Gallery, which reopened in September 2000 with expanded displays and attractions. Here you can meander through festive Christmas displays inhabited by hundreds of Carolers and Kindles. You can also watch our artisans handcrafting your favorite figurines from the observation deck, or shop in the Gift Emporium which offers the widest variety of Byers' Choice products anywhere. A special figurine, available for purchase only at the Emporium, is offered as a token of thanks to our visitors.

The Columbus Washboard Company is proud to be the last remaining Manufacturer of genuine Washboards in the USA. Our company was founded in 1895 in Columbus and remained in the Grandview area until it was purchased by an investment group in Logan in 1999. The complete factory was moved to the old shoe factory in Logan just 50 miles south east of Columbus, in June of 1999.

We welcome tourists to our factory daily for an informal 30 minute tour. We still have in our facility all of the old machinery and presses that have produced our washboards for 109 years. During their walk back in time, guests find the old machinery fascinating. We can all be thankful that we no longer have to rely on doing our laundry the old fashioned way.

Our soldiers presently deployed overseas are learning how to do their laundry the old-fashioned way, we have sent over 4,000 washboards to Iraq and Afghanistan so far. We also include a full kit of laundry items, washtubs, clothes-line, clothes pins, soap and of course instructions are included in their packages. Judging by the wonderful letters we receive, our kits are very popular with the troops. View the Worlds largest Washboard attached to the building. 24'x 12'

An iron industry emerged from the abundant mineral deposits like those found at Lebanon County's Cornwall Iron Furnace, a completely preserved mid-19th-century iron making complex that cast cannon barrels used in the American Revolution.

The furnace was in operation from 1742 to 1883 and produced a variety of materials and goods, including cannon barrels used by the Continental Army in the American Revolution. So vast was the complex that it became an entity almost to itself: all the raw ingredients necessary for the smelting process were found on the plantation, and artisan shops, stores, schools, churches and village housing sprung up within the complex and around the perimeter.

Cornwall Furnace is indeed a unique survivor of the early American iron industry. Originally built by Peter Grubb in 1742, the furnace underwent extensive renovations in 1856-57 under its subsequent owners, the Coleman family, and closed in 1883. It is this mid-19th century iron making complex which survives today. At Cornwall, furnace, blast equipment, and related buildings still stand as they did over a century ago. Here visitors can explore the rambling Gothic Revival buildings where cannons, stoves, and pig iron were cast, and where men labored day and night to satisfy the furnace?s appetite for charcoal, limestone, and iron ore.

Cornwall Iron Furnace is an extraordinary example of the furnaces that dotted the Pennsylvania countryside in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it is now the only surviving intact site of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and stands as a testament to the great iron industry that once flourished in this region.

Guided tours through this National Historic Landmark will explain the history of this unique site and discuss the iron manufacturing process. Special events and lectures are often on offer as well ? check the current calendar on the furnace?s official web site.

The Great Plains Synfuels Plant appears as a massive complex of pipes, towers and buildings on the rolling North Dakota prairie. This plant is actually much more: it is part of an American dream. The 1970s energy crisis spawned a vision of greater U.S. energy independence. Abundant lignite resources underlying the North Dakota plains held promise as a vast synthetic fuel source. The Synfuels plant began operating in 1984 and today produces more than 54 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas annually. Coal consumption exceeds 6 million tons each year.

Synthetic Natural Gas leaves the plant through a 2-foot-diameter pipeline, traveling 34 miles south. There it joins the Northern Border Pipeline, which transports the gas to four pipeline companies. These companies supply thousands of homes and businesses in the eastern United States.

In addition to natural gas, the Synfuels plant produces fertilizers, solvents, phenol, carbon dioxide, and other chemicals. Carbon dioxide is now part of an international venture for enhanced oil recovery in Canada.

In 1987, we at Emerald Farm decided to make a soap with goat milk. We began with an old tried and true formula from Swiss soap makers that would incorporate all the beneficial qualities of the natural ingredients and customized it to our design.

In an effort to keep the product handmade from start to finish, a small soap factory was built on the farm. Even though the product line is ever expanding, all work is done individually and with personal care.

Our all natural goat milk soap is delicately handcrafted at Emerald Farm. Our 20 years of experience in dairy goat farming has led us to the production of this luxury product.

For almost as long as recorded history, men have regarded soap as one of man's gracious inventions. Reference shows as long ago as 2300 B.C. bathing and skin care was important. The Romans and Greeks built elaborate buildings of marble to house their baths. Soap was a precious luxury and used sparingly.

In an age where so many things are not as they appear to be, and made of artificial substances, we believe it is essential to offer a wholesome product, made of ALL NATURAL ingredients. Returning to basics is a pleasant way to renew natural skin qualities.

SAANEN SOAP is handmade from the pure whole goat milk produced on our farm. The milk is delicately blended with powder soft oatmeal and scented with natural herbal oils. The soothing qualities of our whole milk and deep cleaning oatmeal embraces your skin, leaving it clean and refreshed without artificial residues.

Milk of all kinds has been known as a rejuvenator and moisturizer of human skin. From the days of Cleopatra and her ritual beauty baths, olive oil has maintained its reputation for enriching skin beauty. For this reason, we have combined the age old secrets used by soapmakers for centuries with out all natural ingredients, creating our second bar, SAANEN SILK. This beauty bar is the combination of our whole goat milk and olive oil. SAANEN SILK gently cleanses as it enriches your skin.

Cosmetic chemists are calling goat milk "natures' liposome". These are easily absorbed into the skin, bringing moisture and restorative proteins, minerals and vitamins necessary to maintain the healthy texture of the skin.

Saanen Soap is a gentle all natural luxury product recommended for the entire family- from infants to seniors.

Tour of the GOLDEN Acrylics, Williamsburg Oils, and QoR Watercolor factory as well as the Sam & Adele Art Gallery.

Granville Manufacturing has been in continuous operation, owned and run by family businesses since 1857. We feature spruce and pine quartersawn clapboards as well as other vertical grain building materials. The old New England houses that dot the countryside are the best examples that wood siding can withstand the test of time. We invite you to tour our facility. We are located in the heart of Vermont on scenic Route 100. Come and see for yourself why we are proud to carry on a true Vermont tradition.

Our soap making business began when I tried to find a mild natural soap that would moisturize my skin rather than dry it out,? said LaRee DeFreece. ?I was looking for a soap made with one hundred percent natural plant-based ingredients and enriched with emollients.?

In late 2000, she decided to make her own soap. She had discovered that even the mildest of soaps was made of petrochemicals rather than natural ingredients. Searching the Internet, she came upon soap recipes and began testing them.

?That first recipe resulted in a soap that was truly disgusting, but I soon found one that would work much better,? she said. LaRee, a real estate attorney, had returned to college to study chemistry to become a plant patent attorney as well. She came to understand the chemistry of soap making.

She learned that coconut oil or palm kernel oil would produce a hard, long-lasting bar with a fluffy lather and that soy oil would create a stable lather with conditioning qualities.She learned that olive oil, a natural skin softener, would moisturize the skin. She found books that taught her the chemical equations for formulating soap recipes that would result in different desirable characteristics.

She researched the sources of natural ingredients, from the lye and oils that would serve as the basis for soap to the essential oils that would provide the scents. She realized that most people don?t understand the difference between essential oils derived from actual plants and manufactured synthetic fragrances.

?In searching the Web, I soon realized that, although there are a number of soap makers listed, there are only perhaps five percent that really use nothing butall-natural ingredients,? she said. ?While there?s nothing wrong with using chemicals to make soap, it has been important to me from the beginning that our soap be made completely of natural plant-based ingredients.?

At Christmas, LaRee gave bars of her soap to relatives and friends. That first soap was a mild citrus soap?with essential oils of orange, lemongrass and tangerine. It smelled great and the response was overwhelming. ?Everyone loved it so much that I thought?maybe I?ve really got something here,? she thought.

Her husband, graphic artist and marketing expert Ken Gilberg thought so, too. Together they began making soap in earnest and named the new company Herbaria. Their first commercial customer was Gilberg Perennial Farm, owned and run by Ken?s sister-in-law Cindy Gilberg. When sales proved to be quite good in 2001, Cindy suggested that they apply to participate in Missouri Botanical Garden?s Best of Missouri which features state products made and sold by entrepreneurs from Kansas City to St. Louis.

?At first, the co-chairman of Best of Missouri said that applications had already closed for the October 2002 event. I said ?let me send you a couple of bars of our soap and see how you like it?,? said LaRee. ?A few days later, she called and said ?you?re in!?

?That meant that we had to hustle,? Ken said. ?We wanted to make 3,000 bars of soap in time to take to Best of Missouri. We made it. I think we sold over half of them.?

LaRee worked about 12 hours a day during the heat of summer to make enough soap for that first major push. She was making four batches a day. Her father had made mold boxes of some beautiful old wood. ?They were works of art,? she said. ?Each one would hold 54 bars of soap, so I made the recipe batches to fit that number. I would cut the bars apart with an antique butcher knife that my great-aunt had given me.?

A week before Best of Missouri, LaRee agreed to take a new job in real estate law that would begin the day after the show. Since the new job would be very demanding, she would be unable to devote as much time to the growing soap business. Ken, with over 30 years of experience in marketing, saw great opportunity for Herbaria. He added his own touches to the products. He standardized the bar size and designed new packaging and displays. He increased sales calls to businesses in the region and soon boosted production to 30,000 bars a year.

Following the success of their sales at Best of Missouri, the two expanded their horizons. Although LaRee wouldn?t be able to be as active, she remained an important member of the team, coming up with new recipes and scent combinations. The next big customer was the gift shop at the Gateway Arch. And those sales led to more sales at other national parks. The soaps sold in the national park shops were made with a focus on the 19th century in keeping with the emphasis on both the Civil War and Lewis & Clark.

The Bug Store, a St. Louis institution with two successful locations, became a loyal customer. The Greentree Shop at the Kirkwood Public Library also became a good customer. When LaRee heard about the children?s summer reading programs at the library Herbaria gave 400 bars of peppermint soap to be used as incentives, each bar awarded for 20 hours of reading.

?At about that time, I realized we would have to make some changes in our procedures if we were to grow,? Ken said. ?We now manufacture our soaps in cubic-foot molds made of plastic lumber. After waiting two days for the soap to become solid, we cut it into loaves with special jigs fitted with guitar strings. Then the loaves are cut into bars with another guitar-string jig. The soap bars cure for two weeks and then are ready to wrap and pack.?

?The two-week curing period represents the finalization of the chemical process that transforms acids from fat and alkalies from sodium hydroxide (lye) into a salt that we call soap,? said LaRee. ?Herbaria soaps are made the old-fashioned way that retains the naturally occurring glycerin. They are super-fatted with shea butter, avocado oil, hemp seed oil or jojoba to attain an even more moisturizing quality.?

Ken has expanded the sales of Herbaria soaps to include the Missouri Historical Society and also a number of bed and breakfasts. In addition, sales from the Herbaria web site have increased to include orders from all over the United States.

?We hope to get sales up to over 60,000 bars a year,? Ken said. ?Our product line now includes a natural citronella bar, an old-fashioned lye soap bar that is great for shampooing, and a bar with almond essential oil. Lavender Oatmeal and Spearmint Orange are the top two sellers of all our soaps.?

Tours can be adapted to all ages, from preschool to senior citizen. The price for guided tours is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-16, $8 for seniors. Tour company representatives, teachers, and Scout leaders are given complimentary admission with the group. Group tour rates are $8 per adult or $5 per child

Guided tours last approximately 50-55 minutes for adults and 30-45 minutes for children. Our docents lead visitors throughout the public spaces in the factory complex, explaining the history of carousel and band organ production in the Tonawandas and the operation of this particular factory.

Tour groups view large photo murals mounted throughout the building showing the factory complex in operation in 1919, as well as the carving shop, the music roll production shop, and the Lockman Exhibit, a private collection of 20 carousel animals on loan to the museum. All visits end with a ride on either our 1916 #1 Special adult carousel or our Kiddie Carousel in the Children's Gallery.

Other amenities include a wonderful gift shop, handicapped-accessible restrooms and motor coach parking. For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact the museum at (716) 693-1885.

A $25.00 charge will be invoiced for tours which have not been canceled at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of arrival. Please plan to stay a minimum of one and one half hours, so your guests will have time to see all of our exhibits and browse in our gift shop.

Hitzer is a small privately owned manufacturing company with the family approach to marketing and service. All hitzer products are made by the Amish craftsmen who take great pride in their work. Hitzer has been manufacturing the Hitzer wood/coal heaters since 1975. Free standing stoves, fireplace inserts, radiant heaters, furnace add-ons and the qualified cook stove are all available at Hitzer

In 1995 Hitzer expanded their business by purchasing the Heller-Aller pump company which has been in business since 1886. We are the sole manufacture of the Heller-Aller deep-well windmill pumps, shallow well hand and windmill pumps, and pitcher pumps. We have a complete inventory of all parts and assembled pumps on hand.

Tour the factory, the display room and the model pet cemetery.

Where do your recyclables go? Join us to learn about recycling in Milwaukee! Discover the relationship between recycling, energy savings, waste reduction, and cost savings. This presentation and floor tour will encourage you to think about your waste in a new way. Our children's presentations include hands on games and activities. Our adult tours can also include a look at how we use solar panels and geothermal energy at our education building. Visit our website to explore our full range of programming opportunities.

Do you wonder what happens to your recyclables once you leave them at the curb? Join us for our hands-on exploration into the world of trash, recycling, and more. We have a wide variety of programs and tours that include looking at renewable energy and the recycling facility.

We offer tours and programs for youth and adults.

At one time it took four days to build a stand mixer. Today a talented work force produces hundreds of mixers every day. Take a guided tour of the KitchenAid® mixer factory and walk through the entire manufacturing process. Then, peek over the shoulder of an assembler as the stand mixer moves into the final assembly stage. The tour will leave you with a new appreciation for the way KitchenAid products are made.

Founded in 1853 by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss, Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&CO.) is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel marketers with sales in more than 100 countries. There is no other company with a comparable global presence in the jeans and casual pants markets. Our market-leading apparel products are sold under the Levi's® and Dockers® brands.

In 1873, Levi Strauss and Nevada tailor Jacob Davis patented the process of putting rivets in pants for strength, and the world's first jeans ? Levi's® jeans ? were born. Today, the Levi's® trademark is one of the most recognized in the world and is registered in more than 160 countries.

The company is privately held by descendants of the family of Levi Strauss. Shares of company stock are not publicly traded. Shares of Levi Strauss Japan K.K., the company's Japanese affiliate, are publicly traded in Japan.

The company employs a staff of approximately 12,400 people worldwide, including approximately 1,500 people at its San Francisco, California headquarters.

Levi Strauss & Co.marked its 150th anniversary with the opening of a Visitors Center, a permanent installation showcasing our history and business. The Levi Strauss & Co. Visitors Center features six museum-quality pavilions, each highlighting a different aspect of the company and its business.

Louisville Water Company (LWC) has provided a safe supply of drinking water to its customers since 1860. Our mission is to be a water industry leader in quality, customer satisfaction, and value.

Louisville Water Company (LWC) provides water to almost 800,000 people in Louisville Metro and parts of Bullitt, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby and Spencer counties. We deliver on average 124 million gallons of water per day.

The Ohio River provides an abundant source for drinking water. LWC draws water from the river at two points: the raw water pump station at Zorn and River Road, and the B.E. Payne Pump Station northeast of Harrods Creek. LWC also draws water from a riverbank filtration system at the Payne Plant. The water is treated at two locations: The Crescent Hill Treatment Plant and the B.E. Payne Treatment Plant.

Mardi Gras World invites you to take a look behind the magic of Mardi Gras on your next visit to New Orleans! Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World is New Orleans' showcase of carnival, with thousands of sensational sculptured props and breath-taking giant figures on display all year-round. Tourists are encouraged to bring their cameras and picture themselves next to King Kong, Marilyn Monroe, the giant Bacchsaurus, and thousands of other props and sculptures.

Our daily tours take you through this once-forbidden location inside New Orleans where Mardi Gras is made. You can now see Blaine Kern's artists and sculptors actually create the magical images and figures of Mardi Gras in full view of visitors throughout the year.

You know this is going to be a fun tour as soon as you arrive. Colorful Mardi Gras props, like a gigantic jovial jester, fiercely realistic alligators, and a gorgeously exciting Marilyn Monroe with skirt flying greet one and all to this amazing fantasy factory. You will even view the most awesome floats ever built for carnival - the Orpheus 140-foot triple-tandem sea monster "Leviathan" and the 240-foot quintuple-tandem "Captain Eddie's S.S. Endymion," with tens of thousands of fiber optic lights.

After a brief introduction by a knowledgeable guide and a spirited video about the history of Mardi Gras and the company, you can dress up in authentic, ornate carnival costumes. Visitors tap into their imaginations, as the ladies don sequined headdresses, gowns, and the gentlemen wear regal coats of armor, imagine yourself as a noble king or queen of the ball!

During the self-guided portion of your tour, you'll enter a maze of amazing props of all sizes. In one area, heaps of props await repair, and you'll see artists, painters, and sculptors creating before your very eyes. A 15-foot torso of the lovely and captivating Cleopatra stands nearby.

Follow the yellow arrows to next "den" (float artists' warehouse). It's a big carpentry and paint shop, where workers build and decorate sensational floats. For each "krewe" (club), artists paint each float with brightly-colored themed scenes. Gold and silver foil on the sides of the floats glisten and flutter in the breeze. The floats appear as colorful and animated as any imaginative Hollywood movie, with strings of lights tracing their outlines to illuminate them at night.

At night, the facility comes alive for the most unique parties on the planet. Conventions and groups wishing an incredible setting for an unforgettable party have their dreams come true in the spectacular home of carnival -- Mardi Gras World!

Mason & Hamlin designs and manufacturers premium world-class pianos. Renown for their tone quality and uncompromising use of materials, every Mason & Hamlin sets the bar for what a luxury American piano should be.

MAUI DIVERS STARTED IN 1958 AS A DIVE SHOP GIVING SCUBA TOURS ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI.

Your 20 minute guided tour begins with a brief stop at the exhibit area. There you will see the unique CORAL TREES in their natural state, and hear the tail of the YACHT bound for TAHITI, and how it's fateful voyage played a special part in Maui Divers' history. You will also see how our unique Jewelry Designs have evolved since 1958.

Comfortably seated in one of our many plush air-conditioned theaters you will view a short film which highlights the HARVESTING OF CORAL from the sea and the various phases of exquisite craftsmanship involved in the creation of Maui Divers' world famous jewelry. To ensure the enjoyment of your tour, our film is offered in several languages.

After the film, you'll view Maui Divers' skilled artisans and designers as they create unique pieces behind glass security panels.

Original City of Boston water pumping station.

Located in Rapid City, SD on US Hwy. 16 - on the way to Mt. Rushmore - Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold is your top destination for factory direct prices on Black Hills Gold jewelry, silver jewelry, stunning diamonds & gemstones, plus a large selection of handsome Black Hills Gold watch designs.

Over the span of 14 years, 360 miners-turned crafstmen carved a rough granite mountain into a polished Monument.

Today, in dozens of intricate steps, their descendants, our craftsmen, carry on this tradition of quality and excellence with every piece of Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold and diamond jewelry.

Unlike most jewelry, Black Hills Gold, is uniquely created by many handcrafted steps. Each piece can go through up to 40 individual stages, including design, wax, carving, casting, grinding, and polishing, soldering, cleaning, wriggling, bright cutting, and engraving.

Take a memorable FREE Factory Tour to see and learn how this historic jewelry is made. Discover the ancient process of lost-wax casting and how diamonds are cast in molten gold! As one of the area?s only ?on the floor? up close & personal jewelry tours, you're guaranteed a fun and fascinating vacation experience!

This is the only on-the-floor factory tour, so come to Mt. Rushmore Gold and Diamond factory outlet for a fascinating, free tour. You?ll actually go on the factory floor, not just stand behind a window, to see up-close how Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold jewelry is made. Our guides will take you inside the factory where you will learn about the ancient Lost Wax casting process, wax injection, burn-out, diamond setting and more.

Everyone enjoys watching craftspeople--from the first steps of design through the final polishing steps. Learn how each piece of Mt. Rushmore Black Hills gold is carefully handcrafted in processes known as wriggling and bright-cutting.

You?ll be amazed to learn how diamonds are set in molten gold. During the tour you?ll also see and learn how diamonds are laser engraved to aid in their identification in case of theft or loss.

Come to our large showroom and shop at factory direct, 30% off regular retail prices. You?ll find plenty of parking, even for large motor homes, and have a free cup of coffee.

This is fun for men and women alike of all ages. Even the kids will have fun hoping a little gold will stick to the bottoms of their shoes. It?s an experience you can?t get anywhere else and it?s FREE!

Rhyne Clock Company has become a tourism attraction in Cocke County. Under the headlines of ?Grandfather Clocks Make Tennessee Company Tick,? Scripps Howard articles have appeared in newspapers throughout the country-the Cleveland, Ohio Plain Dealer, Columbus Dispatch, Memphis Commercial Appeal, South Carolina?s The Greeneville News, Philadelphia Enquirer, and a number of papers in California. Customers are now following the interstate highway system to Newport.

?We are pleased to greet these tourists, help them select a grandfather clock and recommend motels and restaurants that will make their stay in Cocke County enjoyable,? said Patsy Williams, president of Rhyne Lumber Co.

Many former Newport and Cocke County residents have returned to visit relatives and have stopped by the clock plant bringing their newspaper articles-displaying pride in the national attention to Newport and Cocke County. Others who have family connections in Cocke County, only mentioned by parents and grandparents, seemed delighted to explore their heritage-even those who beat the revenuers out of the county in days gone by.

?We love to give the tourists our Heritage Tour brochure of Cocke County and invite them to get to know our frontier,? laughed Williams.

Rhyne Clock Company is a unique family-owned business located at Main Street in Newport. Exit

Clocks are fashioned in cherry, walnut, oak, and poplar with German Hermle movements. Rhyne Clock craftspeople fashion an assortment of clock cases. These are bought by people from around the world.

Since its opening on April 22, 1939, the SC Johnson Administration Center has been a "mecca" for tourists, architects and Frank Lloyd Wright devotees from around the world. Artists and photgraphers have captured the building's sweeping curves and geometric designs on canvas and film. And thousands of people have delighted in the spectacular "bird-cage" elevators. What began as a new office building for SC Johnson Wax has become a testament to the foresight of H. F. Johnson, Jr. and the vision of Frank Lloyd Wright. The feeling was shared by LIFE magazine when it compared the 1939 World's Fair and the SC Johnson Wax building: "Future historians may well decide that a truer glimpse of the shape of things to come than is represented by the New York World's Fair was given in a single structure built strictly for business - the Administration Building of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., in Racine, Wisconsin."

Wright decided the Administration Center to be a functional building. He studied the daily work flow and believed that the most important criteria for his designs were the people. Wright also considered the corporate hierarchy. The clerical staff had office areas on the main level, the manager's offices were on the mezzanine level surrounding the clerical staff, and the executive offices on the third or Penthouse level, over-seeing everyone below.

The Great Workroom, which covers nearly one-half acre, is the main office area. Though it has many unique features, two of the most prominent are the slim, dendriform columns which support the roof and the glass tubing which replaces conventional windows. Neither of these features had been used before.

The bricks used in the building are also unusual. More than 200 sizes and shapes of bricks were made to form the angles and curves used by Wright. Even their color, Cherokee Red, was specified by Wright. To complement the warm tone of the brick, a lighter colored Kasota stone was used as trim. And to continue Wright's idea of fluidity and movement, the mortar in the horizontal brick joints was recessed or raked out.

Johnson's interest in Frank Lloyd Wright continued and in 1947 construction began on the Research and Development Tower. The 14-floor tower is one of the tallest structures ever built where there is no visible support under the outer walls. Wright designed the Tower using the cantilever principle which is similar to the root, trunk and branch system of a tree. This design allows the tower to appear to hang, suspended in the air. The interior levels alternate round and square floor levels. Wright's intention was to allow for easy communication between floors via the "open corners." The architect again used glass tubing instead of windows to allow for even, shadowless light and to prevent any view of outside distractions.

Connecting the Administration Center to the Research Tower, is a Wright designed bridge, enclosed completely by plate glass and glass tubing. And to further ensure the comfort of the employees in the cold Wisconsin winters, he also created a system of interconnected, underground tunnels to access each building.

The genius of Wright did not stop with the design of the building. He also designed the furniture, again, to complement the work flow and needs of the employees. The now-famous three-leg chairs prompted good posture.

Although by architectural standards the SC Johnson Wax Administration Center and Research Tower are relatively new, it is the intent of the company to maintain the buildings' integrity throughout the years. In 1976 the Administration Center and Research Tower, along with their companion buildings, were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This classification assures future generations that they will be able to see the buildings as close to their original form as possible.

Natural lake ice was once a booming industry in the Poconos. Step back in time to learn how ice was "made" in the region. Watch how clear ice is manufactured today and learn how ice sculptures are made in the Sculpted Ice Works Factory Tour. Admission includes Museum and Tour: $5 per person, under 3 free. See website or call for hours.

Sculpted Ice Works is a full service ice event company and has been in business for over ten years. Our experienced design and carving team takes pride in each piece created. We have full time carvers, delivery, setup, and office staff.

Our ice carvers are members of the National Ice Carving Association. Mark Crouthamel, owner, and Neil Trimper, lead carver, are award winning carvers and each have over fifteen years experience sculpting ice.

Sculpted Ice Works creates wedding ice sculptures, seafood displays, color logos in ice, ice luges, ice bars, live ice carving demonstrations for any event, team building courses, custom designs for photo shoots, fashion show backdrops, hanging sculptures, and more.

We use only clear ice manufactured in our plant to maintain high quality. Because we make all of our own ice we can also customize the process to make variations, including freezing in objects. Computerized technology also allows us to create detailed and specific designs.

Located in the tri-state region of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, we serve a wide radius and travel nationally. Our delivery vehicles include refrigerated trucks. One to fifty sculptures or blocks can be delivered either to your freezer or on site at your event. We have the capability and experience in creating larger displays using over 100 tons of ice.

Sherline Products manufactures a complete line of miniature lathes, vertical milling machines and machining accessories.

Monthly LEAN Tour: Lean manufacturing is an integral part of the SnapCab story. Our repeatable processes, driven by lean best practices (such as 5S, Kanban, Kaizen and standard work) allow us to eliminate waste, reduce cost, ensure timely delivery, and remain highly responsive to customer needs. This enables us to provide outstanding quality at lower prices.

They manufacture some of the largest mirrors in the world. Excellent tour.

Back in 1903, the Original Stormy Kromer Cap was built with quality fabric, carefully handcrafted in the U.S. It was authentic, rugged and durable - perfect for George "Stormy" Kromer, a hard-working railroad engineer. After repeatedly losing his cap on the windy locomotive, he asked his wife Ida to make him a new one, with a snug, pulldown earband to keep it in place.
In 2001, the Jacquart family in Ironwood, Michigan, bought the company and brought Stormy Kromer to their thriving sewing factory - Jacquart Fabric Products. Today, we produce a full line of rugged American-made outdoor apparel and accessories that is sold all over the world. Our free factory tour brings you behind the scenes, and lets you see the hardworking men and women behind our iconic products.
• Tours are limited to 10 people per tour and you must make a reservation on our website. You can also call us at 888-455-2253. We encourage you to make your reservation early to secure your spot.
• Tours last approximately 45-60 minutes.
• Masks optional.
• If you are not feeling well, out of respect for our employees and other visitors, please visit us at another time.
• Tours are wheelchair accessible and kid friendly.
• Service animals are welcome on the tour.
• Remember, this is a working factory with some loud machinery on the production floor.
• Tour concludes in our Factory Store.

Sun & Earth is a 20-year old socially and environmentally-responsible natural cleaning products developer, manufacturer, and distributor based in King of Prussia, PA. The company distributes a full-line of natural cleaners through its retail partners (both brick and mortar AND online). Customers who want the convenience of at-home delivery or who are unable to purchase from their favorite, local grocery store are able to buy direct from http://www.sunandearth.com/. Local residents, or those working nearby, are also able to purchase Sun & Earth products directly from the plant.

What: Sun & Earth offers fun-filled, educational, interactive factory tours FREE to the general public and public/private organizations. The one hour visit is full of interesting sights, unique sounds, and helpful information.

When: Large and small tour groups are encouraged to schedule their visits by e-mailing [email protected]. Tours are conducted Monday thru Friday beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m. Special arrangements/considerations should be communicated in advance in order to accommodate all guests.

Where: Located 20 minutes west of Center City Philadelphia, the King of Prussia, PA plant is conveniently located near the PA Turnpike, Route 476 (Blue Route), Route 202, and Route 76 (Schuylkill Expressway).
How: The site visit consists of four educational, interactive stations. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by Sun & Earth's President and CEO John Mullins who provides a brief overview of the tour schedule. Next, larger groups are broken into sub-groups (if necessary) in order to maintain a "closeness-feel" during the entire tour.

Station One: Visitors decorate then add soil and seeds to their seed pots while learning about plant life. The emphasis is on the environment and what people are able to do preserve and protect it.

Station Two: Guests decorate their empty 22 oz Sun & Earth All Purpose Cleaner bottles. Children (and adults) are able to create colorful designs on their bottles. At this station, John discusses the natural ingredients (like coconut oil and orange oil) used in Sun & Earth products

Station Three: Attendees are introduced to the process of blending/mixing different ingredients together to obtain the end result...our wonderful natural products.

Station Four: Visiting friends are given the opportunity to observe our manufacturing (filling) process. The beautifully-decorated, empty 22 oz Sun & Earth All Purpose Cleaner bottles are placed on the filling line. Sun & Earth employees operate the line from start to finish. After the bottle is "capped" with a trigger sprayer, the filled container is returned to its proud, new, happy owner.

Why: Continuing our philosophy of full disclosure, Sun & Earth decided to open its doors to just about anyone (we'd probably let our competition enter if they were nice) to learn about the company, environment, and manufacturing processes.

Tucked away in the back of Helen Square on the west side of Main street in Helen Georgia is Susan's Elements of Art. It is here where Susan Wright does custom stain glass work and her husband, Keith, makes primitive wooden bowls from large blocks of wood.

The work produced by these two artisans is as extraordinary to behold as it is fun to watch being made.

Svoboda Industries Inc specializes in manufacturing fine wooden parts and products to customer specifications. We can provide everything from parts and kits to completely finished and assembled packaged product.

Our woodworking capabilities include design input and refinement, prototyping, short and long production runs, complete assembly, packaging and bulk or drop shipping.
Some of our processes include: CNC machining, CNC handle machining, secondary operations, mouldings, and full finishing including staining, clear top coats and painting. We are well versed at working with hardwoods, softwoods, exotic woods, MDF, plywood and wood substrates.

At Svoboda Industries Inc our mindset is to exceed your expectations for Service, Quality, Quick Turnaround and On Time Shipments... all at a fair price. We view ourselves as an extension of your operation. We understand the importance of managing inventories and rapid response. As an example of this, we support various customers by providing daily shipments to them.

Our woodworkers are second to none. Our highly skilled and motivated employees take great pride in saying everything is "Manufactured in America" at our Kewaunee, Wisconsin facility.

The "Mr. Charlie"
The Only Place in the World Where the General Public can Walk Aboard an Authentic Offshore Drilling Rig!

Mission
The International Petroleum Museum and Exposition's mission is to gather, save, preserve, and interpret artifacts and information about the offshore petroleum industry and to educate others concerning the impact and significance of this Cajun-born industry upon the rest of the world.

Purpose
The International Petroleum Museum and Exposition is a non-profit corporation established for the purpose of educating the general public, and the next generation, on the significance of the offshore oil and gas industry and its affect on the local area, the state, the nation, and the world.

It is a tribute to the pioneering men and women of an industry that developed a culture based on initiative, perseverance, creativity, and hard work. It is a living reminder of the positive contributions, the technological advancements and the world-wide influence of an industry that began in this sleepy, fishing village community.

Through the efforts of the rig museum, everyone will have the opportunity to experience the real oilfield. It will tell the story from the view point of the participants. The hardships and the heroism, the challenges and the conquests, the problems and the solutions will be told here. The International Petroleum Museum and Exposition will be an accurate depiction of the way it was in the offshore oil business.

Venture into our magical ParadeLand and experience a behind the scenes look at America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Art Van. Learn more about the Parade’s fascinating history, explore the 200,000 square-foot storyland of floats and see how our award-winning artisans bring them to life. Parade Company studios is one the most interactive and family friendly thing to do in Detroit. It’s fun for all ages!

Our factory processes the logs from the time they are brought in green by private timber operators. Myrtlewood logs, when green are 70% moisture so the log will not float. The wood is 20% harder than oak, and harder than black walnut or hardrock maple. No other wood is so strongly accented by figured grain and color.

Myrtlewood has a color spectrum that has been variously described as ranging from "golden hues to velvet black with warm brown, yellows, greens and reds", from "ebony to a rich maple color", from "soft gray to mauve". In a single word, it is beautiful!

A skilled sawyer is needed to operate the carriage to saw each log in recognition of the individuality of each finished piece. The head rig saws 1 ¼, 2 ¼, 3 ¼, and 4 ¼ inch boards. From there the board goes to the planer where one side is planed. This makes it easier to see the defects in the planks. The straight-line ripsaw is now used to cut the boards to standard widths. The mill is always cutting for the largest piece they can possibly get.

Next, the chop-saw cuts for the standard square blocks, which are always done 1-inch oversize to allow for shrinkage during the drying process. A center hole is drilled which will be used throughout the process. The square blocks are now cut into rounds.

The next step is the rough-out lathe. Each item is roughed to the shape of the finished piece leaving 1-inch thick walls. This speeds up the drying process and helps to prevent checking and warpage. Even with this preventative measure, we will still lose about 10% in the dry kilns.

These roughed out items are now loaded into our four large dry kilns. Temperature and humidity are then carefully controlled for 5-9 weeks. Table tops and lumber must be air-dried one year per inch of thickness. Then they are placed in the kiln for final drying. All items are brought slowly down to at least 7% moisture content.

After the wood is dry it is bottom-sanded so it will fit flush with the faceplate on the lathe. The turners make their owns steel chisels. They do the outside of an item first, then the inside. The turner changes tools often; different tools are for different curves, etc. Most turners use their fingers for calipers. They feel just the right thickness.

After being turned, the item goes to the sander where we use 80-220 grit sandpaper. This process is used on the outside and then the inside of the item. On items that are to be sprayed, three to four coats of spray are applied to each item and then allowed to dry overnight. The items may be washed with soap and water, but will not withstand the high temperature of a dishwasher

To obtain an oil finish, the item is hand-rubbed with oil. It is allowed to dry overnight and then waxed to a satin sheen. We suggest that the oil finish be occasionally re-rubbed with mineral oil to prevent the absorption of food odors, and to keep the wood from drying out. Each buyer will receive a "story of myrtlewood" which tells how to care for his/her item.

The ULU knife (pronounced ooloo) is the most renowned knife in Alaska. Native people of northern Alaska invented this knife centuries ago. It is used for hunting, fishing, skinning, filleting and every other imaginable domestic cutting need by the Inuit (Eskimo) people.

The traditional ULU was an Eskimo cutting tool made of slate and bone, with a sharp edge for cutting or carving. The Eskimos made them in all sizes, from a small blade for cutting skins to a cleaver for carving meat. But, today's version is manufactured from stainless steel and provided with a hardwood handle for ease of use.

The ULU has a rounded blade topped with a handle and is usually grasped between the middle and ring finger of the hand. The Eskimos still use them, but non-Natives haven't had much access to them. The instrument is, however, now available in contemporary, functional form through Alaska's largest ulu knife manufacturer
"The Ulu Factory Inc.".

UPM-Kymmene is one of the leading paper companies in the world. The company's businesses focus on magazine papers, newsprint, fine and speciality papers, converting materials, and wood products. The company has production in 17 countries and an extensive sales network comprising over 170 sales and distribution companies.

Millions of people around the world read newspapers and magazines, leaf through catalogues and browse books. The paper used to create them might well be from UPM-Kymmene. The paper that becomes a letter or a form, that's used to print out e-mail messages, or the envelope for advertising material may also be one of our products. Likewise, the paper used to make flour bags or industrial wrappings may easily have come from our mills. The price tag on that shirt you bought or the label on your cornflakes box might well be UPM-Kymmene paper. UPM-Kymmene offers a wide array of choices - welcome to our world of paper!

The Vacuum Cleaner Museum is an extensive collection of more than 500 vacuums spanning a century of progress. The museum displays vacuums from the 1910s to modern times in decade-themed vignettes, complete with period furniture and memorabilia from that era. Visitors will discover a glimpse of Americana through the evolution of the vacuum and accompanying newspaper and magazine advertising displayed in each decade. The museum is located at Tacony Manufacturing in St. James, Missouri, home of Riccar and Simplicity vacuum production.

De Klomp, a long time favorite of West Michigan visitors, produces several thousand pairs of wooden shoes each year, in a variety of ways. De klomp is Holland?s only factory to offer the three styles of carving: Hand carving with Elmer, visitors get a real feel for wooden shoes as Elmer starts with a solid block of wood, chops it into a rough form of a shoe, clean cuts its outsides with a special tool brought in from the Netherlands. Style 2 takes the block of wood and carves the pair of shoes on semi automatic machines. Style 3 finishes carving the shoes on fully automatic Dutch machines.

Our delftware factory is the only production factory in America making the Dutch pottery from scratch. We begin with dry powdered clay mixing with special ingredients to form the Dutch clay. From here the clay is poured in to 1 of our 400 different molds. After drying and cleaning each piece is loaded into kilns and fired at above 2000 degrees for 18 hours. After cooling, each piece is hand painted by specially trained artists, refired, glazed & fired for a 3rd time to finalize this beautiful piece of delftware.

The Vermont Marble Museum, the largest marble exhibit in the world, is a great source of pride for generations of Vermonters. Through our displays, exhibits, galleries, gift shop and grounds, the Vermont Marble Museum tells a unique story of the people and places that made up Vermont’s marble industry, linking historical, artistic and cultural traditions, and connecting the past with the present.

Viking Range Corporation was founded by Fred E. Carl, Jr., a fourth generation building contractor, as a speculative venture aimed at developing the first commercial-type range specifically designed, engineered and certified for home use.

The idea of developing a commercial-type range for home use resulted from Carl noticing the increasing use of commercial ranges in residential kitchens during the late 1970s. Recognizing the need for such a product became even more apparent when Carl was designing and building his new home in 1980. The typical stainless steel restaurant range strongly appealed to Carl and his wife wanted a heavy-duty, classic looking range like her mother?s old Chambers, which had long been out of production.

As he considered the possibility of using a standard commercial range in their home, Carl became convinced that restaurant ranges were definitely not designed for home use. Among the numerous disadvantages which made those undesirable and impractical for installation in a residential kitchen were: high heat output and extremely hot surface temperatures, no safety features, excessive energy consumption, constantly burning standing pilot instead of automatic ignition, no broiling in the oven, and dimensions which were not designed for typical residential cabinetry.

Carl became convinced that the ideal solution would be a hybrid range that would combine the most desirable features of both a commercial range and the old Chambers range his wife so badly wanted. This left him with a dilemma ? he realized both he and his wife wanted something that didn?t exist. But he also saw this as an opportunity. If no one was making such a product, why shouldn?t he? So he decided to pursue the idea of creating the world?s first heavy duty, commercial-type range for the home.

Carl first conducted a thorough design analysis to identify all the advantages and disadvantages of commercial ranges. 1n 1981 and 1982, while operating his design/build construction company, he used any spare time he had to prepare conceptual drawings and developed detailed specifications which eliminated all the shortcomings of a commercial range for home use while including all their advantages. High performance cooking, large capacity, heavy duty construction and professional styling were all key elements of his design. Carl then added all the desirable features of a high-end residential range, such as automatic ignition, in-the-oven broiling, convenient controls, ample insulation to decrease exterior temperatures and heat output into the kitchen, standard widths and depths to accommodate typical residential cabinetry, and various other functional and cosmetic improvements. To achieve the look of the old Chambers, he included the option of a brilliant white finish in his specifications.

In preparation for taking his product to market, Carl then began establishing the business structure of the venture. In late 1983, with the assistance of a local advertising agency, he named the new company and its product "Viking". Carl incorporated Viking Range Corporation on March 22, 1984. The challenge of pioneering and developing the very first commercial-type range for the home had officially begun.

Carl began presenting his drawings and specifications to various commercial range manufacturers, seeking a partner that would aid him in developing and producing a commercial-type range for home use. After being turned down by virtually every major restaurant range manufacturer in the industry, Carl ultimately persuaded a southern California company to assist him with the engineering and to carry out the manufacturing of the first Viking range.

The engineering and certification process of the first Viking range spanned a period of more than three years. Being a hybrid of both commercial and residential equipment, Carl?s Viking range was the first such range to ever be submitted to the American Gas Association laboratories for certification. Because no such product had ever existed or been tested, AGA approval involved over a year of extensive testing and evaluation, including the creation of several new testing criteria. AGA certification was finally obtained in late 1986, and 20 test and sample units were produced in October and November of that year. Normal production of the world?s first commercial-type range for home use finally began in January, 1987.

The unanticipated volume and growth experienced by Viking quickly overwhelmed the capacity and capabilities of the California manufacturer and production was subsequently moved to a household appliance manufacturer in eastern Tennessee that was more accustomed to larger volumes. Although this company provided some degree of improvement, various problems and challenges persisted which were beyond Carl?s control and he knew another change had to be made.

Therefore, in October of 1989, Viking began preparations for manufacturing its own product line in Carl?s hometown of Greenwood, Mississippi, located in the historic Mississippi Delta. By February of 1990, the first Viking-produced range top went into production. Production of the 48-inch range followed in April, and by July 1990, all models were in production in Greenwood. For the first time Viking assumed full responsibility for the in-house manufacture of its own product line.

In July 1992, Stephens Inc., a Little Rock, Arkansas, investment banking firm (www.stephens.com), made a major equity investment in Viking Range Corporation. Carl?s new partnership with Stephens allowed Viking to accelerate its rapid growth and to further expand its product line and manufacturing capabilities to keep pace with the increasing demand for its high quality products.

The original Viking manufacturing facility in Greenwood was located in a 35,000 sq. ft. former distribution warehouse (which had been built by Carl?s father in the 1950?s) and served the company?s needs for about two years. However, increased volume and the addition of new products soon stretched the capacity of this small manufacturing facility. In 1992, the decision was made to move to a larger 100,000 sq. ft. plant to accommodate the continued growth of the company. This facility, located on what is now Viking Road, has been enlarged several times in the past few years to approximately 240,000 sq. ft. and is now the Viking cooking products manufacturing plant.

In 1986, the Viking corporate offices were moved from Carl?s cramped construction company office to a partially renovated building on the bank of the Yazoo River in the historic Cotton Row District of downtown Greenwood. As the company continued to grow, Carl expanded his offices within this building and soon filled it. Committed to staying in downtown Greenwood, he then began buying adjoining buildings to house the growing company. The Viking corporate headquarters now consists of a collection of historic buildings totaling over 50,000 square feet. All of the downtown buildings are original structures of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and several have received historic preservation awards from the Mississippi Heritage Trust as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation Award for commercial district revitalization.

Due to the rapid growth of Viking, keeping up with its facilities needs has been a major challenge. In late 1997, an entirely new plant, now consisting of 90,000 sq. ft., was constructed just outside the western city limits of Greenwood to produce Viking ventilation hoods and certain other specialty products. A third manufacturing facility, the Viking refrigeration products plant, was acquired and totally renovated in 2000. This 143,000 sq. ft. facility, located adjacent to the cooking products manufacturing facility, produces Viking built-in refrigerators and wine storage units. In order to efficiently handle distribution of its ever-expanding product line, Viking also built a distribution center in 2000 and then expanded the building in 2002 for a total of over 80,000 sq. ft.

The Viking dishwasher products manufacturing plant was completed in 2006. This facility totals over 87,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space. Also in 2006, the Viking product support center was opened in Greenwood to house the Viking service parts and customer assurance department, comprised of service parts distribution, service call center, warranty administration, and technical support staffs. Viking also opened a new tool & die facility with over 10,000 square feet in 2007. The current square footage of all Viking production and distribution facilities in Greenwood is more than 600,000 square feet.

Viking has continued its aggressive new product development initiatives and has expanded its product offerings to encompass the entire kitchen, both indoors and outdoors. In addition to freestanding ranges and ventilation hoods, the current Viking product line includes built-in range tops and cooktops, built-in ovens, warming drawers, dishwashers, trash compactors, food waste disposers, refrigerators, freezers, wine cellars, and an entire line of outdoor products including grills, ovens, refrigeration and stainless steel cabinetry.

Viking sells its major appliance products through 13 residential appliance distributors covering all 50 states and Canada, and these distributors sell to authorized Viking dealers in their territories. In addition, Viking-Europe headquartered in Strasbourg, France, and Viking-Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, now serve 50 international distributors who handle Viking international sales throughout the world. Viking products are now found in more than 80 countries worldwide. The Viking network of independent distributors is regarded as one of the strongest in the major appliance industry.

In 2002, Viking Range Corporation moved into a new market category of premium culinary products (www.vikingrange.com) which has grown to include cookware, cutlery, stand mixers, blenders, toasters, food processors, and hand blenders. The culinary products line continues to expand and is distributed directly to gourmet shop retailers throughout the USA.

Viking considers itself not only a major appliance manufacturer, but a culinary company involved in all aspects of the kitchen and the world of food and wine - The Viking Life. Through cooking classes, gourmet events and online instruction, the Viking Life makes the savory world of Viking tangible.

Viking Cooking Schools offer the USA?s most popular non-academic culinary curriculum in locations throughout the country. There are currently sixteen Viking Cooking School licensees and affiliates with four additional locations scheduled to open by end of year 2009. Over 70, 000 students participated in Viking Cooking School classes in 2008. There are currently over 300 unique classes available for all Viking Cooking School licensees and affiliates which have been developed, written and tested by Viking culinary professionals.

In 2001, Viking began renovations on the historic Hotel Irving in downtown Greenwood. Renamed The Alluvian and designed as an upscale boutique hotel offering unparalleled amenities, the hotel opened to widespread acclaim in May 2003. The Alluvian won the AAA 4-Diamond Award in 2007 and 2008 as well Conde Nast?s Traveler 2008 Gold List and 2004 Hot List. The Alluvian provides luxury accommodations for the many Viking dealers who attend weekly factory training sessions in Greenwood, along with developers, builders, designers, architects and other Viking guests, as well as the general public.

In addition, The Alluvian Spa; Giardina?s Restaurant, a Mississippi Delta dining landmark since 1936; and the Viking Cooking School and Retail Store provide an entertaining and memorable experience, resulting in the renowned Viking facilities becoming a unique and popular tourist destination.

In spite of its tremendous growth and success, Viking Range Corporation remains essentially the same entrepreneurial company it was at its inception. This small, close-knit company culture serves Viking, its customers and its community well, and greatly contributes to the company?s ongoing growth and success. By carefully preserving this unique, creative and stimulating environment, and through offering only the very finest, highest quality products, Viking plans to continue its aggressive growth and expansion to further increase its already strong presence in the worldwide major appliance and related culinary lifestyle industries.

Today, second, third and fourth generation family members have expanded their Swiss chalet-style museum into an amazing state-of-the-art facility. It showcases the 64 ebony, ivory and walnut train carvings created by Ernest ?Mooney? Warther, a one-of-a-kind collection that has been appraised by the Smithsonian Institution as a ?priceless work of art.? The original workshop, built in 1912 is still used by family members. Mooney?s son, David and grandson, Mark may be seen at times carving in the workshop or creating wooden pliers for visitors. This old shop is adorned with over 5,000 arrowheads. In the summer months, stroll through the Swiss-style flower garden?s to Frieda Warther?s Button house that holds a collection of over 73,000 buttons arranged in beautiful designs on the walls and ceiling. There is even a button from Mrs. Lincoln?s inaugural dress and a collection of original Goodyear rubber buttons. Today, the Warther family also continues to make Kitchen cutlery; Early in Mooney?s carving career he discovered the importance of knives that would hold their edge against hard surfaces such as ebony and ivory. Unable to find carving knives of such quality, he decided to make his own. His mother complained about never having a sharp paring knife. So he developed his own techniques for tempering and sharpening a steel blade that would keep its sharp edge. Thus, out of necessity, came the world?s finest kitchen cutlery. Today, the Warthers are in their fourth generation of knife makers, who still produce outstanding kitchen cutlery with the same expertise and fine craftsmanship.

The knife making process uses ?old world? craftsmanship and high quality materials to make the Warther knives some of the best in the world. The knives are made of high carbon tool steel, hand ground nine times and polished to a mirror finish. Then the trademark Warther swirl is added to the blade for a smooth distinctive finish. Watch as the birch handles are riveted onto the knife. The handles are then sanded and buffed to a luster finish. You will also view the wood shop where our Oak, Cherry and Walnut knife holders are made. There are no assembly lines here, just craftsmen creating fine kitchen knives by hand.

Discover the relationship between recycling, energy savings, waste reduction and cost savings! A presentation of surprising recycling facts is guaranteed to raise awareness of the critical role that recycling and waste reduction play in saving energy and reducing pollution. A tour of the plant floor and a visit to our education room for an hour-long trip is sure to inform and surprise you.

The Wedding Gown Preservation Company is a family owned business operating in Endicott, New York since 1913, where they specialized in preservation and alterations of wedding gowns. There modern lab and equipment preserve every gown with a special anti-sugar treatment to prevent yellowing and discoloration and has been proven and recognized as the best method in gown preservations by the International Fabricare Institute. Over the past 80+ years, Wedding Gown Preservation Company has prided themselves on quality and care of the wedding gowns that they clean and preserve for their customers. Each gown is handled individually and given the utmost attention and care.

They put the highest degree of professional care into the heirloom processing of your gown. First, they examine your gown to find all spots. A detailed Quality Control Report is updated through each and every step. They use proven formulas to remove spots and treat the entire gown for sugar stains. Your gown is thoroughly cleaned with extra attention given to the neckline, trim and hemlines. Their experts shape the gown, position a full bust form and fill the sleeves. It is then wrapped in acid-free tissue and fitted carefully into a preservation chest with an acid-free display window. The preservation chest is then enclosed in a 700 lb.-test shipping carton. Your gown is then shipped back to you pre-paid anywhere in the United States by UPS or Fed-Ex. You receive the gown within ten to fifteen working days from when they receive it.

Zippo Manufacturing Company, maker of the world famous windproof lighter with the lifetime guarantee, celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2007. Based in Bradford, Pennsylvania and distributed in more than 152 countries worldwide, Zippo is synonymous with American made quality and craftsmanship.

HISTORY
Zippo was founded in Bradford, Pennsylvania in 1932 when George G. Blaisdell decided to create a lighter that would look good and be easy to use. Blaisdell obtained the rights for an Austrian windproof lighter with a removable top, and re-designed it to his own specifications. He made the case rectangular and attached the lid to the bottom with a welded hinge, then surrounded the wick with a chimney. Blaisdell called his new lighter ?Zippo,? a name he created from the word ?zipper? because he liked the sound of the word. From the very beginning he backed the Zippo lighter with a lifetime guarantee that ?it works or we fix it freeTM?.

TODAY
Zippo has produced over 450 million windproof lighters since its founding in 1932. Except for improvements in the flint wheel and modifications in case finishes, Blaisdell?s original design remains virtually unchanged today.

Although the windproof lighter remains the most popular Zippo product, the line also includes the refillable butane Zippo MPL® (multi-purpose lighter), mini MPL®, and OULTM outdoor utility lighter. A line of ZippoBLU® premium butane gas lighters was introduced late in 2007.

Zippo windproof lighters enjoy a widespread and enviable reputation as valuable collectibles throughout the world. Zippo Click, the Zippo-sponsored collectors club, boasts more than 12,000 registered members in over 50 countries. In addition, there are more than fifteen independent lighter collector clubs serving thousands of Zippo lighter collectors worldwide.