Photograph Album of Goulds Manufacturing Company, Plant, New York, circa 1915

Gould Manufacturing Company of Seneca Falls, N.Y. is the outgrowth of the firm Downs & Co. In 1840 Abel Downs began manufacturing wooden pumps in Seneca Falls, N.Y. He acquired partners and the company name changed in 1844 to Downs, Mynderse & Co. At the same time Seabury S. Gould was also working in his shop in Seneca Falls making iron bound wooden pumps. In 1848 S.S. Gould purchased the interests of Downs, Myndersee & Co. and served as president of Downs, Mynderse & Co. from 1848-1872. Gould believed in the possibilities of all-iron pumps and in 1849 he oversaw casting and assembly of the world’s first all metal pump. The business expanded rapidly due to the discovery of gold in California. The potential for bringing water to the gold fields, the settlers in the West and the expanding railroads encouraged the development of various types of pumps especially an iron steam powered pump. In 1864 the company was incorporated in the State of New York. In 1869 the name Goulds Manufacturing Company was adopted. In 1879 the entire plant except for the foundry was destroyed by fire and a new plant was built on 70 acres of land along the Seneca River. Norman Judd Gould (1877-1964), the grandson of the founder became the fourth and longest serving company president in 1908 and served until his death in 1964. He was the last of the family to control the company. The line drawing of the company plant pictured inside the front cover is very similar to a postcard dated 1913 featuring the name Goulds Manufacturing Company on the roof line, the photographic album indicates a date after the fire and before 1926 when the name Goulds Pumps Inc. was adopted. In 1997 Goulds Pumps was acquired by ITT Industries. Goulds Pumps is the world’s largest manufacturer of industrial, agriculture and consumer pumps.