This WWII fuse made in Guilford, CT multiplied anti-aircraft lethality by 10X

Guilford’s Ivory Button Factory Becomes Wartime Arsenal

Pearl Harbor changed everything for the small town of Guilford, Connecticut.

The Guilford Enterprise Company, once known for ivory buttons and wagon wheels, soon made weapons of war instead. Built in 1884 after a fire took down the old foundry, this brick factory had only hired men for decades.

Then came 1941. Women took jobs on the factory floor as the company switched to making timer fuses for anti-aircraft guns and ball bearings for military vehicles.

These weren’t just any fuses, but revolutionary ones that could detect planes 75 feet away, making them five times deadlier than old models.

The historic brick building still stands on High Street, telling a powerful story of how one small town helped win a world war.

Guilford’s Button Factory Became a Wartime Powerhouse

The Guilford Enterprise Company started after an old foundry burned down in 1884.

Before World War II, this small Connecticut factory gave jobs to about 50 men who made everyday items like ivory buttons and wagon wheels.

The factory was a typical New England manufacturing spot, with workers making products for regular folks. Local families counted on the steady work, and the company ran a smooth operation making civilian goods.

Pearl Harbor Changed Everything Overnight

Japan’s attack on December 7, 1941 flipped Guilford’s industrial world upside down. Government officials quickly called small manufacturers across Connecticut, including Guilford Enterprise.

Factory owners got urgent phone calls and telegrams asking for immediate production changes. Within weeks, military officers visited the factory to check if it could make war supplies.

The company rushed to get contracts as the nation geared up for a four-year global fight.

Workers Learned Entirely New Skills in Record Time

Workers completely rearranged Guilford Enterprise’s factory floors to fit new machinery. People who once made buttons now ran precision equipment for military parts.

The company set up training programs where skilled machinists taught newcomers how to meet strict military standards. Employees worked extra shifts to learn unfamiliar tools while keeping up with production goals.

The factory sounds changed from button-making clicks to the buzz of machines making war materials.

Smart Bombs Before Their Time

Guilford workers made cutting-edge proximity fuses that changed anti-aircraft defense. These clever devices could detect when they came within 75 feet of enemy planes and blow up automatically.

The technology made anti-aircraft guns five to ten times better than older fuses. Each fuse had tiny electronic parts that needed careful assembly and testing.

The work needed much more precision than making buttons ever did.

Tiny Parts Kept Military Vehicles Rolling

Ball bearings from Guilford went into tanks, jeeps, and aircraft across the war effort. These small metal parts played a key role in keeping wheels turning and engines running.

Workers measured sizes to the thousandth of an inch, with quality checkers testing each batch. The factory bought special grinding and polishing equipment just for bearing production.

Production lines ran 24 hours a day to meet the military’s huge demand.

Women Took Their Place on the Factory Floor

Guilford Enterprise hired women in large numbers for the first time as male workers joined the armed forces. These new employees quickly showed they could work just as well as the men they replaced.

Women ran drill presses, set up testing equipment, and managed quality control stations. Many came from homes where they’d never worked outside before.

Their pay helped support families while husbands, brothers, and sons fought overseas.

The Factory Made More Than Just Weapons

Besides military parts, Guilford Enterprise produced special drafting paper used by military planners. The company also made alcohol prep pads for medical kits sent to field hospitals.

Managers found ways to use existing skills for new products needed in the war. The factory made many different items as small manufacturers adapted to changing military needs.

This flexibility helped the company keep steady production when material shortages affected specific product lines.

Connecticut Factories Joined the Fight

Waterbury’s Mattatuck Manufacturing Company switched from making upholstery nails to making rifle cartridge clips. They made three million clips weekly for soldiers’ weapons.

Across Connecticut, clock makers retooled to produce timing devices for bombs. Wool coat factories started sewing parachutes and uniforms.

The state turned into a manufacturing powerhouse where hundreds of factories big and small helped the war effort.

New Faces Appeared in Small-Town Connecticut

Government orders opened factory doors to workers who couldn’t get manufacturing jobs before. African American employees got positions thanks to government orders banning discrimination in defense industries.

The Bracero program brought Mexican workers to Connecticut under government labor contracts. Guilford grew more diverse as the war created jobs for people from different backgrounds.

The town changed as new workers moved in to fill critical production roles.

Small Town Factory Hit Big Production Goals

Guilford Enterprise broke all previous production records during the war years. Monthly output sometimes reached ten times pre-war levels as efficiency improved.

Military procurement officials recognized the factory with the Army-Navy "E" Award for excellence in war production.

The small company’s contribution proved that even modest-sized manufacturers could make a significant impact. Workers took pride in meeting or exceeding quotas that seemed impossible when the war began.

Guilford’s Industrial Identity Transformed Forever

The war permanently changed Guilford Enterprise and its workforce.

Technical capabilities acquired during wartime positioned the company for post-war manufacturing opportunities. Women who proved their skills refused to simply return to domestic roles.

The factory maintained higher production capacity even after converting back to civilian goods.

Guilford’s industrial landscape had evolved from a simple button factory into a sophisticated manufacturing operation capable of producing complex components for a modern world.

Visiting Guilford, Connecticut

You can explore Guilford’s WWII industrial transformation at 66 High Street, where factories once made military components like timer fuses and ball bearings instead of civilian goods.

The building is now luxury condos but has a historical marker with details. Take a self-guided walking tour through the Guilford Preservation Alliance for guided tours.

Check out more industrial history at Guilford Free Library’s Edith B. Nettleton Historical Room.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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