American Precision Museum

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Currently Closed for the Season - Will Reopen May 26, 2018

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    • Machine Tool Hall of Fame
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William Davenport (1861-1937)

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HFDavenport

Born on a farm in Vermont, Davenport started to learn his trade in a button factory in Rutland, then for six years in the tool room and as a scalemaker at Fairbanks Scale Co.  in St. Johnsbury.  Following a year in Georgia with Rome Scale Works, he joined Brown & Sharpe Mfg. Co.

In 12 years there, first as a machinist and later as a designer, he designed the Brown & Sharpe automatic screw machine. Next he went into business for himself designing special machines for clock manufacture which at first he had built for him at Morse Twist Drill & Machine in New Bedford. The first unique five-spindle Davenport automatic screw machine was introduced in 1910.  Later he moved to his own shop in Springfield, Mass, and in 1919 he moved to Rochester, NY.  Although he built a substantial factory, for the next thirty years there was usually a long list of customers waiting for a Davenport----a wait that sometimes extended to two or three years.

Elected 1992

  • BannowR. Bannow (1897-1962)
  • BLANCHARDT. Blanchard (1788-1864)
  • BlissE.W. Bliss (1836-1903)
  • BrainardW. Brainard (1912-1976)
  • Joseph R. BrownJ. Brown (1810-1876)
  • BryantW. Bryant (1875-1931)
  • Edward P. BullardE. Bullard (1872-1953)
  • Frank Lyman ConeF. Cone (1868-1936)
  • Ralph E.Ralph E. Cross (1910-2003)
  • T. William DavenportT.W. Davenport (1861-1937)
  • Charles B. DeVlieg C. DeVlieg (1892-1973)
  • Edwin R. Fellows E. Fellows (1865-1945)
  • Robert M. Gaylord R. Gaylord (1888-1980)
  • Frederick V. Geier F. Geier (1894-1981)
  • James GleasonJames Gleason (1868-1964)
  • George 0. Gridley George Gridley (1869-1956)
  • John H. HallJohn Hall (1781-1841)
  • James HartnessJ. Hartness (1861-1934)
  • James N. HealdJames Heald (1846-1931)
  • John HerkenhoffJ. Herkenhoff (1905-1996)
  • Frederick W. HoweF. Howe (1822-1891)
  • Winthrop IngersollW Ingersoll (1865-1928)
  • Edwary J. KingsburyE. Kingsbury (1893-1973)
  • Ralph KrautRalph Kraut (1908-1985)
  • Ebenezer G. Lamson E. Lamson (1814-1891)
  • Abraham B. LandisA. Landis (1851-1923)
  • Franklin F. Landis F. Landis (1845-1932)
  • Richard E. LeBlond R. LeBlond (1900-1995)
  • Richard K. LeBlond R. LeBlond (1864-1953>)
  • William Lodge W. Lodge (1848-1917)
  • Richard P Moore R. Moore (1896-1987)
  • Simeon North S. North (1765-1852)
  • Charles H. Norton C. Norton (1851-1942)
  • John I ParsonsJohn  Parsons (1913- )
  • Louis PolkLouis Polk (1904-1991)
  • Francis A. Pratt F. Pratt (1827-1902)
  • Henry Prentiss Henry Prentiss (1848-1943)
  • William Sellers W. Sellers (1824-1905)
  • Henry D. Sharpe H. Sharpe (1872-1954)
  • Lucian Sharpe L. Sharpe (1830-1899)
  • Ambrose Swasey A. Swasey (1846-1937)
  • Frederick W. Taylor F. Taylor (1856-1915)
  • Francis J. Trecker F. Trecker (1909-1987)
  • Theodore TreckerT. Trecker (1868-1955)
  • Eli Whitney Eli Whitney (1765-1825)
  • Leighton A. Wilkie L. Wilkie (1900-1993)
  • David Wilkinson D. Wilkinson (1771-1852)

About the Hall of Fame

The American Precision Museum Machine Tool Hall of Fame provides permanent recognition for those who have made significant contributions to the American machine tool industry, starting in 1765.

The Hall of Fame project was a joint effort of the American Precision Museum and the The Association for Manufacturing Technology. AMT represents and promotes U.S.-based manufacturing technology and its members—those who design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT is the voice that communicates the importance of policies and programs that encourage research and innovation, and the development of educational initiatives to create tomorrow’s Smartforce. AMT owns and manages IMTS — The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is the premier manufacturing technology event in North America.

The Machine Tool Hall of Fame project began in 1982 and forty seven members have now been elected, including the four inductees in 2004. As a Hall of Fame partner, AMT provided services that supported the selection of new honorees. Nominees were judged for their inventions, their innovative use of others' inventions, or their leadership of a machine oriented group. In its early years the Hall of Fame exhibit was on display at the museum but is now more accessible from the web.

About

  • About the Museum
  • Our Mission
  • News
  • Building Restoration
  • Museum Founder
  • Annual Reports
  • Affiliations
  • Board and Staff
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Newsletters

Exhibits

  • Upcoming Exhibits
  • Past Exhibits
  • Machine Tool Hall of Fame

Collections

  • Collections Tour
  • Donating an Artifact

Education

  • Educator's Notes
  • The Learning Lab
  • School Visits
  • Traveling Education Kit
  • Working Machine Shop
  • Manufacturing Week
  • Workforce Development
  • Quests

Events

  • Upcoming Events
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Model Engineering Show and Maker Space
  • Past Events

Visit

  • General Information and Directions
  • Area Attractions
  • Explore Vermont

Shop

  • Museum Shop

Support

  • Donate
  • Become a Member
  • Corporate Membership Benefits
  • Corporate Spotlight
  • Planned Giving
  • Volunteer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

American Precision Museum, 196 Main Street, PO Box 679, Windsor, Vermont 05089 | 802.674.5781
Open May 26 – October 31, 2018 10am – 5pm daily