WBJ has partnered with the Worcester Historical Museum to run a year-long trivia contest in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Worcester’s founding on June 14, 1722. Readers should email their answer to the question below by April 14 to bkane@wbjournal.com or complete the Google Form below to compete for a special year-end prize package.
Fire suppression
The Rockwood Sprinkler Co. of Worcester was known throughout much of the U.S. and Canada for its fire-suppressing automatic sprinkler systems. The company was founded in 1906 by George Rockwood, inventor of the type of sprinkler heads you see in almost every public building. At the height of its business, the Rockwood company had 325 employees and annual sales of $1.5 million. In 1930 it became a subsidiary of the Gamewell Company. The factory ceased production in the mid-20th century and has since been converted to new uses.
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Trivia question: What is the name of the Rockwood Sprinkler Co. factory today, which was most recently used as an art gallery?
And the answer to last edition’s question: In 2017 when the 235-year-old hardware store on Main Street originally named after Daniel Waldo closed, it was named after Elwood Adams.
