1. THE WESTERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LOCAL HISTORY RESOURCE CENTER NEWSLETTER
April 2010
Page 1
A WALK THROUGH HISTORY
Killgore’s Cap Pistols
Kilgore Manufacturing was the world’s largest pro-
ducer of toy cap pistols and the caps they used. By the 1950s,
the local company was producing millions of play guns in
twelve models. Joseph Kilgore set up operations in 1919 in
Westerville to produce cap pistols and by the 1930s the com-
pany was making 25,000 pistols and 100,000 rolls of caps
daily. The growth of the company was amazing.
At first the Kilgore toy pistols were made of cast iron
but then Kilgore pioneered using Bakelite, an early plastic,
for its toys. Later the company made plastic squirt guns in
different styles – a cowboy one, a futuristic space one and
even a pocket size.
Kilgore’s toy guns were shipped overseas with its largest foreign markets being in the South
American countries of Brazil and Argentina. Train loads of the popular toys would leave the commu-
nity by railway car. Young people around the United States and in other countries were excited when
they received a Kilgore toy cap pistol as a gift.
Kilgore Manufacturing
OTHER TOYS PRODUCED BY KIL-
GORE INCLUDED:
• Cast iron toy furniture
• Cast iron toy vehicles
• E-Z fly kites
• Robot hands

2. Page 2
Kilgore History
Kilgore Manufacturing was incorporated in
1917 for the purpose of producing toy cap pis-
tols. Joseph D. Kilgore moved his business from
Homestead, Pennsylvania to Westerville in 1919
and opened operations locally with 30 employees.
The business grew, developing into a large complex
on East Broadway and later also occupying land at
600 N. Spring Rd. (presently the site of Otterbein’s
Equestrian Center just north of Heritage Middle
School and North High School).
In 1921, the cap factory burned and was
rebuilt. In order to increase production capacity by
50%, Kilgore expanded in 1923. At that time it had
175 employees and even had offices in New York
City. Working with the
gun powder to make the
caps was a very dangerous
business and in December
1923, the newly expanded plant burned. Because the business was
so profitable, a new building was quickly erected, opening three
weeks after the fire. It was 25% larger than the building that had
just burned.
Through the 1930s and 1940s, Kilgore branched
out. They made cast iron toys including pieces of doll house furni-
ture which sold for a nickel. Among their popular products were
cast iron penny banks in different shapes with moveable parts – put in a penny and the owl
would blink its eye or the turtle would move its head. In 1935 the company began to make
plastic housewares called Shel-glo. The production of these items continued until 1955.
Many families had picnic baskets filled with brightly colored Shel-glo plates and cups made in
Westerville.

3. Page 3
Kilgore had offices in New York City and Chicago. They had manufactur-
ing plants in Licking County, Tipp City, Piqua and even in Canada. As time passed
some of these other operations were phased out and more production was moved to
Westerville. By the 1950s Kilgore was using 30% of the total water and electricity
produced in the community, making it Westerville’s single largest user of these re-
sources. It was had around 700 employees with 90% of them living in Westerville.
Many Otterbein students helped pay their way through college working part-time at
Kilgore.
By 1960 the company had been sold and in December of that year operations
in Westerville shut down and gradually the plant machinery was moved to Bolivar,
Tennessee. The lack of military work which had boosted production during the
1940s and into the 1950s led to the closing of the plant. When it closed the effect
on the community was immediate. Four hundred employees either lost their jobs or
had to move to Tennessee to keep them and the annual payroll of $1.5 million was
lost to Westerville and its business community.
Kilgore Employees, pre 1950
Today the site of Otterbein’s new Equestrian Center, the Kilgore Farm on Spring Rd. pro-
vided the Kilgore company a location to conduct research and also to store waste material from
its manufacturing operations. Given to Otterbein College in the early 1960s, after Kilgore moved
to Tennessee, the site has been the subject of some controversy. The site was heavily contaminat-
ed with the industrial waste and required that 120 tons of explosives be destroyed in one of the
largest operations of that kind in the U.S. during the 1960s. For many years the old farmhouse
on the land was the home of the Jaycees very popular Halloween haunted house which attracted
people from all over Central Ohio. Now with the land cleared of farm buildings and the house,
the Otterbein equine program is making good use of the location.
The Kilgore Farm

4. Page 4
Kilgore Flares and Munitions
Help War Effort
In 1929 the Flare-Signal Division of Kilgore started providing distress
signals for boats and airplanes. They became the world’s largest manufacturer
of flares and signal devices. Fireworks were also produced by Kilgore.
One Columbus paper’s headline proclaimed of Kilgore, “They save
sailors and delight youngsters.” On file at the company were numerous letters
of appreciation to the company from people who were rescued and saved from
injury by using Kilgore flares. The Kilgore motto was, “Light your way to safe-
ty.”
The Kilgore plant in Westerville
became part of the war effort when
the United States entered World War
II. Hundreds of new employees were
added as the company began to make
incendiary bombs, hand grenade fuses
and flares for the navy. The operations
were conducted in concrete block
buildings scattered over the Kilgore
property. Waste materials and defec-
tive products were sent to the Kilgore
farm for storage. Working with these explosive materials was very dangerous
and workers were killed at the plant as accidents occurred. The company re-
ceived awards from the Army and the Navy for its contribution to the wartime
effort.
Starting shortly after Kilgore moved to Ten-
nessee and continuing for over 45 years, former
employees of Kilgore gath-
er for a summer picnic re-
union. They had shared so
many experiences working
for the company especial-
ly during World War II that
the bonds they forged at
Kilgore lasted a lifetime.

5. Kilgore Timeline Activity
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
DIRECTIONS:
The Kilgore Manufacturing Company went through a period of changes from 1920-1960. Write in
when the event look place on the timeline above and draw a picture that shows what happened.
1920 The company produced cap pistols and rolls of caps
1921 The building burnt down and was rebuilt.
1923 The company expanded their operations.
1929 The company began making distress signals for planes and boats.
1935 The company began making shel-glo plastics.
1950 The company was employing around 700 people!
1960 The company was sold and the Westerville operations were shut down.
Page 5