Laconia Car Company

[Rattlesnake Gal]

As far back as the early 1800’s Laconia flourished. It was the center for industry and business in the Lakes Region.
Laconia Car Company was the largest manufacturer in the area and well known in the state.
Originally Charles Ranlet founded the car shops in 1848. It was first known as C. Ranlet Car Manufacturing Co. In 1849 Joseph Ranlet was brought into a partnership and the establishment was then known as Ranlet Car Company. This lasted until the death of Charles Ranlet in October of 1861. The next year Joseph Ranlet formed a new partnership with John C. Moulton and ran under the name of Moulton & Ranlet Car Company. In January of 1865, another company was formed, which was called Ranlet Manufacturing Co. At this time Perley Putnum was brought on board and the three worked together until April of 1878 when Ranlet retired.
The company was reorganized and the name was changed to Laconia Car Company, with Putnum and Moulton as principal owners. Moulton sold his interest to Perley Putnum in 1889. Putnum continued managing the car building alone until Frank Jones and his associates came aboard in 1897.
At this time the new corporation ran under the name of Laconia Car Company Works. The board of officers at that time was Frank Jones as President and E. H. Gilman as Treasurer. Benjamin A. Kimball, C. F. Stone and Dennis O’Shea were Directors.
Originally the plant was comprised of small, cheap wooden structures filled with older machinery. Brick buildings eventually replaced the wooden ones and all the machinery was updated.




The company was located in the center of Laconia and took up 7 acres of land. There were woodworking shops, foundries, set-up shops, storehouses and paint shops. The extensive four-story brick building was dedicated to the iron foundry, which was connected with the car fabrication business.
Originally only freight cars were manufactured, but later, additions were made to the facilities to build many different passenger cars. Laconia Car Company earned a national reputation for building exceptional cars.



Around the turn of the century, the company became quite involved with the construction of electric streetcars as they were gaining popularity across the US. Their handsome products could be seen all over the country in most large cities. The demand for these cars was so great that production was increased, employing almost 500 men, originally starting with less than 100.
The Laconia Car Company’s production went from a few rugged freight cars per week to one luxurious passenger car per day.
With the coming of automobiles, gradually the end of the electric trains drew near. In 1923 the Laconia Car Company finished its last order for trolley and rail cars, continuing with some personnel until the early 1930’s, but the business could not recover. August 9, 1925, was the last official trolley run of the Laconia Street Railroad and the electric cars were replaced with buses.



Source of historical information (not copied from): Lake Winnipesaukee, by Bruce Heald.