Molder Frank Filliger carefully ladling hot lead on copper shell to make rigid backing for printing plate.

For many years, the Robert Gair plant in Piermont (located on the present site of the library and Piermont Landing development) was the biggest employer for miles around, with as many as 1,300 people working at one point. A process invented in 1879 by the company's founder Robert Gair revolutionized the paper box industry, and his Piermont plant made boxes for well known products such as New Blue Cheer, Tide, and Wheaties. In this exhibit you can see prints of some professional photographs of Gair workers doing the wide variety of jobs that led to a finished box. The photographs were originally published in the October/November 1949 issue of the Gair house organ, Gair News.

Please see the History section for additional photos and information about Piermont's rich history.