Fly Manufacturing Company Building
The Fly Manufacturing Company Building is a two-story brick factory constructed in the late 1920s in Shelbyville. The structure features large windows and a basement, covering substantial ground space with the practical design common to early twentieth-century manufacturing facilities.
Joel Orval Fly founded the company after arriving in Shelbyville in 1915 and opened the factory in 1928 with about 75 workers producing work shirts, pants, and overalls. During World War II, the facility manufactured military clothing, and after Fly's death in 1960, the company changed hands several times before closing in 1985.
The building bears the name of its founder Joel Orval Fly and reflects Shelbyville's industrial past. Today, art groups and the community use the space for exhibitions, performances, and gatherings that show how this place evolved from a working factory to a cultural meeting point.
The building is now accessible as an arts center hosting exhibitions, theater performances, and art classes. With its spacious open areas and sturdy structure, visitors can easily move through various events and displays.
The company preserved jobs during the Great Depression by shortening shifts so workers could work two or three days a week. This creativity helped many people stay in their homes and communities rather than moving elsewhere to find work.
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