Veeder Manufacturing Company

At the Veeder Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut production of cyclometers, hub odometers, and other scientific tools was underway for contracts with the United States government. Designed by Curtis Veeder in 1895, the cyclometer measured the distance traveled by bicycles as Curtis was a bicycle enthusiast. He would later adapt the invention to measure distance traveled for automobiles, hub odometers, as well as hand turned cyclometers for use by the US Weather Bureau. The Veeder Manufacturing Company would produce these tools for use by the US government during World War One. Seen here are two different departments within the manufacturing plant in Hartford. The first shows the basic tool department which appears to be making the casings for the cyclometers. In the second picture is the hub odometer department. These devices would be placed on the wheel of an automobile to measure the distance traveled by counting the rotations of its wheels for military records (probably not for gas reimbursement, however).

Curtis Veeder would acquire the Root Company of Bristol in 1928 before retiring to form the Veeder-Root Corporation that is still in business today. With his industrial wealth Veeder would build an elaborate stone mansion on Elizabeth Street in Hartford which is now the headquarters of the Connecticut Historical Society.