Columbia Manufacturing history

Inspired by what he correctly thought was a technological revolution, Pope made plans to mass produce an American bicycle and in 1878 established Pope Manufacturing Co. for this purpose.

Pope, who had previously exported bicycles from England, began building bicycles under the trade name "Columbia" in the Weed Sewing Machine Company's factory in Hartford Connecticut in 1879.

Bicycle made by the Pope Manufacturing Company, about 1881.

The Pope Manufacturing Company made this Columbia Light Roadster model bicycle around 1888.

By 1890, the company was so successful it purchased the factory from Weed because it needed all the space.

1894 Main offices start to be consolidated in Hartford Ct.

1897 H.A. Lozier & Co. of Cleveland Ohio builds a new bicycle plant in Westfield Mass.

1900 Pope Manufacturing, Lozier and a host of other bicycle company’s join to form the American Bicycle Company.

1901 The American Bicycle Company fails.

1903 The American Cycle Company fails.

1904 The Pope Manufacturing Co. is reorganized and ends up owning many of the bicycle manufacturers in the previous consortiums.

1915 The Pope Manufacturing Company files for bankruptcy.

1933 Westfield Manufacturing becomes a subsidiary of The Torrington Company of Torrington Ct.

A reproduction of the 1941 Columbia Superb is made at the Westfield plant.