Union

Not many towns can boast all that Union has to offer. The birthplace of the computer, the home of philanthropists and entrepreneurs with great foresight, and even a golf classic named for a well-loved cartoon character are just a few of the features that make Union special. In Union, their stories and countless other tales from Union and the villages of Endicott and Johnson City are retold by an exceptional collection of photographs and glass negatives. The story of Union began with the Boston Purchase, the sale of 2,300,000 acres to General Oringle Stoddard. Soon the Town of Union was incorporated, settlers and businesses began to take root, and by 1900, the population had grown and industry was on the rise. George F. Johnson headed Union's Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company. "EJ" was so innovative and generous in the treatment of its 20,000 employees that Johnson became the most beloved man in the town. It was also in Union that Thomas J. Watson Sr. built IBM into the largest corporation in the world. It was here that IBM designed and built the first computers and employed the first technicians to service them. This illustrated volume explores the lives of the wealthy and powerful as well as the daily lives of local townspeople.