To spot the Lee Woodard and Sons Building, look for a massive four-story red brick factory with rows of arched windows-it’s right in front of you, dominating the view along South Elm Street.
Now imagine it’s the year 1900: the air hums with the clatter of saws and the scent of fresh-cut wood. Lyman Woodard, legendary for his furniture and casket company, has just built this brick giant to keep up with booming demand-but trouble’s brewing. Just four years later, Lyman passes away, throwing the company into crisis. Enter Lee Woodard-son, savior, and soon-to-be metal furniture mastermind! With wood in decline, Lee has a wild idea: swap out the saws for metal presses. Soon, those arched windows flicker with torchlight and the clang of metal beats through the building. In the Great Depression, things took a nosedive again, but Lee turned the factory into a war machine, churning out parts for World War II. When peace returned, so did the furniture-this time, all metal, and once again the business thrived. Decades passed, and by 1995, they’d outgrown this spot, moving elsewhere. But these sturdy walls didn’t rest for long: today, the factory has new life as the Woodard Station Lofts, where stylish living meets industrial legacy. You’re standing where Owosso’s grit and ingenuity turned metal into magic-now that’s a solid finish!
