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McGowen Machine Works full of history – still viable today

A photo of Guy McGowen taken by Bill Norman, of Norman Studios, in the 50s.

In an age when self-reliance was a valuable commodity and computerized robotics a distant dream, McGowen Machine Works was the place to go for the entire state of Arizona. Now, the machine shop on the corner of Oak and Pine is mostly still, but that doesn’t mean the stillness is a permanent state of affairs.

Owner Mike Knuckey, who currently resides in Pearland, Texas, has a couple of different plans. One of Mike’s plans is to reopen the machine shop, produce steel parts and operate as a type of industrial museum. A machinist uses machines like lathes, milling machines and grinders to produce precision metal parts for a variety of uses.

“It would be a working shop, but as one of the oldest and longest-running businesses in the state of Arizona, it would also be a good place for people to visit to find out how a historical machine shop runs,” he said. “Most of today’s machinists are computer operators, not machinists.”

If the working machine shop/museum doesn’t work, Knuckey said he would consider turning shop into a private biker bar club.

Globe Machining History

The history of McGowen Machine Works is as varied and rich as Globe’s past, and several of the names involved with the machine shop can be found in local government and business ownership.

William Cregher McGowen ran mule teams, hauling rocks and supplies to and from Roosevelt Dam starting in about 1906. He also established a freight line between Geronimo and Globe and was known as “one of the best freighters operating in the eastern section of the old Arizona Territory,” according to the Arizona Record (March 5, 1935) and the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum.

Guy McGowen was the third child of the freighter, and, after graduating from the second class of Globe High School, he studied machinery under Eugene Hart. When he built the initial machine shop in 1925, it was less than half the size of the main building today. Over time, he purchased Coon Creek Ranch, Pioneer Hotel and Circle Ranch. In 1942, Guy became the mayor of Globe. He and his wife, Jenny, had three children: Gene (who died from a football injury in high school), Gail and Benny.

Gail met Francis Knuckey at Globe High, and after they graduated, Francis was asked to stay in the area and continue working for Chrysotile, which produces an asbestos used in spinning fiber by the U.S. Navy in electric-cable coverings on warships. “His job was critical to the war effort,” Mike said.

Francis later joined the Navy, and when he returned, he went to work for Guy McGowen, who was mayor at this time. Francis learned about mechanical machinery and helped Guy expand the machine shop. He and his wife had four children, who also graduated from Globe High.

Mike Knuckey demonstrates one of the many working machines at the shop. Photo by LCGross

Guy and Francis were later instrumental in digging water wells for the city of Globe. Mike said they used dry ice, which was dropped into the well hole to purge it of sediment and debris.

The two also ran a bus line between San Carlos and Globe, Mike described the bus as something like an old-time Greyhound bus.  Ann Garlinghouse, Mike’s sister, said the line filled a need because “there was no transportation then.”

An aging Guy decided to sell the machine shop to Francis and Gail, and after his death in 1973, Francis ran the shop. Although the Knuckey side of the family now owned the business, the name remained the same as it had been for more than 40 years.

Mike and Eugene Knuckey (Gene) were left the shop by their father, and Mike eventually bought out his brother’s share.

He and his sister, Ann, learned their lessons on self-reliance early. They both said there were requirements that had to be met before they could enjoy certain luxuries. Mike said he started learning machine work at the end of a broom. He would sweep up the now much larger shop, then he would be taught how to use a piece of machinery. He eventually learned how to use almost all of it.

Ann had to learn how to change a tire, fan belt and water before she could drive, and their parents went several steps further before they allowed Mike to have a car. “I had to pull the engine, clean it, tear it apart and put it back together again before I could have my own car,” he said.

Third generation, Ann Garlinghouse and Mike Knuckey. Photo by LCGross

Whatever Needed Making

McGowen Machine Works did work for all of the major companies across the state of Arizona. “There was no machine shop like it,” Mike said. “Not even in Maricopa County.”

It was also the machine shop listed for Hagen Construction, which was once located behind Connie’s convenience store, and did road construction all over the state of Arizona.

When asked exactly what was made at the shop, Mike spread his arms out and said “whatever was needed!” The shop made parts for construction companies, vehicles, mines and individuals, to name just a few things.

“If you needed a bearing, take it off and bring it in. We would put it in the press.”

He said the easiest way to explain what they did there was to think of a wood shop.  “Everything there is made of wood. Here, everything is made with steel,” he said. “We taper, bend and press steel.”

The point is to understand different steels and the uses for the pieces made, and Machinists were required to understand the molecular structure of steel.

“Some things you don’t want to break, and some things you don’t want to break something else,” he said.

About Aimee Staten

Aimee Staten has worn several hats over the last few years, but she recently put on one of her more familiar caps after four years of working in nonprofits: That of a journalist. She has 14 years of experience in the news business as a reporter with eight of those years as the managing editor of the Eastern Arizona Courier.

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