Sandusky History

Barr Rubber Products began in Lorain, Ohio in 1920, with Nelt Barr serving as the company’s president. In 1923, the company moved its operations to Market Street in Sandusky. The company began as a balloon manufacturing plant, but soon it branched out into the manufacturing of balls, pet toys, and other quality rubber products. Not long after the business suffered a disastrous fire in 1928, the company moved to the site of the former Dauch Manufacturing Company in the 1500 block of First Street. During World War II, Barr Rubber switched its operations to the war effort.

Gaskets, fuel tanks, and rubber life rafts were some of the items made at Barr Rubber during the 1940s. An advertisement in the Sandusky Register Star News of September 22, 1943 stated that
Barr Rubber Products was adding a “Victory Shift.” It was intended to be a part time job for people that already were working a full time job. The Victory Shift ran for five hours a night, for five nights a week. Products made included parts for bombers, life rafts, self-sealing oil tanks and bullet cores for machine guns.

After the war, the company branched out into making rubber components for boats and automobiles, besides producing a wide variety of balloons and recreational balls. These are just a few of the types of products made at Barr Rubber in 1965:

This page from a 1973 Barr Rubber Products catalog shows the clever retail displays that could house the toys made by Barr Rubber:

In 1965 Barr Rubber Products became a subsidiary of Lancaster Colony Corporation. An article in the February 4, 2007 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that the company’s Sandusky factory closed in 1986 following declining sales. Though it is no longer in existence, Barr Rubber Products provided employment for hundreds of local residents, and sold recreational products throughout the United States.