“TRUNKS. BEE HIVE TRUNK FACTORY. GOODYEAR’S RUBBER GOODS. RUBBER” lined the top of the window at 27 West Washington Street. This L. E. Morrison & Co. advertising postcard, circa 1910, shows a wide variety of bags and luggage on display for those in need of housing and/or moving stuff. The Indiana State Museum has an actual artifact from the store: an example of a trunk fabricated by this company. (Be sure to click on the photos and check out the beautiful label lining the interior.)
No trace remains of this storefront, which would have been in the block of West Washington Street between Meridian and Illinois Streets on the south side of the street. Perhaps it was removed when Circle Center Mall went in, or perhaps it was long gone before. Either way, it would be lovely to have a local fabricator of sturdy travel gear with Indianapolis proudly stamped on the inside of it.
What an unusual storefront! It draws you in.
I can provide a respectable history of L. E. Morrison & Co., as I have researched it for my family tree files. However, there are a number of living descendants of Lewis Everett Morrison (1854-1939) who could provide an accurate — as well as a more personal — knowledge of the business for Historic Indianapolis readers. Lewis Morrison’s living descendants are my cousins through their Butsch-descended grandmother, and a number of them still reside in the Indianapolis area. I will forward today’s article to a few of them who might be willing to post a comment here about their ancestor’s company.
Hi, Sharon,
Don III, Andy, and I visited with the Mohler family this week, due to the death and funeral of Wm. E. Mohler II, Mary Ann Morrison’s husband. We talked about the cottage up at Manitowish, Wisconsin, and later, Don III suggested I google Morrison Luggage Company. I saw this comment of yours. I suggest you email moman1693 at sbcglobal.net or flo at flostanton at inbox.com for more memories.
I purchased a very interesting old trunk. Brass label on the top of the trunk reads L. E. Morrision and Co.Bee Hive Trunk Factory, Indianapolis, Ind. Trunk looks to be very old. I purchased it because the hardware and design was very unique.
I have a trunk from L.E. Morrison, still has the metal plate (how I knew where it was from). The trunk is in fair shape. I would be glad to donate this trunk. This is a steamer trunk, stands at least 36 inches tall.
I also have one of these trunks. It has my fathers name stamped on one end. He was in the Army in 1942 and served in New York. Would he have used this trunk to travel there?
My grandmother bought her trunk around 1916 it has a paper label still legible. It is 3 levels and is not made of wood but a heavy weight cloth and fiber board or a hard paper material. I would like to know more about it. I would be willing to donate it as.an example of Morrison good work. It measures about 4 by 3 by 3 feet.