The Lamson and Goodnow Company is located in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. Founded in 1837, it is the world’s oldest cutlery manufacturer. The early success of the business encouraged the owners to add buildings and to recruit cutlery workers from England and Germany. By the Civil War (1861-1865), Lamson & Goodnow was one of the largest cutlery manufacturers in the United States, at times employing more than 500 workers. Ebenezer G. Lamson, a founder and partner, stands in front of the company’s building in this photograph taken in about 1880.