Essex Chemical Sign

In 1930 the Rumford Chemical Company built a new building on the eastern edge of their property abutting the Newman Cemetary to accomodate their manufacture of sulphuric acid. For many years the sulphuric acid division of the Company was the largest factory of its kind east of the Mississippi River.

In 1948 the entire Rumford Company was bought by Hayden Chemical Company and in 1950 the Rumford Baking Powder division of Hayden Chemical was bought by Hulman and Company of Terre Haute, Indiana.

The sulphuric acid plant was purchased from Hayden and became known as the Essex Chemical Company.

In 1975 Essex Chemical ceased operations in Rumford.