Car Freshner
Car Freshner Corporation
The "Little Trees®" car fresheners, invented by Swiss-born Canadian businessman Jules Saaman at the Leray Hotel on Public Square in Watertown in 1952, hang from rear-view mirrors the world over and have appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows (like the motion pictures "Se7en", "The Fisher King", and "Repo Man"). They are made of material similar to beer coasters and come in various scents and colors.
Car-Freshner Corporation's world headquarters and main manufacturing facilities are located in the Jefferson County Industrial Park. Manufacturing, packaging and shipping goes on around the clock during the entire week.File:Thumb carfreshhdqrt A few companies in other parts of the world are also licensed to also produce the fresheners. Car Freshner also sponsors and promotes their products through several motorsports outlets and teams.
Correctly known as Car-Freshner® without the second "e", 1952's original pine trees have morphed into hundreds of shapes, colors, styles and fragrance choices for car and home. The company is very aggressive in filing legal actions against manufacturers and retailers--including the Old Navy clothing store chain--who infringe on Car-Freshner's trademarks. Website].
The Road To The Industrial Park
From Polk City Directories, Watertown New York
at Flower Memorial Library
1956 Car Freshner Corp. John Pappa, Pres. Richard Schwerzmann, Sec./Treas
446 Cross St. / 312 Gale St.
1960 John Pappa, Pres. Richard Schwerzmann, Sec. Gerald F. Wiley, Treas. 161 Stone Street, rear *
By 1966 the listing designated 161 Stone Street rear as "office" and 312 Gale St. (rear) was listed as "factory"
By 1970 Moved to 938 Water Street
1977 Office and Plant 1 at 203 North Hamilton Street, 938 Water Street was Plant 2
- Unknown whether this was in the rear of the green "Beeper Place" house torn down last year, or if the office was in the rear garage, which is still standing.