Forgotten Tidbits of Long Island History - Fairchild Republic Corp, E. Farmingdale, LI

Hi again.  Here I am sitting on steps that lead to nowhere.  Well, now they do, but at one time, they led to a Long Island Railroad Station used exclusively for employees of the Fairchild Republic Corp.  This company and Grumman Aircraft were at one time the largest employers on Long Island.

Fairchild Aircraft was founded by Sherman Fairchild in 1929.  They were the manufacturers of aircraft and related aircraft parts from 1931 to 1987. After visiting the American Airpower Museum in East Farmingdale on the former site of Republic Aviation, I discovered some interesting things.  Republic Aviation took over the buildings that Fairchild abandoned in 1930's and expanded their operation in 1955.  In 1965 Fairchild Hiller bought out Republic Aviation to manufacture the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II or "Warthog".  From that point on, Republic Aviation became known as Fairchild Republic Corporation.

Here I am sitting on the right side of the ruins.  These are the steps on the left side of the station, both are closed off to the public.



Below is an original picture of what the station looked like before demolition in 1987.  Note the steps on either side.

The steps aren't the only things crumbling.  In 2006 Fairchild Republic sold off Airport Plaza, a shopping mall which the corporation had built on their former site. On the opposite side of the street, the former buildings stand in ruins. Promises to rebuild the Republic Station never seem to materialize.  Right now it has been postponed indefinitely.

I have a few links to articles that will provide more information.

Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Aircraft

Pictures of the former Fairchild Republic buildings in ruins:
http://mysbfiles.stonybrook.edu/~csellers/farmingdalenassausuperfund/2f8bf4f6b5bba95efe42ebfefbc5c080.html

http://mysbfiles.stonybrook.edu/~csellers/farmingdalenassausuperfund/77aa73da8fb22105b4573bbe20f1749a.html

and finally a link to where I found the picture of the former station

 http://www.arrts-arrchives.com/grmnrpblc.html