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The Eclipse Bicycle Company, located at
220 7th Ave., Beaver Falls started production in 1894 at the old
Cutlery Works factory.
They manufactured the Eclipse Bicycles,
Road Wheels, Scorchers, Track Racer, and Ladies Wheels.
H. H. Fulton was President and A. D. Long
was Vice President.
Most interesting was David Lane Whittier
who was Secretary-Treasurer.
Details are murky, but apparently David
Lane Whittier established the Eclipse Bicycle Co. at Indianapolis.
Then the company, or a division, briefly
built bicycles in Beaver Falls.
The Beaver Falls division closed in 1896.
The McCool Tube Company moved into the same location.
According to on-line sources, the company
stopped producing bicycles and started specializing in the Bell
Hub Bicycle Brake until 1903 at Elimira Heights.
On December 19, 1902 the company changed
its name to the Eclipse Machine Company.
It became associated with the Bendix Corporation,
and by 1914 it began producing the Bendix Drive and brakes.
In 1928 the Bendix Co. acquired the Eclipse Machine Co. which became part of Bendix Aviation. Today it is part of Facet Enterprises, Inc. What a long, strange journey from the picture above.