W & L.E. Gurley Building Marker
History of Gurley Precision Instruments
Established in 1845, Gurley instruments has been a long standing manufacturer of precision instruments for the past decade. Originally as a partnership of Phelps and Gurley, it transitioned to W. & L.E. Gurley in 1852. The company pulled ahead of the competition by separating the production into departments for each component. The company maintained its lead in the industry evolving their products as technology changed. Obtained in 1968 by Teledyne the company transformed to Teledyne Gurley until sold off in 1993 to become Gurley Precision Instruments [1].
W. & L.E. Gurley Building
The W. & L.E. Gurley originally acquired the Julius Hanks foundry in 1852, but constructed the current building after the Great Troy Fire of 1862 burnt the foundry building down. Through each of the companies mergers the original building remained in the hands of the company and remains as a manufacturing point for the company, although some space is rented to RPI. The building became a national historic landmark in 1983, which is when the plaque was placed on the outside of the building.
References
[1] https://www.gurley.com/history