Bantam’s legacy lives on despite damage to building from blaze
The former Bantam Jeep building, located in Lyndora, may have been destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning, Nov. 2, but its significance to the area and the memories of what it stood for remain.
According to Butler Bureau of Fire Chief Chris Switala, the battle against the blaze, which lasted about four and a half hours, was mostly defensive and ended with the building being considered a total loss.
Throughout Sunday, crews were routinely monitoring the property and ended up being called more than once for rekindles, but those were kept under control.
Mayor Bob Dandoy called the loss of the building deeply unfortunate, but took time to recognize the Bureau of Fire and all responding departments for their work.
“I want to commend the superb work of our city’s first responders who acted swiftly and professionally under very difficult conditions attacking one of the most intense fires in the city in recent history,” he said.
Amy Pack, president of Experience Butler County, said the history of the Bantam Jeep began in 1940 when the Army was exploring options for a vehicle capable of transporting people and cargo.
“The Bantam Car Company was one of two that answered the call and was able to make a prototype of the Jeep. It’s real birthplace is Butler County at the Bantam Car Company,” she explained.
Bantam was contracted to make 1,500 cars, which were complete by May 1941. However, the Army awarded future Jeep contracts to Willys-Overland and Ford.
“It was the development of the Bantam Jeep that the United States president at the time credited with the United States’ practical advantage in winning the war and ultimately bringing peace to Europe,” Mark Gordon, Butler County’s chief of economic development and planning, said.
Gordon said the property passed hands to Armco in the 1950s before ending up as an AK Steel property in the 1990s.
After some time, it was sold to CERTA, a Cincinnati company specializing in redeveloping old industrial sites. While it began demolishing buildings on the former AK Steel property, the Bantam building remained.
“There had been a reluctance to demolish that, at least from my perspective,” Gordon said. “So for one, the manufacturing significance that the building played in our nation’s history ... but CERTA has had the property for sale, or at least entertained inquiry.”
Dandoy remarked that while the city had no specific plans of its own for the building, it represented an important part of the region and its culture.
“It was an important part of Butler’s proud heritage and a symbol of our community’s contribution to American history,” Dandoy said. “The city of Butler remains committed to honoring the legacy of the Bantam Jeep and supporting efforts to preserve and celebrate our shared history.”
While the building has been inaccessible to the public for years, the location still served as a prominent attraction for Jeep enthusiasts.
“A lot of people did go to the historic landmark sign and get a look at the stack and what was left of the building,” Pack said. “But more so, they celebrated the Jeep through the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival.”
She explained that especially with the annual festival, Experience Butler County does promote the region as the birthplace of the Jeep.
“It is a nod to our whole manufacturing heritage. It’s so strong in this area and to have something this iconic be at the forefront of so many things we do — like steel and glass. We have a rich manufacturing history, so this story is very important to us,” Pack said.
County Commissioner Leslie Osche said there have been numerous challenges over what to do with the building over the years, but also noted the importance it served as a reminder of the county’s manufacturing backbone.
“It was not in a safe condition by any means, but that said, it does have historical significance. It’s really an icon for the county, recognizing how important the Jeep was to our history and to our military,” she said.
She said while the fire’s investigation is still ongoing, she hopes investigators are able to get to the bottom of the cause.
“I think it’s an incredible loss because at least it was still there. We were able to see it. Now, for safety reasons, whatever’s left of the shell will have to come down,” Osche said.
She added that when plans for the entire property are more concrete, she would like to see an effort to recognize the building at the site, regardless of what is developed.
“There’s lots of discussions happening about who will ultimately own the property, but when that happens, I think that site should absolutely have some sort of memorial. I know there was a lot of discussion about doing something with the bricks,” she said.
County Commissioner Kevin Boozel expressed the same desire to save whatever is possible and help to remember what used to stand there.
“We did have plans on salvaging some of the artifacts and pieces that were in there. Hopefully it can still be done even after the fire, most of it was steel. So there may be some hope left in the ashes,” he said.
Even with the loss of the building, Boozel said the legacy of Bantam and Butler County’s manufacturing roots is not wholly attached to the physical space. In his opinion, the building did not build Butler, but rather Butler built it.
“The people who put their heart and soul into working in the building over the years... those folks should not be forgotten because of the building,” he explained.
