Beginning in 1927, the original manufacturing shop was owned and operated by Ernest Steele Thompson, father of Merle Louis Thompson (Louis from his maternal grandfather, Louis Gill). Merle assumed ownership after Ernie’s passing in 1964 and incorporated in 1967 growing the operations into Strathmore Machinery, Inc. It was at that time the shop moved to its present location at the intersection of State Hwy 65 & Avenue 196.