Groundwater well equipment and pump manufacturer Baker Manufacturing Company LLC is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The company was founded in Evansville, Wisconsin, in 1873, and is still headquartered there today.

“We are proud to celebrate our 150th anniversary,” says company president Don Wesdell. He attributes their success to their employees’ hard work and dedication, investor support from Rock Island and — recently — Blue Sage, customers, distributors and the Evansville community.

“We are grateful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon Baker,” he adds.

In a release, the company said it has grown in time to be a leader in its industries with a reputation for quality, innovation and customer service.

Baker Manufacturing Company started in the 1870s a goal of building a steam engine. However, company leaders quickly realized that steam engines were not profitable, so they pivoted to manufacturing windmills. By 1926, Baker was selling windmills worldwide. The company survived the Great Depression and World War II, and even thrived during those challenging times. In 1953, Baker developed the pitless unit, which it says revolutionized the water well industry. The company continued to innovate and grow and, in 1977, acquired Haight Pump. In 2008, it further diversified by buying Campbell Manufacturing.

The company now has three divisions: 

  • Baker Water Systems produces water well accessories and filtration products under the Campbell, Monitor and Monoflex brands. Those products include a range of materials for high-capacity groundwater wells, booster stations for municipal and industrial use, and well monitoring products for environmental use.
  • Haight Pump, which designs and produces gear pumps and positive displacement pumps for the OEM and process market.
  • And Casting Division, which pours and machines gray and ductile iron castings for Baker Water Systems and Haight, as well as for OEMs and machine shops.

The company plans to hold a 150th anniversary celebration Sept. 16, 2023, at Creekside Place, a community space for Evansville and Rock County residents, immediately preceding Creekfest, an annual celebration and fundraiser for the venue. The public is invited at 1:30 p.m. when Baker receive a special legislative citation from Wisconsin State Sen. Mark Spreitzer and State Rep. Clint Anderson. Evansville Mayor Dianne Duggan is also expected to deliver remarks. Learn more at creeksideplace.org/creekfest.

For more information on Baker, visit www.bakermfg.com.