Since Carl E. Anderson founded Anderson Automatics in August of 1948 with just two machines and 700 square feet of space, the company has gone a long way.  He quit working at Champion Outboard Motors with two paychecks and nine kids.  His boss informed him that he would start looking for a new job again in six months.  He was inspired by this remark to start his own company and stop it from happening.  He started creating shear pins for outboard motors and expanded his company immediately away.

Carl constructed a new structure at France Avenue and 49th Street in 1952.  He occupied half of the 1900 square feet of this building.  He gave an Indian Motorcycle dealer a rental of the other half.