Celebrating 125 Years
For over a century, the John Bouchard & Sons Co. tradition of innovation and excellence has helped create and maintain the systems that keep the Mid-South running. Learn the history as you scroll through our Anniversary page.
Your Stories
Thank you to all who have played a part in our 125-year story: the thousands of customers, vendors, employees and community leaders. Here are recollections from a few of them. Please share yours using the form below.
Barry Walker, founder of Marathon Village at the former Marathon Motor Works plant recounts: “all the factories were (in this area of town) back in the early beginning of Nashville and definitely in the turn of the century. You had Philips & Buttorff here, John Bouchard & Sons, you had Marathon Motor Works here, Gray & Dudley, just so many others…And what’s amazing is all those companies are gone and John Bouchard & Sons is totally and completely still kicking, and that’s incredible… I remember seeing a lot of tags in the early days (from) John Bouchard and Sons (working) over here in the early ’20s with their name tag on the sprinkler valves…
You treat people right, you’re fair, you do a good job, you’re honest, and there are good people. That’s hard to find nowadays….and I think anybody that’s true and honest that does good work for people is going to be around for a long time. And that’s why people keep coming back, and that’s what John Bouchard & Sons did.”
“On the morning of Sunday May 2, 2010, NewsChannel 5’s studio in downtown Nashville was taking on water quickly in what would become one of the biggest flood events in middle Tennessee history. The water levels were literally inches away from taking the station off the air while we covered this massive weather event live on television. Our first phone call was to Bouchard, to secure pumps and remove the water. Jackie Jones from Bouchard was our first responder, providing the initial pumps that keep us on the air. Was it not for Bouchard’s quick response, NewsChannel 5’s weather coverage during this critical time would have been compromised.” Richard Eller, Station Manager News Channel 5 Network | WTVF Nashville
One year, the Tennessee State Capitol had an emergency with the State Christmas Tree. JBS welder Doyle Dunn recounts, “…the wind had blown it over and twisted (the tree stand). So me and Phillip Tidwell, we beefed it up, and braced it up better than it was. The tree was coming from way off. I remember how tall they said it was- the trunk alone was like 26-30 inches- a really big one. We knocked out (the tree stand repair) in about an hour.” It may be a stretch to say ‘JBS saved Christmas,’ but the State officials were certainly very appreciative of the emergency response.
“On the morning of Sunday May 2, 2010, NewsChannel 5’s studio in downtown Nashville was taking on water quickly in what would become one of the biggest flood events in middle Tennessee history. The water levels were literally inches away from taking the station off the air while we covered this massive weather event live on television. Our first phone call was to Bouchard, to secure pumps and remove the water. Jackie Jones from Bouchard was our first responder, providing the initial pumps that keep us on the air. Was it not for Bouchard’s quick response, NewsChannel 5’s weather coverage during this critical time would have been compromised.” Richard Eller, Station Manager News Channel 5 Network | WTVF Nashville
Videos
We fix. We build. We innovate. We work hard, tell the truth and stand by our product. We start with valuing relationships – ours as a family, and our customers’ with us.
In 1880, John Bouchard was devising ingenious machinery that propelled the Armour meatpacking plant in Chicago to be able to process and refrigerate 1,400 hogs/hour. He knew how to make machines tackle the tasks and exceed old limits.
By 1908, Bouchard and his sons were in our present location on Harrison Street, Nashville, operating “one of the most up-to-date machine shops in the country”. By 1928, the Tennessean touted JBS as “important to the construction progress of the entire south.” From Ward Belmont to Avco, Vanderbilt to Coca-Cola, city pumping stations to Weyman-Burton Snuff Co, JBS has outfitted progress in the South, building the long-lasting relationships and hardworking infrastructure our customers depend upon.
Thankful for our community, we love giving back. From contributions to the War Effort in the 1940’s, to supporting Nashville’s charities for youth and the needy each year, we want our faith to be active. And that is often found here, one worker helping the other.
John Bouchard was the father 5 generations ago. Today his descendants still own and operate the business as a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), while an army of craftsmen, service experts, and staff – those they are mentoring and those who have trained them – know they are all part of the JBS family.
If a call comes in for “John Bouchard” each one of us answers with a shared identity – “how may I help you?” Electrical may send you to the compressor dept. for your particular need, the foundry may call in the machine shop to help you best, construction may call service ….. someone in the “family” will find the best response for your call.
John Bouchard & Sons Co. - A Glimpse Into Our History
125th Anniversary Commemorative Book
Who was John Bouchard and who were his sons? How has JBS survived and remained a family business for 125 years? What important projects has the company accomplished over 12 decades? And who were the employees that made it all happen?
Our forthcoming book from Grandin Hood Publishers answers these questions and more. Full of colorful characters and dangerous episodes, risks taken and loyalties held, this commemorative book tells the story of John Bouchard & Sons Co. as it is weaves through the history of Nashville and the Mid-South.
REQUEST A PRE-ORDERED COPY BY FILLING OUT THE FORM.
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