When reviewing the history of Dixon Valve & Coupling Company, it is necessary to look to the individuals responsible for creating the company.

In 1887, at the age of 15, Howard W. Goodall quit school to work at a Philadelphia rubber distributor, Latta & Mulconroy Company, as a general clerk and errand boy. An inherent tinkerer, Goodall became interested in designing hose couplings and clamps which could obviously be sold as an accessory to their hose line. Mr. Mulconroy suggested that Goodall call on some accounts himself in order to promote the hose coupling project. This resulted in a successful and profitable new business for Latta & Mulconroy Company.

Several years later, Goodall asked permission from Mr. Mulconroy to travel to Wilmington, Delaware to call on the leather tanning industry there. Mr. Latta, Mulconroy's partner, objected. He didn't believe the young Goodall had any business calling on clients in Wilmington. Ultimately, this lead to a feud between the two partners resulting in Goodall's dismissal.

Later, with Mr. Mulconroy's blessing, H.W. Goodall founded the Goodall Rubber Company. He also started Knox Manufacturing Company in order to manufacture couplings and clamps, which were sold to rubber manufacturers and distributors. Knox Manufacturing was sold to Mr. Robert Stovell several years later.

In order to further the design and manufacture of couplings for the country's thriving growth in mining, oil drilling, construction and railroads, H.W. Goodall started the Dixon Valve & Coupling Company on March 21st, 1916. Dixon® was originally located at 11th and Race Streets in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Goodall Rubber Company continued to grow. Much of its success can be attributed to Howard Goodall's willingness to travel to every major construction site he could locate, identify their hose and coupling requirements and then provide the necessary products. This gave H.W. Goodall considerable knowledge of coupling requirements on construction sites - information he later used to develop additional products for the Dixon® line. The first photo below shows Mr. Goodall inspecting couplings at Hoover Dam in 1932.

In 1924, H.W. Goodall was advised to slow down for health reasons. He sold out his interest in Goodall Rubber Company and continued to operate the Dixon Valve & Coupling Company. Mr. Goodall traveled extensively promoting the Dixon® products, crisscrossing the country several times a year.

As the company grew, they moved several times to larger locations. Eventually they settled at Hancock and Columbia Avenues where they purchased a building in 1929. Two large adjacent buildings were acquired (approximately 135,000 feet) during the 1940-1950's and, even with this additional space, the buildings were inadequate; so, in 1976, the business moved to Chestertown, Maryland.