Program

NYS Historic

Subject

Building, Industry & Commerce, Site

Location

30 Coldenham Rd, Walden, NY 12586, USA

Lat/Long

41.55472193363, -74.186094546245

Grant Recipient

Historical Society of Walden and Wallkill Valley

The Interstate Bag Company was incorporated in 1906 in Newburgh, New York, to manufacture specialized paper, cotton, and burlap bags for industrial and agricultural uses, such as flour, cement, bananas, and charcoal. The founding group of businessmen included Abram J. DuBois, Frank J. Steen, Reuben F. Heaton, Joseph McClughan, and Elmer E. Roosa. In 1911, the company relocated its operations to Walden, New York, where it established a factory with a direct link to the Wallkill Valley Railroad. By early 1912, the facility was operational and marketing airtight, dust-proof garment bags for 50 cents.

The company maintained steady production of various bag types for several decades. A significant technological advancement occurred in 1936 when Vice President Harford K. Steen received a patent for a machine capable of manufacturing paper bags with handles specifically designed for the grocery industry.

The enterprise continued to operate in Walden, though its corporate structure evolved through a series of acquisitions. In 1968, it became a subsidiary of Hoerner Waldorf, and following a subsequent merger in 1987, it was integrated into Champion International. In more recent years, the facility has operated under the name Ampac. The business continues to manufacture paper bags at present, experiencing a significant increase in demand following the implementation of a plastic bag ban in New York State in 2020.