The History of Down River Scrap Iron & Metal Company

Picture it.  Wyandotte, Michigan.  1928.

Rose married at age 17 to Felix Wojtala with no money in their pockets and an unknown future.

In 1928, Rose established Down River Scrap Iron & Metal Company in her Wyandotte backyard.  Years leading up to that, Rose learned through a cousin that she could make extra money by collecting scrap metal and sell to a scrap dealer nearby.

She would take a wagon, along with her two small sons, Raymond and George, and go up and down alleyways, dumpsters - anywhere she could find disposed of metals, teaching her young sons along the way.  That was 1928, while she was pregnant with twin boys, Pete and Al.

In June of 1938, the city of Wyandotte issued Rose and Felix their business license - even though they had been building the business out of their backyard since 1928.

Rose taught her boys the business - inside and out.  They grew up running the business, all married, raised families as the second generation manned the helm.

Rose continued to be very involved, even while having her two girls in the late 1940's.  The business was thriving until an unexpected fire destroyed their location at 798 Oak Street in 1949.  Never giving up, Rose purchased 3901 11th Street in Wyandotte and moved the company to that and its current location.

As time passed, Rose became known as a philanthropist throughout Wyandotte - Always helping, donating and providing not only for her family, but also her Church (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) and the Polish Legion of American Veterans (PLAV Post 74).

Her eldest son Ray, passed away suddenly in the fall of 1966, leaving George, Pete and Al to run the company.

Being a Warrior and a Survivor, a Woman WELL BEFORE HER TIME with family and business accomplishments, Rose continued to oversee the business, leaving her sons to the overall operations.

In the early 1970's, Rose founded THE BIDDLE HALL, a catering banquet hall still in operations today under new owners.  She founded the hall for her daughters, Rosemary and Barbara.  Another successful business for years downtown Wyandotte.

Rose's husband, Felix, passed away in 1981 with Rose passing in 1998 at the age of 91.  Her children are all gone now, with George passing in 2001, Pete in 2020 and Al in 2023.

At age 94, Al continued to work AND OPERATE THE CRANE up until his last day at the yard on March 22, 2023, passing away June 2023.

From here, Rose's THIRD GENERATION and FOURTH GENERATION now running the operations.  Her FIFTH GENERATION (great-great grandsons) are LEARNING the business as well.

We've learned from THE BEST to be THE BEST!