District 837 - Defending Our Freedoms
The Machinists in these four companies create tooling for assembly work, fabricate, machine, assemble, perform testing & troubleshooting, inspection and prototype work on a wide range of military products. In addition, the District represents many of the support personnel that maintain the buildings and yards used to house the shop workers.
The District was formed in 1967 as the result of a split from IAM District Lodge 9. During the height of the Vietnam War, tens of thousands of Machinists were employed in the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft factory to keep our troops supplied with the most technologically advanced weapons and missiles at the time. The F-4 Phantom II was the predominant fighter of the era and thousands rolled off the assembly line in St. Louis.
In the years following the war, the Machinists continued to build ever more advanced weapons systems. The F-15 Eagle, F-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Super Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, & T-45 Goshawk are all products that our members have made possible. Many Machinists build major sub-assembly parts for the C-17 Globe Master III Transport and others work on a wide range of missiles and bombs used to defend our military personnel. Our brothers and sisters at VSE rebuild and maintain equipment such as cranes, troop transports and heavy machinery for our armed forces.
Today, the Machinists at Boeing, GKN, VSE Corp., and RTI continue to serve their country in the production and rework of multiple military jets and weapons that provide strategic strike capabilities around the world and protection for the members of our Armed Forces. The F-15, F/A-18, C-17, and many bombs and missiles built by our members as well as the maintenance of military equipment, are proving once again that our products deliver, on time, on target, with minimal risk to the crews that operate them.
To find the District Hall, please refer to the directions below:
To reach the District offices from I-70, take Lindbergh Blvd. north to Utz Lane. Turn left onto Utz Lane and you will find the hall on your left a few hundred yards up.
To reach the District offices from I-270, take Lindbergh Blvd. south to Utz Lane. Turn right onto Utz Lane and you will find the hall on your left a few hundred yards up.
To reach the District from other areas, take your best route to Lindbergh Blvd. and drive toward Utz Lane.
Once you reach 212 Utz Lane, turn into the first drive. Parking is available on the drive (not in the fire lane please) or in the lot on the south side of the building.
The District offices are located on the north end of the building and can be accessed through those doors. District Staff is located upstairs. A phone is located by the first stairwell for employees with disabilities. Use this phone to call one of the admin assistants who will come down to assist you so you don't have to climb the stairs. (See photos at bottom for a walk-through)
The main meeting hall is found by using the center doors on the east side of the building. This hall is accessed on the first floor to your left as you enter the building.
Local Lodges are found by using the middle door on the east side of the building. A Lodge is found at the top of the stairs at the last door on the left. B Lodge is at the top of the stairs at the second door on the right.
To access the park, go to the west side of the building and enter through the open gate. To rent out this park for special functions, contact Jim Marshall at 314-731-0603 option #5.
These maps and photos will help you find your way:
All maps are courtesy of MapQuest
