191-193 Beekman Ave.

(north side)

(formerly G.M.’s Eastern

Aircraft Division)

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This spot was once the site of the entrance

drive to the General Motors N.T.

Assembly Plant. During World War II, the

factory was referred to rather as the

“Eastern Aircraft Division of G.M.” (above).

When worker Rosina Bonavita Hickey

(from northern Westchester) broke a

riveting record–along with her cousin &

fellow worker, Jennie Fiorito–a photo was

published on the front page of the New

York Sun. Now, a bit of background: the

“Rosie the Riveter” concept sprang from a

song of that name, recorded by several

Big Band artists (“Kay” Kyser, for one).

As it became a hit, the idea of a “real”

Rosie inspired speculation. After seeing her

photo that day, some Americans started

to view our Rosina as the lady of that

song–personified.

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However, there are a few other women of

that generation whom some consider to be

the “true” Rosie, based on other interpreta-

tions of the emergence of this moniker. For

example, some recognize the factory worker

whose photo was probably used as the model

when the famous poster (below) was created.

In any case, there can be little doubt that

Rosina Bonavita Hickey is our local favorite!

Almost 3,000 women were on the factory

payroll here by 1943. (Compare that to

an average of 120 female employees in

previous times.) Several sections of the

Avenger torpedo bomber were assembled in

N.T., including wings. The completed sections

would then be transported by truck to New

Jersey, for the final plane assembly.

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During the last few years of the War, an

average of 350 fully-assembled planes were

delivered by GM to the Navy each month.

Four other retooled GM plants contributed

to this effort. Today, a life-size statue of

“Rosie the Riveter” graces the area of a

former Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical plant

in Wood-Ridge, N.J. It is safe to say that

she was modeled after neither our Rosina

nor any other real-life, would-be Rosie. The

sculptor reportedly decided to leave her ex-

act identity (and ethnicity) ambiguous. But

at six-foot-two, this statuary Rosie must

appear just as “riveting” as the others!

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