How GE’s River Works in Lynn helped build the American jet
The River Works site began with Thomson‑Houston in the 1880s, hosted GE’s secret WWII turbojet program in 1941–42, and remains an active aviation plant today.
In 1941 and 1942, a small, secret GE team in West Lynn built America’s first working jet engines. Here is how the River Works plant got there, from its start as a Thomson‑Houston factory, and what it does now.
River Works has long been a major local employer and a landmark in Lynn’s industrial history. For where the city’s economy is headed now, see our look at Lynn’s economy.
Quick facts
- Where: River Works, GE’s plant in West Lynn, which began as the Thomson‑Houston Electric Company’s factory.
- Visiting: River Works is an active industrial plant, not a museum or visitor site, and it operates under industrial access controls.
- What it does now: Continues aviation production and testing, including CF34 and regional/business jet engine components, according to EPA documents and company material.
- Landmark moment: In 1941–1942 a secret GE team here built America’s first working jet engines.
Thomson‑Houston and the factory that became River Works
The site now called River Works began as the Thomson‑Houston Electric Company’s factory in West Lynn. According to the Center for Land Use Interpretation, the complex grew from the 1880s onward.
Thomson‑Houston moved operations to a new Western Avenue factory in West Lynn in 1883; that facility later became the core of today’s River Works complex, per historical accounts. Elihu Thomson is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery.
A secret program that produced America’s first turbojets
In 1941–1942 a small, top‑secret GE team at River Works — often called the “Hush‑Hush Boys” — adapted Frank Whittle’s British jet design and produced the I‑A/I‑16 family of turbojets at West Lynn, according to GE Aerospace.
Those engines were the first American turbojets to be run and tested, and they powered early U.S. jet aircraft such as the Bell XP‑59A, which flew in 1942, the company reports.
From wartime experiments to J‑series production
Early development in Lynn progressed into production work on GE’s J‑series axial engines. GE Aerospace describes the J‑series development and testing that followed the wartime program.
After the war, GE continued engine production at River Works; the company notes a second production line for the J47 opened in Lynn on February 28, 1949 to expand output.
Workers, unions and changing employment
River Works was a large production site through the mid‑20th century, but reporting and independent research show the plant’s production workforce has fallen substantially since the 1970s–1980s.
IUE‑CWA Local 201 represents River Works employees and recent news coverage cites Local 201’s bargaining‑unit membership at roughly 1,260 workers.
News coverage around 2020–2021 documented major GE Aviation global workforce cuts that affected GE’s aviation businesses and raised local concerns at River Works, while GE said it had hired several hundred people in Lynn since 2017 and continued recruiting for some operations.
River Works today
Regulatory and company filings show River Works continues aviation production and testing activity; facility descriptions list work on CF34 and regional/business jet engine components and testing, according to EPA documents and company material.
GE Aerospace still describes River Works as an active aviation site that played a central role in the U.S. move into the jet age.
What remains for Lynn and practical notes
River Works is an active industrial plant, not a museum or visitor site, and it operates under industrial access controls.
For context on Lynn’s broader industrial past and how sites like River Works fit into the city’s story, see the Lynn history pages and the events calendar for local programs about Lynn’s manufacturing heritage.
Frequently asked questions
What did GE’s River Works build in Lynn during World War II?
A small, top‑secret GE team at River Works adapted Frank Whittle’s British jet design and produced the I‑A/I‑16 family of turbojets in 1941–1942, according to GE Aerospace. These were the first American turbojets to be run and tested.
Which aircraft used the first American jet engines made in Lynn?
The engines powered early U.S. jet aircraft such as the Bell XP‑59A, which flew in 1942, the company reports.
Who were the “Hush‑Hush Boys” at River Works?
They were the small, top‑secret GE team at River Works in 1941–1942 that built America’s first working jet engines, according to GE Aerospace.
Can you visit GE River Works in Lynn?
No. River Works is an active industrial plant, not a museum or visitor site, and it operates under industrial access controls.
Is GE’s River Works still operating?
Yes. Regulatory and company filings show River Works continues aviation production and testing, including work on CF34 and regional/business jet engine components. GE Aerospace still describes it as an active aviation site.
How did River Works start?
It began as the Thomson‑Houston Electric Company’s factory in West Lynn, which the Center for Land Use Interpretation says grew from the 1880s onward. Thomson‑Houston moved to a new Western Avenue factory in 1883, which later became the core of today’s complex, per historical accounts.
Sources: Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) — River Works Plant; Wikipedia — River Works; GE Aerospace — company history (Aviation History); GE News — historical report on the jet engine program; GE Aerospace — ‘Cold War Child’ article on the J47; NASA; Time magazine — reporting on GE workforce declines and domestic manufacturing trends; WBUR — ‘Workers in Lynn call for more local investment’ (reporting on GE and Local 201); The Boston Globe — reporting on GE job changes and overall aviation workforce; U.S. EPA NPDES response document for General Electric Aviation (River Works facility).
