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Monarch Factory 1920's - 1950's

jlegge

Stainless
Joined
Oct 7, 2004
Location
Grayslake, IL
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Haven't had time to post here in a while. Found these two old factory pictures Monarch used in there ADs. First is one many has seen from the 1920's and the other show the factory expansion around 1955.


Enjoy,


JOhn
 
It looks as though virtually the whole plant was torn down and rebuilt over that period of time. of course I can see how that would happen, going from building little flat belt machines to something like my series 90 is a world of difference.
 
I've spent too much time googling images of the factory. Some neat stuff comes up. The history stuff always gets me. I'm glad we have a little place like this message board to help keep these machines going and share our appreciation for the them and the people that built them. I hope this thread keeps going.
 
The lion of Sidney on the shipping and receiving door. :-) Google Maps
That view is from Park St, about where the abandoned rail spur crosses, looking south. Once upon a time, coal trains would use that spur that drop coal for the boilers. It's amazing that the Google Street View route didn't include Oak Ave, in front of the plant.

I visited the plant in July, 2015 and Monarch only occupies a small part of the North end of the old building. Here's a Google satellite view of the end of the building that Monarch still occupies. I've marked the area that Monarch still occupies in red, as best I recall it:
Monarch building.jpg

I'm guessing about how far to the south Monarch's area extends in the rear part of the building. I don't believe that the square section on the north end of the building is Monarch's. Monarch no longer has the part of the building with the cool art deco main entrance. You enter via the northern most doorway on Oak Ave. There's a fairly long hall leading into the building and Monarch's offices are on the north side of the hall; none the offices to the south are Monarch's.

Here's a nice photo of the old art deco main entrance: Art Deco Influence - Russ Moore Photography

I was surprised to find out that Monarch no longer owns the building (at least the bulk of it). According to this 2008 article, an Ohio developer bought the building in about 2003 and is renovating and leasing out sections of the building: https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/01/28/focus1.html

Cal
 
They must have a decent amount of space somewhere as I talked to them a couple of weeks ago and they had just finished a full rebuild on a series 80 Lathe. I wonder if they still have the big way grinder in house or if they outsource that and only do final assembly?
 
Don't misunderstand me, they still have a large amount of space, probably around 45,000 square feet in the shop alone. That building is about 400 feet deep, east to west, where they are.

Cal
 








 
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