American Chicle Company Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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American Chicle Company Building
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Seen from Fig Street, 2010
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 Location in East New Orleans
Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8311 Fig St., New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1911 |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001176 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1998 |
The American Chicle Company Building is a historic building in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was built in 1911. This building is located in the Gert Town neighborhood. It used to be a factory where chewing gum was made!
Contents
A Sweet History: The Gum Factory
This building was once home to the American Chicle Company. They made chewing gum here. The factory opened in 1911.
Why New Orleans Was Perfect for Gum
Back in the early 1900s, the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce wanted a gum factory. They thought New Orleans was a great spot for it.
- New Orleans was a top port for trade with Latin America. This meant lots of chicle (a natural gum base) already came through the city.
- Louisiana also grew and refined a lot of sugar. Sugar is a key ingredient in chewing gum!
So, New Orleans had easy access to both main ingredients.
From Gum to Offices: What Happened Next
After the gum factory closed, the building had other uses.
- It was a box factory for a while.
- Later, it became a warehouse for car parts.
A Historic Landmark: On the National Register
The American Chicle Company Building is very old and important. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. This list includes buildings and places that are important to American history.
Surviving a Storm: Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, the area around the building flooded. This happened during Hurricane Katrina. The building was empty for several years after the storm. However, it was fixed up between 2008 and 2009. Today, it is an office building. It is now the main office for Landis Construction Company.
