Lawson Airplane Company-Continental Faience and Tile Company facts for kids

The Lawson Airplane Company-Continental Faience and Tile Company was a group of factory buildings in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Sadly, the buildings have since been torn down.

A Dream of Flying: The Lawson Airplane Company

Lawson C.2 or T-2, an early transport plane.

The Lawson Airplane Company was started by Alfred Lawson. He used to be a Major League Baseball player! In 1919 and 1920, his company designed and built some of the first airplanes made for carrying passengers in the United States. These planes were called the Lawson C.1 (or T-1) and the Lawson C.2 (or T-2).

Lawson wanted to create a way for people to travel by air after World War I. He even planned the first nationwide passenger service! He also came up with new ideas for planes. These included cockpits that protected pilots from the weather and controls that two pilots could use. He also designed passenger cabins with a walkway down the middle.

The company tried to build an even bigger plane called the Lawson L-4. This "super airliner" was meant to carry 56 passengers and have six engines.

The "Midnight Liner" and the End of an Era

The oldest building at the factory was built in 1916. It was a one-story brick building. In 1919, the Lawson Airplane Company bought this property. Here, they designed the L-4 plane, which they called the "Midnight Liner." This was the second airplane designed to carry passengers.

Lawson tried to fly the L-4 from this site. However, the test flight did not go well. This problem led to the company closing down in 1922.

From Airplanes to Art: Continental Faience and Tile Company

In 1924, a new company bought the factory. This was the Continental Faience and Tile Company. They made special art tiles and floor tiles.

Faience is a type of glazed ceramic. It gets its name from beautiful pottery made in Faenza, Italy. In 1928, the company added a new front section to the building. This part had a showroom, an office, and an entrance area. All these new spaces were decorated with the company's own tiles.

The company faced tough times during the Great Depression. This was a period in the 1930s when many people lost their jobs and money. The company struggled and finally closed in 1943.

Later Uses of the Factory

After the tile company, Midwest Potteries bought the factory. From 1943 to 1952, they made ceramic lamp bases and small statues there. After that, the complex was used as a warehouse to store goods.