Madison Candy Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Madison Candy Company
|
|
Madison Candy Company
|
|
| Location | 744 Williamson St. Madison, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | John Nader |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000294 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1997 |
The Madison Candy Company building is an old candy factory located in Madison, Wisconsin. It was built way back in 1903. This historic building is about half a mile east of the state capitol building. Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. This means it's a special place worth protecting!
Contents
A Sweet History
Madison, Wisconsin, wasn't always a big factory town. For a long time, most jobs were in government or education. Some city leaders even wanted to keep the city clean and didn't want many factories. It was also harder to ship goods to and from Madison compared to cities closer to big lakes.
But things changed! By the late 1800s, business leaders in Madison started trying to bring in more companies. They especially wanted "high-quality" businesses that would fit into a special factory area on the east side of the city.
How the Candy Company Started
The Madison Candy Company was first started by a person named Joseph E. Kleiner in 1899. At first, they made candy in a different building on Williamson Street. But in 1903, the company built its very own new factory at 744 Williamson Street. This is the building we are talking about!
.jpg)
The Building's Design
A local architect and engineer named John Nader designed the new candy factory. It has a red brick front and is three stories tall. At the very top of the front, there's a flat wall called a parapet. The building's front is divided into four sections.
On the first floor, the windows are rectangular. Concrete lines the columns between these sections. On the second and third floors, each window has a slightly arched top. These large windows were important because they let in lots of natural light for the workers inside. The roofline has a stepped design, and in the middle, you can see a stone with "1903" carved into it, showing when it was built. There's also a round window on each side of the date stone. The street level part of the building has been changed a bit over the years, but the upper parts still look much like they did when they were first built.
What Was Made Inside
The machines that made candy are no longer in the factory today. But an old newspaper article from 1903, from the Wisconsin State Journal, tells us what it was like:
It was very interesting to watch how candy was made at the factory. You could see the whole process, from when the white sugar arrived in big barrels all the way to when the delicious, finished chocolate creams were carefully packed into pretty boxes. The company needed huge amounts of sugar, by the carload, to make all their candies.
The same article also said that the Madison Candy Company made many different kinds of candies. They also sold other things like crackers, cigars, cheese, and nuts to other businesses.
The most popular candy at the time was Chocolate Creams, and the Madison Candy Company made excellent ones that people really loved. They also made a great variety of mixed candies and many fun, new sweets. The company sold its products all over Wisconsin!
The People Behind the Sweets
Besides Joseph Kleiner, the Prendergast family was very involved in the candy company. James J. Prendergast was the manager and vice president. His brother Thomas was the secretary, and their sister Mary was the "forelady," which meant she was in charge of the workers. Their brother Charles likely worked as a traveling salesman for the company.
The Prendergast parents had moved to America from Ireland in 1847. James Prendergast used to work for a bakery in a town called Watertown. Around 1900, a big company called Nabisco bought that bakery. This might be why the Prendergast family moved to Madison and became involved with the candy company.
What Happened Next
The Madison Candy Company made candy in this building until 1927. After that, other businesses used the building. In 1935, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau moved in. Then, in 1946, a company called Ela Welding Supplies used the space. The building was also updated and remodeled in 1950.
In 2001, the Madison Landmarks Commission officially recognized the building as a landmark. It's also listed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. The building is important because it's one of the few original factory buildings left in Madison from the early 1900s. It also shows how industry grew in the city. It's the best example of an old candy-making factory in Madison. Its location in the east-side factory area reminds us that some people in Madison once didn't want many factories in their city. The building also shows off the great industrial design work of local designer John Nader.
Images for kids
-
The Madison Candy Company building today.
