Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory facts for kids

Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
1988 photo
Location in Connecticut Show map of Connecticut Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	217 Center St., Southington, Connecticut
Area	0.6 acres (0.24 ha)
Built	1912 (1912)
Architectural style	Industrial vernacular
MPS	Historic Industrial Complexes of Southington TR
NRHP reference No.	88002682
Added to NRHP	December 8, 1988

The Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory was a very old factory building in Southington, Connecticut. It was located at 217 Center Street. This factory started way back in 1870. For many years, it was the biggest place to work in town.

Some parts of the factory that were built in 1912 were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means they were important historical buildings. The factory was last used by a company called Ideal Forging. It closed in 2003 and was taken down in 2015.

About the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory

The old Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory was in Southington, Connecticut. It was west of the town center. The factory took up most of a city block. This block was bordered by Center, Water, and Mill Streets. It was also next to the old railroad tracks. These tracks are now part of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.

In 1989, when the factory was added to the National Register, it had two main buildings. One was a large forge building with a special sawtooth roof. The other was a big annealing building. There were also many smaller brick buildings, one or two stories tall. Some of the very first buildings from 1870 were already gone by then.

How the Company Started

Peck, Stow & Wilcox was created in 1870. Three different companies joined together to form it. These companies made tools, especially for working with tin. The new company grew very quickly.

By 1890, Peck, Stow & Wilcox made many different kinds of tools. It became the biggest employer in Southington. The people who ran the company were very important in the town. They were involved in the town's community, social life, and government.

What Happened to the Factory?

The factory was made much bigger in 1912. Most of the buildings that were still standing in 1989 were built around this time. Later, a company called Ideal Forging used the factory.

Ideal Forging had financial problems and closed down in 2003. After that, people who develop land bought the factory. Before the factory was taken down in 2015, any unsafe materials were carefully removed.

Peck, Stow & Wilcox also had another factory. It was located in Cleveland, Ohio.

A monkey wrench with "P.S. & W, Cleveland, Ohio" (late 1800s or early 1900s).