Schiller Piano Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Schiller Piano Company and Iron Water Tower Base
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Location | Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois |
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| Built | Building - 1893-1905; Water Tower - c. 1910 |
| Part of | Oregon Commercial Historic District (ID06000713) |
| Added to NRHP | August 16, 2006 |
The Schiller Piano Company was a famous American company that made pianos. It was located in Oregon, Illinois. The company worked on its own from 1890 to 1936. Then, it joined with the Cable Company. After that, they made pianos under the name Cable and Conover.
Thousands of pianos were made in its large factory. Other companies kept using the factory until 1971. The building is about 120,000 square feet. It has a stucco (a type of plaster) outside. In 1975, it became an indoor mall. Today, it is known as the Conover Square Mall.
The factory building and its old iron water tower base are important historical sites. They are part of the Oregon Commercial Historic District. This district was added to the United States' National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Contents
The Schiller Piano Company: A Look Back
The Schiller Piano Company started around 1890. It was located in Oregon, Illinois, at the corner of Second and Washington Streets. A local person named F.G. Jones helped pay for the company to start. He was also the first president of the company.
In 1895, F.G. Jones became more involved in running the factory. He took on the role of general manager and president. His two sons, George H. and Edgar B., also worked in important jobs at the company.
How the Factory Grew Over Time
Early maps from 1893 show the Schiller Piano Company in smaller buildings. At that time, it was called the Oregon Piano Company. By 1899, the maps showed that the factory had grown a little.
By 1905, the factory looked much bigger, like it does today. The first building was still there on the south side. In 1920, Schiller bought another piano company, Chute & Butler. They moved all of its piano making to Oregon.
The Water Tower and Company Success
North of the piano company, there was a large building for storing grain. By 1913, the Schiller Company's iron water tower was built nearby. This tower helped supply water to the factory.
In just over ten years, the Schiller Company became very successful. They had customers in the United States, Canada, Hawaii, and Italy. By 1909, about 300 people worked there. The company had made 40,000 pianos!
The factory itself grew to be about 122,506 square feet. It was right next to the Rock River, which provided power. When F.G. Jones passed away in 1913, his sons George and Edgar took over. The Schiller Company was the biggest business in Ogle County at that time. By 1929, the company had sold a total of 80,000 pianos.
Changes and New Beginnings
In 1936, the Schiller Piano Company joined with the Cable Piano Company. They started making pianos under the name Cable and Conover. Later, in 1943, the old Schiller factory was sold to Winter and Company. This company later became the Aeolian Company.
The factory kept making different products over the years. These included talking machines, player pianos, and various types of pianos. In the late 1960s, about 100 people worked there. They made up to 6,000 pianos each year. In 1971, Aeolian closed the factory. They moved their piano making to another state.
In 1975, a person named Dean Dye bought the building. He opened it as the Conover Square Shopping Mall. The building has had new owners since then. But it is still used as "Conover Square" and has many different shops inside.
Building Design and Features
The Schiller Piano Company factory building is very large. It sits on the west bank of the Rock River. The back part of the building was built in 1893. Around 1900, the rest of the main factory was added.
The front of the factory faces Third Street. The ground slopes down towards the river. This means the back and sides of the building have an "exposed basement." The back of the building looks like a U-shape. The front has seven sections, with wooden trim between them. The roof is unusual, with many low-sloping parts.
The Building's Sides and Water Tower
The long south side of the building has ten sections. The ground here also slopes towards the river. Most of these sections have windows on each floor. Some sections also have strong iron supports called buttresses. There is also a loading dock door on this side.
The base of the old Schiller Piano Company water tower is still standing. It is on the northwest corner of the property. It is an iron base with four levels. The large water tank that used to sit on top was removed before 1971. A ladder is still attached to the second through fourth levels of the base.
Why This Place Is Important
The Schiller Piano Company and its factory in Oregon were once the biggest industry in Ogle County. After the company joined with Cable, the pianos they made were considered very high quality. Even today, pianos made under the Conover name are still highly valued.
The Schiller Piano Factory was specifically included as an important building. It is part of the Oregon Commercial Historic District. This historic area was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 16, 2006.
