Thomas Driver and Sons Manufacturing Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thomas Driver and Sons Manufacturing Company
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The Main Street building in 2014.
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 Location in Wisconsin
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| Location | 134 S. Main St., 214 State St., Racine, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000713 |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 2004 |
The Thomas Driver and Sons Manufacturing Company was a business that made things like sash windows and doors. It started way back in 1867. This company used two old factory buildings in downtown Racine, Wisconsin. These buildings are very old and important, so they were added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 2004. You can find them at 134 South Main Street and 214 State Street, on opposite sides of Second Street.
Contents
Who Was Thomas Driver?
Thomas Driver came to Racine from a place called Orkney in 1854. He started his own manufacturing business in Racine in 1867. He bought a factory that used to belong to an architect named Lucas Bradley. Thomas Driver had worked at this factory before.
What Happened to the First Factory?
The first factory Thomas Driver bought was at Sixth and Campbell (now Grand Avenue) Streets. It had been there since the 1840s. But sadly, it burned down on January 17, 1870.
Building the New Factories
After the fire, Thomas Driver quickly built a new building at State Street. This was one of the first buildings on the spot where the factories are today. The warehouse that is still standing north of Second Street was built later, in 1882. The original building from 1870 also caught fire again in 1896. But it was rebuilt into the way it looks now within the same year.
The End of the Driver Company
Thomas Driver passed away in 1899. His son, Sinclair, took over the business. Sinclair ran the company until it finally closed its doors in 1917.
What Happened to the Buildings After Driver?
After the Thomas Driver company closed, the buildings were sold to another company called Western Publishing.
The Main Street Building Today
For many years in the 1900s, the Main Street building was an auto supply store. It closed in the 1980s. In 1990, people had an idea to turn the empty building into many apartments. This idea came true, and the "Belle Harbor Lofts" opened in the building in 2002.
The State Street Building Today
The State Street building is still being used today! It has a print shop that opened in 1989. It also has a liquor store that opened more recently, in 2014.
