Rockford Watch Company

(Satellite)

RAILROAD HISTORY BUFFS OF ILLINOIS posted

The Rockford Watch Company was at 300 South Madison Street: originally built in 1876.

On May 1st in 1876 the first key-wind 18" watch was on the market.

By the year 1877 Rockford was producing their highest grade of watches. Those were watches were engraved with: Ruby, Ruby Jewels and then eventually R.

Three railroads went through Rockford during that time and so railroad men were fond of them.

The watches made in the years after were engraved with "RG," meaning railroad grade.

They were closed by 1915.

( source: Rockford library, digital archives; Illinois and pocket watch repair )

Street View

It looks like the factory originally occupied the two blocks between Grove and Walnut Streets.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

I was aware that Rockford had a time museum. But I notice the operative word is "had." "It was closed in March, 1999. The collection then moved to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, where it was viewed by over two million visitors from January 2001 through February 2004. This exhibition is now closed, and the collection has been sold." [TimeMuseum] It has been on my todo list since the 1970s to go see it. When it comes to history and preservation, one needs to do stuff sooner instead of later. I wonder if the collection was sold intact and who got the money.

(On the satellite image I noticed Ingersoll Centennial Park. I wonder what Ingersoll used to make here. Update: Ingersoll is still in town and it makes milling machines.)

David Charles Lindberg posted three photos with the comment:

I've been spending the last few months photograhing the old commerical buildings in Rockford, which document the cities industrial past. This is the former Rockford Watch Company factory near the downtown. The building was completed in 1876. This is one of several old buildings the city now owns, in the hopes that a developer will buy them for redevelopment.

Jean DeSanto Campbell Wonder if it is contaminated by the illumination paint for the clocks.
Eva Marchese Jean DeSanto Campbell , I was told that the Elgin Watch building in Elgin was highly contaminated by a number of different contaminates, including from the illumination products...
Rob Wilhelmi Jean DeSanto Campbell Thankfully the Rockford Watch Co. was out of business before radioluminescent paint became a staple in the industry.
Rob Wilhelmi The City recently completed a 3D interior scan of the entire building for marketing purposes. Enjoy all https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=SKDktLn54Qp&brand=0

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