Fairbanks, Morse and Company Building

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Fairbanks, Morse and Company Building
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Location900 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°52′13″N87°37′34″W / 41.87028°N 87.62611°W / 41.87028; -87.62611 Coordinates: 41°52′13″N87°37′34″W / 41.87028°N 87.62611°W / 41.87028; -87.62611
Arealess than one acre
Built1907 (1907)
ArchitectEckstorm, Christian
Architectural styleChicago school
NRHP reference No. 88002233 [1]
Added to NRHPNovember 16, 1988

The Fairbanks, Morse and Company Building is a historic commercial building located at 900 S. Wabash Ave. in the South Loop, Chicago, Illinois. The building served as the national headquarters of Fairbanks, Morse and Company from 1907 to 1937. The company sold a variety of agricultural equipment; while it was originally known for its scales, by 1907 it was best known for producing internal combustion engines. At its peak, the company was one of the largest engine makers in the world, and it was particularly dominant in the diesel engine market. The headquarters building is a seven-story Chicago school building designed by Christian Eckstorm. While the company moved to a larger headquarters at 606 S. Michigan Ave. in 1937, the Wabash Avenue building is the best-preserved remnant of its historic significance and still bears the company's name above the second floor. [2]

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1988. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Benjamin, Susan. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Fairbanks, Morse & Co. Building" (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.