Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Factory_floor_1890

Present day Rockford Watch Company opened near the Rock River in Rockford, Illinois. the factory’s vivid history includes a number of contrasts: years of great prosperity followed by market competition and insolvency in 1896, followed by successful reorganization headed by Jacob Franks and Max C. Eppenstein in 1901. a fire in July, 1903, followed by a lightning strike in September, 1903, destroying the chimney, boiler house and large part of the machine room. Some months later lay-offs were announced. After producing nearly a million pocket watches, the factory closed in 1915.

Factory floor, circa 1890

Rockford_Watch_Company_1876
RWC pocket watch circa 1900

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