Sturtevant,WI Factory

Sturtevant's post-war expansion search for a midwestern factory led them to Wisconsin

Brown Corliss Engine Co. of Milwaukee completed a factory in 1902 in the village known as Western Union Junction. The village showed their appreciation by renaming themselves Corliss. In 1907 the company entered bankruptcy and reorganized as the Wisconsin Engine Co. After another bankruptcy/reoganizing in 1913, the factory closed for good in 1917. During the six year interim, the Corliss-engine production machinery was removed while use of the buildings was made by the government as a salvage warehouse.

The arrival of B.F.Sturtevant in 1923 was greeted by an equal degree of appreciation with another name change by the village to Sturtevant. An immediate boost to the area economy occured with the long list of equipment needed to retool the factory for the manufacture of blowers and ventilating equipment. The property covered nearly 10 acres and the buildings had 150k sq.ft of floor space.

They stayed till the late 1930s when the factory was relocated to LaSalle,IL.

Wisconsin Historical Society, WHS-50245

Wisconsin Historical Society, WHS-83919