Describing the historical and technical context of mill buildings around 1900: The Whiting Foundry Equipment Company Complex in Harvey, Ill.

This article aims to analyze a 19th century mill building in a historical and technical context. The former home of the Whiting Foundry Equipment Company is a significant industrial complex, representative of the history of manufacturing in south suburban Chicago. The nucleus of the plant, built in 1894, underwent a number of additions and modifications throughout the first half of the 20th century. The complex is significant in three categories: industrial architecture, industrial construction, and industrial expansion. It is also among the few major industrial buildings in this area that are still used for some form of manufacturing, with the majority of such buildings having been vacated and razed. A particular focus will be a linear complex known as the machine shop, built in five phases from 1894-1916. With data obtained by archival research, site surveys and comparative study, this study examines the construction history, key features, construction type, and structural components of the machine shop of this unique building complex. Beyond the details of the case study, this paper also comprises methods used for analyzing an industrial heritage site. More general conclusions concerning industrialization and industrial construction result from these studies.