Austin Weber 128 pages softcover
For much of the 20th century, the Chicagoland area was a manufacturing
mecca due to its central geographic location and ready access to rail
and water transportation. The city and suburbs mass-produced a wide
range of products, including appliances, bicycles, electronics,
furniture, globes, pianos, pinball machines, radios, railroad cars,
sporting goods, telephones, televisions, typewriters, tools, toys,
tractors, and watches. This book traces the origins of manufacturing in
Chicago and explores the city's proud history of making steel and
shaping metal. It also provides extensive coverage of the golden age of
manufacturing in the region, including Chicago's unique contribution to
the arsenal of democracy during World War II. The nostalgic journey
includes stops at famous Chicago companies from the past, such as Bell
& Howell, International Harvester, Pullman, Schwinn, Stewart Warner,
Sunbeam, Western Electric, and Zenith.
