A Brief History of Arcade Manufacturing Company

The Arcade Manufacturing Company was a company based in Freeport, Illinois that produced a variety of products including coffee mills, stoves, and other household items. The company was founded in the late 19th century and was in operation until the mid-20th century.

The Arcade Company has always made a specialty of coffee mills, but it turns out a variety of goods. Besides the dozens of coffee mills of different designs, the Arcade turns out hinges, screen door hinges, stove pipe dampers, lid lifters, cork extractors, corkscrews, and numerous small notions and novelties. A large number of children’s toys have also been manufactured, such as toy coffee mills, miniature trains, swings, doll carriages, etc.

The Arcade Company believed in producing the best quality products in the market.  Everything was made from the finest material obtainable and by skilled workmen.

Arcade Manufacturing Company History

1868: Morgan Brothers, Charles Morgan, and Edward H. Morgan founded the Novelty Iron Works on the corner of Chicago and Jackson streets in Stephenson county, Chicago Illinois with 10 employees.

1874: The old buildings were torn down and a brand new, $25,000 manufacturing facility was built on the same spot with more advanced features such as machine shop, foundry, and engine room.

1877: J.P. Easeter joins the company as a partner and the company began manufacturing a variety of castings as Novelty Iron Works. One of the most dominant castings manufactured was plows and pumps.

1885: The company went out of business in 1885. Edward Morgan, Charles Morgan, and Albert Baumgarten reorganized the company as the Arcade Manufacturing Company in the same facility where the Novel Iron Works company was. The company grew too fast and it was crowded. They moved to a new factory in East Freeport.

1891: The company moved again to a building that was previously owned by the Emory and Williams Canning Company. It was a perfect building for Arcade because of the machinery that was already installed. Charles Morgan’s design of coffee mill was patented on October 20, 1891 (No 461,784)

1892: The new location was burned down to the ground. No one was able to identify the cause of the fire. The fire was the knockout punch to the rapidly growing company. Basically, everything burned including all supplies and new equipment. Not only that, but about 40,000 also finished coffee mills were destroyed by the fire. The Arcade Manufacturing Company has accrued a deficit of over $20,000.

1893: The company was quickly reorganized and recovered from the deadly blow and successfully built a new factory at a place now known as the Arcade Addition. The Arcade Addition was a land that belonged to the Keller- Wittbecker farm. A portion of the land was sold to the Arcade Manufacturing Company. Loyal.L. Munn (who later became the principal stockholder with heavy investment) became a partner.

1897: Started manufacturing a variety of wall coffee mills.

1900: The United States Patent Office grants Charles Morgan the patent (No 652, 323) on a new type of wall coffee mill, which is known as the Crystal No 1.

1908: The animal banks launched with a horse figure. Later expanded production by adding lion, seal, pig buffalo, cow, rhinoceros, and rat.

1909-1933: A variety line of toy products was produced such as the famous Yellow Cab and Fordson.

1935: Arcade introduced a line of inexpensive home-shop tools (Arcade Craft Tools and Craftmaster)

1941: Arcade introduced the Homecraft line of woodworking machinery.

1946: Arcade was purchased by Rockwell Manufacturing Company main for their foundry and machining facilities. Sadly none of the Arcade products were continued.