Commercial Building
Life Span: 1868-1871
Location: SW corner Lake and LaSalle streets
Architect:
- Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1869
Commercial Building—Southwest corner of LaSalle and Lake.
Loring S. E. & W. L. B. Jenney (Sanford E. Loring and W. L. B. Jenney), architects, rooms 8 and 11 Commercial blk.
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Commercial Building—Southwest corner of LaSalle and Lake.
National Watch Co T. M. Avery, pres. H. Z. Culver, vice pres. Thomas Reynolds, sec. office, LaSalle, sw. cor. Lake
Perkins, Stern & Co., (S. C. Perkins, Charles Stern and———), California wines, 34 and 36 LaSalle
Chicago Evening Post, December 18, 1867
The Commercial Building, situated at the southwest corner of Lake and LaSalle streets, with a front of eighty feet on LaSalle and forty on Lake streets, built in the Italian style of the Palladio school, and faced with Athens marble.
This building is four stories high, exclusive of basement, the upper stories made easy access by wide and elegant halls well adapted stairways, and lighted by a large sky-light. The building is erected for and is the property of Mr. C. F. Gray, and will cost, when completed, about $50,000. It is nearly ready for occupancy. It is intended to be used for business places, and has four offices in the basement, two on the first story, thirty-two by forty feet each, six each on the second and third story, while the fourth story is finished off as one large room.
Chicago Tribune, May 4, 1868
On Monday Messrs. Henry Greenebaum & Co. will occupy the corner office in the Commercial Building, diagonally opposite their old place of business. The Commercial Building is a new marble edifice—one of the ornaments of LaSalle street—and in securing it for a banking office Messrs. Greenebaum & Co. have shown that they are fully alive to the age of progress which marks our city, and in their new location we wish them aburdant success.
Chicago Tribune, November 18, 1864
The National Watch Company, of this city, capital $200,000, have located their extensive works at Elgin, Kane county—big thing for that thriving little city, whose citizens in securing it prove that they know what’s o’clock.
Western Rural, September 22, 1870
National Watch Factory, Elgin, Ill.
The above engraving represents the National Watch Factory at Elgin Illinois,-an enterprise which had its origin with a few energetic and shrewd business men of Chicago In 1864. Two years were spent in erecting suitable buildings, and it was not until May 1867 that the first watch was turned out. Within the brief period intervening between that date and the present this Factory has achieved a reputation for its watches which is world-wide. The different grades of watehes made are the “Lady Elgin,” “B. W. Raymond,” “Mat Laflin,” “G. M. Wheeler,” “H. Z. Culver,” “H. H. Taylor,” and “J. T. Ryerson.”
The testimony as to the excellence of the watches here made is of the most pronounced and satisfactory character. No higher proof of their superior qualitles could be adduced than has been voluntarily furnished by many men, throughout the country, of the highest standing and influence.
A very interesting paper on Ancient and Modern Time Keepers, containing an interesting notice of the works of the National Watch Company, written by the late A, D. Richardson, may be had upon application to the Company, in person or by letter, at Elgin, or corner of Lake and LaSalle streets, Chicago, We give these watches as premiums.
- Commercial Building
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869
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