Rockford, IL: JI Case/Emerson Plant

(see satellite info below)

RPL-factory
Source: Rockford Streamlined 1824 - 1941, p. 83
JI Case produced its first bomber wings for B-26 Martin Bombers in 1943. It produced the wings in 5 months instead of the usual 12-18 months.

In 1929, J. I. Case Threshing Machine changed its name to J. I. Case. [RPL-name] According to another source, the name change was in 1928. And that is when JI Case bought Emerson-Brantingham to join plants that they already had in Racine, WI and Dixon, IL. "In 1933, Case ranked third in production and sales of farm tractors." This source also agrees with the 1928 date for the name change. It adds that Emerson-Brantingham manufactured "tillage, haying and harvesting equipment."

3D Satellite

The 1939 aerial photo that covers this area is not available. :-(

RPL-Emerson
Emerson Moldboard Plow Tractor
In 1899 Emerson Manufacturing Co. purchased a 19-acre tract west of Rockford. It was later taken over by the J. I. Case Co.

RPL-1958
[An ad from the Rockford Morning Star]

JournalTimes, one of a few photos from a CNH Industrial collection in Treasures Media
This Case 1200 Traction King tractor, introduced in the 1960s, was J.I. Case Co.’s entry to the four-wheel-drive tractor market, Thelen said. It was built in Racine before production was moved to Rockford, Illinois.

As we saw with the Barber-Colman buildings, Rockford is tolerant of bad buildings if it owns them.

David Charles Lindberg posted five photos with the comment: "Former J.I. Case plant offices in Rockford."
Patrick Zihb Olds City owns it now, and is used as the Rockford City Yards. Well, parts of it are used. Lil

Ted Laidig I never knew that J.I. Case had a plant in Rockford, what did they produce there and when did it close?
Dennis DeBruler "1971 The Rockford, Illinois, plant is closed and production consolidated at other locations."
http://www.case-ingersoll-tractors.com/.../viewtopic.php...

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More about Emerson, the initial company.

Jeff Kehoe posted

Since so much of our CM&G involves Rockford, here's what the town looked like in 1891, before the Gary was built. The yards of the Chicago Milwaukee & St.Paul are where the * is located.

John Mann The MILW and CB&Q station was in the ground floor of the Emerson Talcott building which was right where the star is. ET moved farther West and built a new plant that became JI Case.
Paul Krueger That was the lower yard, where the freight house was located. The upper yard was to the right, out of the picture. The roundhouse was there.
Paul Krueger Note the covered bridge that the Burlington (and MILW) used to cross the Rock River