Fayette Township in Jonesville in Hillsdale County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
J.J. Deal and Son Carriage Factory / Kiddie Brush and Toy Company
J.J. Deal And Son Carriage Factory:
Around 1865 blacksmith Jacob J. Deal began to build and repair carriages, wagons, sleighs and carts in Jonesville. He had a manufacturing complex on this site by 1884. Jacob’s son, George, became a partner and manager in 1891, and the company was renamed J. J. Deal and Son. Using fire-resistant construction techniques, they built this factory in three phases between 1892 and 1909. When Jacob retired in 1908, George renamed the business Deal Buggy Company. During this time, the business began making automobiles under the name Deal Motor Vehicle Company. Its models included the Deal Model “R,” which sold for $1,250 and featured a thirty-horsepower engine, speedometer and wind shield. Jacob Deal died in 1914; the company closed the next year.
Kiddie Brush And Toy Company:
From 1918 to 1928 the Universal Body Company built automotive bodies for such companies as Ford and Arrow Line in this factory. In the 1930s, Jonesville Sheet Metal Products and Jonesville Screw Products Company used portions of the building. In 1937 Paul A. Jones bought the factory for his Kiddie Brush and Toy Company. Workers made all kinds of toys: board games, dolls, furniture and Susy Goose housekeeping sets, which included a mop, carpet sweeper, apron, broom and dust pan. In 1961 the company began making accessories for Barbie dolls. When Kiddie Toy relocated in 1970, the factory closed. After listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, the building was rehabilitated and reopened in 2016 as an apartment building.
Erected 2017 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan History Center. (Marker Number L2293.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1865.
Location. 41° 58.929′ N, 84° 39.75′ W. Marker is in Jonesville, Michigan, in Hillsdale County. It is in Fayette Township. Marker is at the intersection of West Street and South Street, on the right when traveling north on West Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 117 West Street, Jonesville MI 49250, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Hillsdale County National Bank (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Powers Clothing (about 500 feet away); Grosvenor House (about 800 feet away); First House in Jonesville (about 800 feet away); Grand Army Of The Republic Civil War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Grace Episcopal Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Jonesville Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Father Gabriel Richard (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jonesville.
Also see . . .
1. J.J. Deal And Son Carriage Factory. Excerpt:
The J.J. Deal and Son Carriage Factory was the largest factory built in Jonesville, Michigan. It is the only 19th century factory remaining in the City. It is located at 117 West Street. On August 1, 2012, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.(Submitted on April 12, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan.)
2. NRHP Listing. Excerpt:
The J. J. Deal and Son Carriage Factory, located on the east side of West Street in the southwest corner of downtown Jonesville, is a four-story , brick factory building constructed in three phases between about 1893 and 1909. The Commercial Style building faces west and has a long rectangular footprint, a flat roof, and numerous double-hung windows in jack arch openings. There are a number of one- and two-story additions on the south side of the building that were constructed beginning in about 1959 that do not contribute to the building's historic character.(Submitted on April 12, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 12, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.