Morris in Grundy County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Coleman Hardware

1874

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, December 30, 2023

1. Coleman Hardware Marker

Inscription. In 1873 J. H. Hall started a school furniture factory at this location. The following year the new owner, F. T. June, built this building and named it Sherwood School Furniture. Two years later Coleman Hardware moved in. They made casters and hardware specialties, including door hangings, heating stoves, and cast-iron toys. The business closed in 1933 during the Great Depression.
Morris Downtown

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 41° 21.388′ N, 88° 25.722′ W. Marker is in Morris, Illinois, in Grundy County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of West Illinois Avenue and Nettle Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 510 W Illinois Ave, Morris IL 60450, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Half-Faced Camp (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Morris a Historic I&M Canal town (approx. ¼ mile away); Elsie Armstrong (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Welcome to Morris a Historic I&M Canal town (approx. ¼ mile away); Manitowoc Submarines

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

(approx. ¼ mile away); Morris Downtown Commercial Historic District (approx. ¼ mile away); Grundy County National Bank (approx. ¼ mile away); Indian Pole (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morris.

Regarding Coleman Hardware. Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the building:

The building' s period of significance dates from 1874, when the first section extant was constructed by the Sherwood School Furniture Company, until 1935, when the Coleman Hardware Company (which was established by Joseph G. Coleman, Secretary-Treasurer of the Sherwood Company, in 1887) declared bankruptcy. Although there were once many 19th Century industrial buildings in Morris, the Coleman Building today stands as one of only a handful left and the sole significant survivor from the town's 1860's-1870's period of industrial development. Although rear sections of the once thriving company are in ruin or gone, the existing front wings, dating from @1874, 1876 and @1895 and the 1874 smokestack serve as a visible reminder of the company's significance to the economic viability of Morris.

Also see . . .

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, December 30, 2023

2. Coleman Hardware Marker

Marker is on the Grundy County Historical Museum. The museum occupies a portion of the U-shaped building's southern leg.

Coleman Hardware Company Building (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the complex, which was listed in 1994. (Prepared by Susan S. Benjamin; via National Archives) (Submitted on January 12, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Former Coleman Hardware Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, December 30, 2023

3. Former Coleman Hardware Building

End view of the northern leg of the U-shaped building. The southern leg is visible on the left.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 54 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 12, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.