Schiller Piano Company
Encyclopedia
The old Schiller Piano Company, also known as Conover Square, is located in Oregon, Illinois
the county seat of Ogle County. The company was founded in 1890 and remained in operation until 1971. The company produced many thousands of pianos through the years and in 1936 the company merged with the Cable Piano Company and produced pianos under the name Cable and Conover. The company's 120000 square feet (11,148.4 m²), stucco clad factory and its iron water tower base still stands in Oregon and both are considered contributing properties to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places Oregon Commercial Historic District
. In 1975 the facility was converted into the Conover Square Shopping Mall and has remained so ever since.
company as general manager and president of the factory. Sources conflict as to whether Jones actually left his mercantile interests behind, which included work as the president of the Oregon Electric Light and Power Company and Oregon Machine and Foundry. In addition the Schiller Company owned an interest in the Power Company and two Jones sons, George H. and Edgar B., held management positions with the firm.
Maps from 1893 show the Schiller Piano Company, identified as the Oregon Piano Company, in much smaller facilities along Franklin Street. By 1899 maps show that the company moved into slightly expanded facilities in the same location, as the map shows minor expansion along the west end of the facility. Maps in 1905 show the larger, present-day factory
with the original structure, identified as the Oregon Piano Factory, still extant on the building's south side.
Located immediately to the north of the piano company was a large, gable
-roof grain elevator
owned by the Neola Elevator Corporation. North of Neola was another elevator, owned by Oregon Cereal Company. Facing Third Street, standing in front of the Neola company, was an agricultural supply store. By 1913 the store had disappeared and the Schiller Company's iron water tower
was erected near its former location.
In a little over ten years the Schiller Company had clients in the United States
, Canada
, Hawaii
and Italy
; by 1909 it employed 300 people and had manufactured 40,000 pianos. The Schiller Factory had expanded into a 122506 square feet (11,381.2 m²) facility adjoining the water power provided by the Rock River
to its east. F.G. Jones died in 1913 and his sons George and Edgar took over management of the Schiller Company. In 1936 the Schiller Piano Company merged with the Cable Piano Company and produced pianos under the name Cable and Conover. In 1943 the old Schiller factory was sold to Winter and Company of New York
. The factory remained in operation producing different products through the years, such as talking machine
s, player piano
s, spinnets, baby grand pianos and pianos. Through the late 1960s the factory employed 100 people and produced up to 6,000 pianos per year. In 1971 the plant closed after the company shut down operations and moved them to Memphis, Tennessee
. In 1975 Dean Dye of Oregon purchased the property and opened it as the Conover Square Shopping Mall. The building has changed owners at least twice since Dye purchased it but it has remained in use as "Conover Square" and occupied by various shops.
structure sits on the west bank of the Rock River. Around 1900 the rest of the Piano Company's main complex was added to the existing structure. The main (west) facade of the Schiller Piano Company factory building faces Third Street with no setback from the street and its secondary facade, along with the rest of the exterior, features an exposed basement because the elevation lowers as the terrain slopes toward the Rock River. The rear facade exhibits a U-shape while maintaining the exposed basement
level found throughout much of the rest of the structure. The front facade features seven bays, demarcated by wooden trim between the stucco panels, entrances are located on each of the even numbered panels. The roof is an unusual multi-gable
d, low pitch roof, which is still original in its form. The building features two windows over each of the entrance bays. After Dale Dye purchased the facility the stucco
cladding was added to the exterior in 1977-1978, covering all original windows and walls; they remain extant beneath the stucco, and some show up in post-2005 photographs.
The building's long south facade stretches ten bays as the ground slopes toward the river. All of the south bays feature one over one single-hung sash windows on each story except for bays four, seven and eight, which are windowless. The south facade also features pier
s with iron buttress
es as well as a third bay dock door.
The base of what was once the Schiller Piano Company's water tower
remains standing on the lot's northwest corner. It is an iron
base of four tiers which rises up to where the tank once sat; it was removed sometime prior to 1971. On the second through fourth stories of the base a ladder is still attached.
when the boundaries for the Oregon Commercial Historic District
were conceived in 2006. The historic district
was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
on August 16, 2006.
Oregon, Illinois
Oregon is a city located in Ogle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 3,721, down from 4,060 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ogle County.- History :...
the county seat of Ogle County. The company was founded in 1890 and remained in operation until 1971. The company produced many thousands of pianos through the years and in 1936 the company merged with the Cable Piano Company and produced pianos under the name Cable and Conover. The company's 120000 square feet (11,148.4 m²), stucco clad factory and its iron water tower base still stands in Oregon and both are considered contributing properties to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places Oregon Commercial Historic District
Oregon Commercial Historic District
The Oregon Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Oregon, Illinois, that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006. The district is roughly bordered by Jefferson, Franklin, 5th and 3rd Streets in Oregon. It is one of six Oregon sites listed on the...
. In 1975 the facility was converted into the Conover Square Shopping Mall and has remained so ever since.
History
The Schiller Piano Company, which was historically the largest industry in Ogle County, was founded around 1890. When founded, the company was located at the northwest corner of Oregon's Second and Washington Streets. The Schiller Piano Company was started using money from Oregon resident and the first president of the company, F.G. Jones. Jones was not active in the company's management until 1895 when he reportedly left his well-established mercantile business to take an active position at the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
company as general manager and president of the factory. Sources conflict as to whether Jones actually left his mercantile interests behind, which included work as the president of the Oregon Electric Light and Power Company and Oregon Machine and Foundry. In addition the Schiller Company owned an interest in the Power Company and two Jones sons, George H. and Edgar B., held management positions with the firm.
Maps from 1893 show the Schiller Piano Company, identified as the Oregon Piano Company, in much smaller facilities along Franklin Street. By 1899 maps show that the company moved into slightly expanded facilities in the same location, as the map shows minor expansion along the west end of the facility. Maps in 1905 show the larger, present-day factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
with the original structure, identified as the Oregon Piano Factory, still extant on the building's south side.
Located immediately to the north of the piano company was a large, gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
-roof grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
owned by the Neola Elevator Corporation. North of Neola was another elevator, owned by Oregon Cereal Company. Facing Third Street, standing in front of the Neola company, was an agricultural supply store. By 1913 the store had disappeared and the Schiller Company's iron water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
was erected near its former location.
In a little over ten years the Schiller Company had clients in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
; by 1909 it employed 300 people and had manufactured 40,000 pianos. The Schiller Factory had expanded into a 122506 square feet (11,381.2 m²) facility adjoining the water power provided by the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
to its east. F.G. Jones died in 1913 and his sons George and Edgar took over management of the Schiller Company. In 1936 the Schiller Piano Company merged with the Cable Piano Company and produced pianos under the name Cable and Conover. In 1943 the old Schiller factory was sold to Winter and Company of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The factory remained in operation producing different products through the years, such as talking machine
Talking Machine
Talking Machine is an indies demo EP of Japanese rock band 9mm Parabellum Bullet. All of the songs listed appeared again on later releases.-Tracklist:-Personnel:*Takuro Sugawara - Lead vocals, lyricist, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar...
s, player piano
Player piano
A player piano is a self-playing piano, containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism that operates the piano action via pre-programmed music perforated paper, or in rare instances, metallic rolls. The rise of the player piano grew with the rise of the mass-produced piano for the home in...
s, spinnets, baby grand pianos and pianos. Through the late 1960s the factory employed 100 people and produced up to 6,000 pianos per year. In 1971 the plant closed after the company shut down operations and moved them to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. In 1975 Dean Dye of Oregon purchased the property and opened it as the Conover Square Shopping Mall. The building has changed owners at least twice since Dye purchased it but it has remained in use as "Conover Square" and occupied by various shops.
Architecture and design
The Schiller Piano Company factory building's rear, Franklin Street, wing was constructed in 1893. The entire 120000 square feet (11,148.4 m²) industrialIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
structure sits on the west bank of the Rock River. Around 1900 the rest of the Piano Company's main complex was added to the existing structure. The main (west) facade of the Schiller Piano Company factory building faces Third Street with no setback from the street and its secondary facade, along with the rest of the exterior, features an exposed basement because the elevation lowers as the terrain slopes toward the Rock River. The rear facade exhibits a U-shape while maintaining the exposed basement
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
level found throughout much of the rest of the structure. The front facade features seven bays, demarcated by wooden trim between the stucco panels, entrances are located on each of the even numbered panels. The roof is an unusual multi-gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d, low pitch roof, which is still original in its form. The building features two windows over each of the entrance bays. After Dale Dye purchased the facility the stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
cladding was added to the exterior in 1977-1978, covering all original windows and walls; they remain extant beneath the stucco, and some show up in post-2005 photographs.
The building's long south facade stretches ten bays as the ground slopes toward the river. All of the south bays feature one over one single-hung sash windows on each story except for bays four, seven and eight, which are windowless. The south facade also features pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
s with iron buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es as well as a third bay dock door.
The base of what was once the Schiller Piano Company's water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
remains standing on the lot's northwest corner. It is an iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
base of four tiers which rises up to where the tank once sat; it was removed sometime prior to 1971. On the second through fourth stories of the base a ladder is still attached.
Significance
The Schiller Piano Company and its Oregon factory were once the largest industry in Ogle County. After the company merged with Cable, the pianos they produced were considered top of the line. Though Cable and Conover produced pianos under different brand names, those produced under the Conover name are still highly regarded today. The Schiller Piano Factory was specifically included as a contributing propertyContributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
when the boundaries for the Oregon Commercial Historic District
Oregon Commercial Historic District
The Oregon Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Oregon, Illinois, that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006. The district is roughly bordered by Jefferson, Franklin, 5th and 3rd Streets in Oregon. It is one of six Oregon sites listed on the...
were conceived in 2006. The historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on August 16, 2006.