The Iron Bridge at Sunderland: A Revision

Abstract

The rapid expansion and subsequent collapse of the local brick and tile industry in the American Midwest between 1870 and 1910 is one of the most striking episodes in the industrial history of the United States. This study draws largely on local material to detail this expansion and collapse in a four county area of Central Illinois. Between 1870 and 1910 eighty commercial brick and tile works were established. Most remained in production for less than twenty years. Today only one, Diller Brothers in Chatsworth, continues in business. This paper describes the rise and fall of this industry, examining its origin, locational pattern, methods of operation, structures, decline, and impact on the present landscape.