Oliver Typewriter Building, Chicago

I recently saw an Oliver typewriter in an antique store in Naperville. Because of the type-bar towers on the standard models, it's difficult to confuse those machines with other brands. So I did some more research on Oliver typewriters and discovered that they were made in Chicago. I knew I had to go see the building where the company used to be headquartered the next time I was in town.

Oliver No. 1. Source: www.olivertypewriters.com

The Oliver Building is located at 159 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago. Constructed in 1907, its iron ornaments were meant to evoke typewriter parts. It was initially built as a 5-story structure, and two more floors were added in 1920. According to Chicagology, it served as the company's headquarters, while the typewriters were produced in Woodstock, IL until 1928 when the company was sold to the British Oliver Typewriter Company based in Croydon, England.

Oliver Typewriter Building, 1907. Source: Chicagology

This is how the long abandoned-building appears today:

If you want to discover more about OIliver typewriters, I highly recommend Jett Morton's website, which I used extensively to learn more about their history.

Knowing that Oliver typewriters were manufactured near where I live was a pleasant surprise, and after learning more about them, I'll be on the lookout for their models in the future. Such a machine would undoubtedly be extremely valuable in my collection.