National Register of Historic Places

Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory

Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
Listed
November 12, 2010
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
10000895

About this property

The Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory is a historic industrial complex at 56 Arbor Street in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford, Connecticut. Developed beginning in 1917 by the Underwood Typewriter Company, it was used by that company and its successors for manufacturing, research, and development until 1969. It presently houses the artistic collaborative Real Art Ways and other organizations. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The former Underwood Computing Machine Company plant is located Southwest of Downtown Hartford in the Parkville Neighborhood, on 2.9 acres (1.2 ha) bounded by Arbor Street, Orange Street, and the CTfastrak busway. The main building is a four-story brick structure, 325 feet (99 m) in length, with projecting stair towers at the north end, and at the corner of Arbor and Orange. The towers have brownstone corner quoining, and windows set in recessed panels. The main walls consists mainly of rows of windows set in segmented-arch openings separated by brick piers. The principal building entrances are recessed in the bases of the towers, one of which has Art Deco stylistic elements. The Underwood Computing Machine Company was founded in New York City in 1909 by John T. Underwood, then president of the Underwood Typewriter Company. The company manufactured calculators and accounting and billing machines for commercial use. Its early production facilities were located in Hartford's Chamber of Commerce building on Hawthorne Street. In 1916 that building was acquired by another tenant, and the Underwood Computing Machine Company sought new quarters. This facility was built beginning in 1917 to serve its needs, under a lease agreement that ended with the company buying it in 1927. The company itself was acquired by Elliot-Fisher in 1928, which moved production to a larger facility on Capitol Avenue. This plant was converted into a training, research and development facility in 1936. The company was purchased by Olivetti in 1959, and this facility was closed by Olivetti in 1969. It has since been rehabilitated and repurposed, housing the Real Art Ways collaborative among other organizations. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford, Connecticut

Location

56 Arbor St
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
41.76146, -72.70257

Categories

INVENTIONINDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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Stowe, Harriet Beecher, House
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Twain, Mark, House
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Questions about this property

When was Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory listed on the National Register?

Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 12, 2010.

What type of historic resource is Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory?

Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory?

The period of significance for Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Underwood Computing Machine Company Factory?

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