Westclox Manufacturing Plant Historic District
Why it's listed
Along US Route 6 in Peru, Illinois, a sprawling brick factory complex marks the site where Westclox made clocks from 1885 until the plant closed in 1980. Over decades, new buildings were joined to old ones, producing what reads as one very large structure of more than 600,000 square feet. Forty-four buildings once stood here; twenty-one remain, after the mechanical buildings and smokestacks were demolished following closure. The buildings facing Route 6, largely designed by architect Victor Andre Matteson, have pilasters, patterned brick and terra cotta ornament, and a main entrance with a steel clock face. An administration building from 1922 sits across the road. Clocks, alarms, watches and military fuses made here reached customers across the country and abroad. The district was listed for its role in the economic development of Peru and the region and for advances in time mechanisms, with a significance period of 1885 to 1956.
Significance in brief: The district is significant under Criterion A for its contribution to the economic and social development of Peru, the Illinois River area, the state and the nation, and for advances in time mechanisms. Clocks, alarms, watches and military fuses were produced here and shipped worldwide. The period of significance runs from 1885 to 1956, when the major additions were complete.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 07000475, listed June 1, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 300-315 5th St., Peru |
|---|---|
| County | LaSalle County |
| Listed | June 1, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000475 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1885-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Matteson, Victor Andre |
| Architectural style | Early 20th Century Industrial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The plant closed in 1980; of the original 44 buildings, 21 remain. Current uses listed are commerce (specialty stores) and office. Route 6 windows of Building #15 were boarded up in the early 2000s, and roof maintenance problems have caused glass breakage and water damage. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 41.32925, -89.10782 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 07000475.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.