Brown Shoe Company Factory
Also known as: Big Four Commons Branch of Brown Shoe Co.; Adenca, Inc.
Why it's listed
This four-story red brick factory and office building at 212 South State Street in Litchfield, Illinois, was built for the Brown Shoe Company and finished by early 1917. St. Louis architect Albert Barleton Groves designed it, with Murch Brothers Construction Company as contractor. Originally T-shaped, it gained additions in 1922 and the mid-1920s that produced its present F shape. Its plain, open floors hold wooden columns and wood flooring, and the exterior still carries painted company lettering. The factory was financed with a reported $70,000 raised by the community, which competed to attract the company, and it was erected in fifty working days. Hundreds of workers were making shoes within weeks of completion, and the plant supplied many jobs in Litchfield and nearby towns until the early 1950s. It is recognized for its role in local industry between 1917 and 1956. A 1957 restroom wing, later shop and loading dock additions, and a rebuilt powerhouse are considered non-contributing.
Significance in brief: The factory is significant under Criterion A in the area of Industry. It was built with community-raised funds in a record fifty working days, and became one of Litchfield's largest industries. It provided many needed jobs from 1917 until the early 1950s.
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 06001019, listed November 15, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 212 S. State St., Litchfield |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 15, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06001019 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Groves, Albert Barleton (architect); Aegerter, A. A. (structural engineer); Murch Brothers Construction Company (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century American Movements: Industrial |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant; the building is described as in good condition overall, though interiors show deterioration, and the separate powerhouse has been condemned by the city. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.17399, -89.65463 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 06001019.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4976262
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.