Rockwood Chocolate Factory Historic District
Also known as: Rockwood & Company Cocoa and Chocolate Factory
Why it's listed
Seventeen brick factory buildings fill a block in Brooklyn's Wallabout neighborhood, just outside the Navy Yard gates. They formed the plant of Rockwood & Company, a cocoa and chocolate maker founded in Manhattan in 1886 that moved to this site in 1904. The oldest building dates from 1891; later ones were added through 1928, with Building 4 begun in 1910. Most show Romanesque Revival or Second Renaissance Revival influence, tied together by decorative brickwork, string courses and arched openings. Architects included J.G. Glover, the Parfitt Brothers and Ernest Flagg. At its peak the company ranked second in the United States behind Hershey and made chocolate bars for soldiers' rations in World War II. Sold in 1954, it shut down in 1957, reopened under new ownership, and closed in 1967. Some buildings stand vacant, while others are occupied. The group is valued as a surviving link to the area's food-industry past.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to be an intact, representative late nineteenth and early twentieth century factory complex in Brooklyn. Rockwood grew into one of the world's largest chocolate and cocoa plants and the second largest in the United States. The buildings show Romanesque Revival and Second Renaissance Revival influence and include work by J.G. Glover, the Parfitt Brothers and Ernest Flagg. They also recall the Wallabout Market food industry district.
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 83003991, listed October 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 54-88 Washington, 13-53 Waverly, and 255-275 Park Aves., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | October 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003991 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1891-1928 |
| Architect / builder | J.G. Glover, Parfitt Bros., Ernest Flagg, Lockwood & Green, Turner Construction |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival and Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mixed use: some buildings are vacant (including Buildings 1-5 and 8) and others are occupied. Buildings are described as altered and somewhat deteriorated, with interior equipment gone. Buildings 6 and 7 were demolished in 1969. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Within district | Wallabout Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.69636, -73.96797 (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 83003991.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7355701
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.