Lee Tire and Rubber Company
Also known as: Lee Park
Why it's listed
Along a bend of the Schuylkill River at the east end of Conshohocken stands a sprawling tire plant built from 1909 onward. Its most visible building is a four-story reinforced concrete administration block designed by William Steele in 1909, with end and central towers and a large clock replacing the original mansard roof. Behind it, a series of connected one- and two-story factory buildings, many with exposed steel H-section columns and brick piers, follow the stages of production from rubber grinding and mixing through vulcanizing to molding. A medieval-style water tower with lancet windows also survives at the site. The plant is regarded as an important example of automated tire manufacturing. J. Ellwood Lee founded the company after earlier success with a bandage and splint business in the same town, and the Lee Puncture Proof Pneumatic Tire was among its best-known products. The complex is also valued as a major industrial architectural work and a landmark for the surrounding region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the plant marks the coming of age of automated manufacturing of automobile tires and was an important business of the Lee company, which became one of the giants of its industry. It also argues the complex is an exceptional work of industrial architecture by William Steele, whose administration building and separated factory layout express the manufacturing process and became a regional landmark.
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 84003512, listed August 23, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1100 Hector St., Conshohocken |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | August 23, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003512 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1939 |
| Architect / builder | William Steele (architect/builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The original water tank was removed and the central tower's mansard was replaced by a clock; the form describes the plant's later use by Goodyear, and the original users have left. |
| Acreage | 17 |
| Coordinates | 40.07636, -75.28774 (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.
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 84003512.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6515294
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.