Campana Factory - Batavia, Illinois
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 41° 51.917 W 088° 18.916
16T E 390842 N 4635655
Quick Description: Art Deco styled factory building located north of Batavia, Illinois.
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 4/28/2007 6:53:34 PM
Waymark Code: WM1FMW
Views: 206
Long Description:
The
Campana Factory building was built in 1937. The Art Deco
styled building was designed by architects Frank D. Chase and
William James Smith. The building constructed with an all
steel frame with glass blocks and bricks for the exterior
walls. The tower in the middle of the building houses a 45,000
gallon water tank used for water circulation for air
conditioning and fire sprinklers. The Campana company
manufactured the popular product, Italian Balm, a hand lotion
and a number of other feminine products. During World War II,
with the anti-Italian sentiment the balm was renamed Campana
Balm after the doctor who hand formulated the hand lotion. The
Campana Corporations became part of the Purex Corporation in
1962. The cosmetics continued to be manufactured at the
factory for a while, in recent years the building has been
vacant. Currently some work is being done on the building but
unsure of what will become of the building.