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George W. Borg Corporation Building in Delavan

Delavan, WI. - The Wisconsin Historical Society placed the George W. Borg Corporation Building in Delavan, Walworth County on the State Register of Historic Places in November. 

The George W. Borg Corporation is significant to our industrial heritage, important for its innovations in the fields of mechanical devices and textiles. Constructed in 1943 as a manufacturing facility, it fulfilled government contracts for war materiel during World War II. Products included mechanical time fuzes for anti-aircraft shells for which the company developed a machine to manufacture adjusting nuts that increased the rate of fuze production. Shortly following the United States’ declaration of victory, the George W. Borg Corporation received commendations from Rear Admiral George F. Hussey, Jr., United States Navy, Chief of Bureau of Ordnance and Lieutenant General Levin H. Campbell, Jr., United States Army, Chief of Ordnance.

The subject building also reflects the expansion of the nation’s workforce during World War II when the George W. Borg Corporation recruited and employed significant numbers of women. Following the war, the newly created Borg Fabric Division occupied the building and its success led to the construction of a three-story addition in 1956. Investing in research and development, the Borg Fabric Division made advancements in the production of knitted pile fabrics using synthetic fibers.

Although also used for home furnishing and industrial applications, the majority of Borg’s deep-pile fabric production was intended for the apparel industry; specifically, imitation fur used in garments and coats. The George W. Borg Corporation is credited as a pioneer in the field of pile fabrics and received numerous patents throughout the 1950s and 1960s when the industry rapidly grew. Among these was a patent issued in 1955 for their trademark Borgana fabric.

The Borg Fabric Division operated both day and night shifts in the subject building at a time when the George W. Borg Corporation was the largest employer in Delavan.  Shifting market conditions resulted in the end of pile fabrics manufacturing at this location in 1980.

The State Register is Wisconsin's official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin's heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.

 To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org. 

 About the Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.