| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
February/March 2003-The Falk Corporation consists of no less than 15 free-standing structures. While the majority of these buildings are sheathed with metal and have been added on to over the last decade, a few of the buildings still retain a fair amount of integrity and are worth specific mention. The Carpenter Shop is located along the east side of the complex and was constructed in 1913. It is a one-story brick building with brick pilasters and multiple-light windows that are largely still intact.
Built in 1900, Shop #1 is also fairly intact from its east elevation; however, it has been added on to the west in 1901, 1911, and 1941. The brick Pattern Shop was also constructed in 1900 and is located along the west side of the complex. While originally a free-standing building, it is now connected to the power house and boiler room (1906; 1921 addition), as well as a pattern repair shop and maintenance structure (1903).
The original office building was designed by local Milwaukee architect, Alexander Eschweiler, in 1900. It is located along the north side of the complex. Despite its early date of construction, it has been significantly altered with modern windows and the removal of its original brick detailing. Although some of the early 1900 buildings of the complex are recognizable, historic photos indicate that overall, the complex has been significantly altered with the application of metal sheathing, window alterations and numerous additions.
The Falk Corporation was established by Herman Falk in 1895. Falk was one of five sons born to beer brewer Franz Falk, who began his beer-brewing concern in 1848. Ten years after Franz's death in 1882 and after two major fires, the Falk family sold the brewery to Pabst. Most of the family then went to work for Pabst; however, Herman went out on his own to pursue his mechanical interests. Herman obtained his first patent in 1888, at the age of twenty. After a somewhat failed attempt at beginning the Milwaukee Thill Coupling Company, Herman operated a small machine shop out of one of the former buildings of his family's brewery. After watching the genesis and development of the streetcar, Herman and a partner Albert Hoffmann developed a process called cast-welding in 1895. This process aided in the advancement of streetcar operations. After Falk obtained the patent jointly with Hoffmann, the latter went on to the business of importing coffee. Falk went on to refine the process and thus began the Falk Manufacturing Company on 23 May 1895. After operating out of a small cluster of former brewery buildings that were rented from Pabst, a new plant was built at the subject location in 1900. By 1910, the firm began making precision herringbone gears and Falk eventually became the leader in such gear technology. By 1927, Falk had 1,000 persons in their employ. During WWII, Falk was contracted by the U.S. Navy to produce marine gear drives and Machine Shop #4, or "the Navy Building" was constructed in 1942. In 1968, Falk merged with Sunstrand Corp., manufacturers of aviation, refrigerator and mobile equipment supplies.
2020 - no significant change in appearance |
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