Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sashes



Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 11/2015 Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 11/2015
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 11/2015 Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 11/2015

This is a set of window sashes that came from Building 1 of the old Willys-Overland factory in Toledo, OH. The building itself stood from 1885 until it was sadly torn down in October 2015. In the 130 years it sat in the window opening on the third floor of the front of the building, it was witness to a big part of Toledo's transportation history. It witnessed early industrial production in the form of sewing machines. It witnessed the birth of the bicycle industry. It saw the very early automotive history develop from the steam car to early internal combustion engines. It also saw the rise of Willys-Overland as a major automotive force in the mid-teens (second only to Ford). It witnessed the early formation of the labor union movement and the violent strikes in 1919. It witnessed the boom of the 1920's automotive industry. And also the bust that occurred in the 1930s during the depression when Willys-Overland was forced into bankruptcy and was forced to sell Building 1 while it was in receivership to pay down the debt. While next door to the other buildings in the Willys-Overland factory, it witnessed the birth of the Jeep and the emergence of the SUV market. While it passed to a few smaller companies after that, it saw the decline of the area itself. The demolition of the old Jeep factory when the new one was built. The building itself became derilict and became an eyesore. Right before the building was torn down, it witnessed the rebirth of the area with the new warehouse built by the Toledo Port Authority. At the end, it witnessed the eyesore being demolished to make way for newer buildings to come. So I am pretty happy to have these and the history it represents.

Window Sash Dimensions:

49-3/4" Tall
48" wide
1-1/2" thick
1-1/2" center muntin width
1-1/4" muntin height
3" wide upper and lower stile; bottom and top rail width 1" wide meeting rail
Panes - 10" x 15"

Before the building was torn down, set of the window sashes was salvaged. The sashes are in fairly good shape considering the amount of exposure and neglect it had over the years.


Year Built - 1885

Building Type - Three story - reinforced concrete and brick

Floor 1 - Clearance Feet : 15'11"
Floor Description :
Original : Factory Maple on concrete
Last Configuration : Reinforced concrete slab

Floor 2 - Clearance Feet : 15'5"
Floor Description :
Original : Maple top floor on sub-floor and wood joist
Last Configuration : Factory Maple on concrete

Floor 3 - Clearance Feet : 15'3" to 16'7"
Floor Description :
Original : Maple top floor on sub-floor and wood joist
Last Configuration : Factory Maple on concrete

Roof Composition built-up roofing on wood joist

Total Floor Area 23857 sq. ft.

Walls Hand-made/sand-molded clay brick masonry (evidence - no holes, solid brick units)
Laid in a lime mortar comprised of 1 part lime putty and 3 parts sand (no portland cement)
Constructed in a 4 wythe wide wall (4"x4" = 16 inches)
Load-bearing design with the original wood floors set into the brick masonry in joist pockets
Triple rowlock header arches over the window openings
Stone window sills
Walls were laid in repeating 7 course American style brick bond pattern
Beautiful corbelled brick dentil cornice design (unique to this particular building) over the 3rd floor windows

Description Flat slab construction. Had one 3000-lb capacity electric freight elevator. Steam radiators. Light and power lines in conduit. (1935)

This particular set of window sashes came from the third floor front (second for the right most wall as standing in front of the building) and was there for 130 years.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 11/2015 Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 7/2012 Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash - 7/2012

The building itself had an interesting history. Building 1 was built for the Jewel Manuafacturing Company in 1885 for the price of $15,000. Jewel Manufacturing Company was a company that was created by David Ross Locke for the purpose of building sewing and tufting machines. David Ross Locke was a famous American journalist and political commentator that owned the Toledo Blade newspaper. He was fascinated by things mechanical and decided to venture into a business creating these machines and use them as publicity for subscribers of the Toledo Blade. The fascination with mechanical things started in 1871 when he and Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain) were on a lecture tour in Boston and saw a woman through a store window who could type 57 words in a minute. He ended up buying that typewriter and that started his interest in machines that economized time and labor.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Jewel Manufacturing Company - 1885 David Ross Locke
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Jewel Manufacturing Company - Tufting Machine Jewel Manufacturing Company - Tufting Machine

David Ross Locke died in 1888. The factory closed and was sold to the Lozier & Yost Bicycle Company. They manufactured the Cleveland brand of bicycles.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Lozier & Yost Bicycle Company

Courtesy of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, obtained from http://images2.toledolibrary.org/

Lozier & Yost Bicycle Company

Courtesy of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, obtained from http://images2.toledolibrary.org/

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Lozier & Yost Bicycle Company 1899 Cleveland Bicycle
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
1899 Lozier Cleveland Catalog 1899 Lozier Letterhead

In 1900, Lozier sold the factory to American Bicyle Company (which was owned by Albert Pope). He purchased the factory in order to start building automobiles along side bicycles. In December 1900, the company built a 2 seat steam car called the Toledo Steam automobile. By 1902, the American Bicycle Company sold off it bicycle holdings and changed its name to International Motor Car Company. It started to build internal combustion cars (called Pope-Toledo) and by 1903, it abandoned the steam cars. The company eventually changed its name to Pope Manufacturing Company.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Pope Manufacturing Company Pope-Toledo - Engine Testing
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Pope-Toledo - Building Bodies Pope-Toledo - Chassis Assembly
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Pope-Toledo - Engine Assembly Pope-Toledo - Finishing Chassis
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Pope-Toledo - Loading Cars Pope-Toledo - Rubbing Bodies
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Pope-Toledo - Sheet Metal Department Pope-Toledo - Transmission Assembly

By 1908, the Pope-Toledo factory was closed. In 1909, John North Willys purchased the factory to move the Overland Car Company to the site. The building was used up until the 1930s. When Willys-Overland went into receivership, some of the building along Central Avenue were sold off. Building 1 was one of them.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Overland Car Company Willys-Overland Company
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Willys-Overland Company 1940s Photo

Courtesy of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, obtained from http://images2.toledolibrary.org/

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
1948 Toledo Developing and Manufacturing Company Toledo Developing and Manufacturing Company

Courtesy of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, obtained from http://images2.toledolibrary.org/

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
1969 Jeep Factory L&L Plating - 2009
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
L&L Plating - 2010 L&L Plating - 2012

The sashes themselves are in fairly good shape. I have extra panes of glass from other windows to replace the broken ones.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Upper Sash and Lower Sash Side Center Muntin
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Muntins Muntins
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Sash Cord Groove Sash Cord Groove
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Tenon Joint Sash Cord Groove
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Tenon Joint Tenon Joint
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Tenon Join Tenon Join
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Tenon Join Muntins
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Muntins Muntins
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Meeting Rail Muntins
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Muntins Tenon Joint
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Bottom Rail Bottom Rail
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Bottom Rail Bottom Rail
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Bottom Rail Bottom Rail
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Sash Cord Groove Sash Cord Groove
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Sash Cord Groove Sash Cord Groove
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Sash Cord Groove Sash Cord Groove
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Sash Cord Groove Muntins
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Top Rail Top Rail
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Muntins "X1" marking of Top Sash
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
"XXV" marking of Bottom Sash

When the building was torn down, I was able to obtain a few items.

Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Eliis Brick One of 2 containers of bricks and paving stones
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Wood Timbers In November 2014, I received permission from the Toledo Port Authority to 3D scan the building. Over a 3 day period, the entire building was scanned. This kept a nice record of how the building was constructed and different measurements.
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
November 2014 Building 1 Scan Window Frame Dimensions
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Window Frame Dimensions Window Frame Dimensions
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Window Frame Dimensions Window Frame Dimensions
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Scanned Window Frame Details Scanned Window Frame Details
Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash Willys-Overland Building 1 Window Sash
Scanned Window Frame Details Building 1 Third Floor Scan


Copyright 2015 - Todd Paisley (paisley@erols.com)
Last updated 25 October 2015