Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1931 - Robert Ilg, a successful businessman, built a 22-acre park, Ilgair Park, during the 1920s with two large outdoor pools, which needed to be supplied by a large outdoor water tank. Ilg was concerned about preserving the natural beauty of the area and decided to build a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to conceal the water tower. The tower would be half the size of the original in Pisa: 94 feet tall, 28 feet in diameter, leaning 7.4 feet, and would be built with reinforced concrete. Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1934. In 1960, the descendants of Robert Ilg donated part of the park for the construction of the Leaning Tower YMCA. Arrangements were made to turn over the tower to the Niles YMCA with the condition that the YMCA would spend a minimum of $500 annually to upkeep the tower and surrounding area until the year 2059. The tower soon showed signs of aging. Cracks in the concrete widened with every freeze-thaw cycle, and the $500 annual budget to upkeep the tower and grounds proved inadequate. In 1991, the Village of Niles established a sister city pact with Pisa, Italy, and in 1995, after leasing the area and tower from the YMCA, the Village of Niles began a $1.2 million renovation project. Concrete was repaired, new lights were added to each of the eight floors, and a plaza was developed around the tower with four fountains, a 30-foot reflecting pool, a "telefono" booth, and landscaping. The Leaning Tower Plaza was formally dedicated June 26, 1997. The Leaning Tower sits in Niles at 6300 W. Touhy Avenue. Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1932 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1933 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1934 - In 1934, Samuel Weis, the bankroll behind Ilg had tax issues with the Internal Revenue Service, which he resolved. The documentation regarding the IRS case, however, also reveals much about the man behind the man of Ilg Electric, his personal life and philanthropy.: Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1935 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1936 - In 1936 the 25 Year Club was organized for employees who had 25 years or more service. By the time of it's 50th anniversary, Ilg, having a total of 440 employees, 354 men and 86 women, 132 of the employees had been presented with gold watches for completing 25 years service with the firm. Thanks to Mike Mirin for this image: A rare period Ilg triptych sales display fixture - Panel one: Panel one reverse view: And panels two and three: Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1937 - Ilg Ilgairator - Lane Shirey Collection A rheostat speed control: Instructions decal: An Ilg Ilg-Wind circulator, McGill Levolier pull-switch - Andrew Block Collection: Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1938 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1939 - Ilgette sample showing "Ivory" finish - Marcson Collection: Another Ilgette, having a plated-finish metal grill - Block Collection: Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1940 - Ilg counter-top circulator, courtesy of George Durbin: Example of an Ilg "portable floor fan": Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1941 - World War II rears it's ugly head, and Ilg has a ton of contracts, mostly with the U.S. Navy, Air Corps and Signal Corps. An example would be the average troop transport ship, each having over 102 different ventilating systems powered by Ilg fans. Below is a fine example of an Ilg Portvente porthole ventilating fan built for use in United States navy ships, although it is also likely they were fitted to Allied ships as well. - With thanks to Arjun Saini. Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1942 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1943 - Ilg produced over 50,000 Portvents, an exhaust fan designed to for in the porthole of a navy ship, complete with a cover that allowed ventilation without revealing interior lights to watchful enemy submarines and destroyers looking for ship lights to give away their locations at night during "blackout" conditions. Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1944 - S. E. Heyerick, formerly assistant to the late Walter H. Hallsteen, has been appointed purchasing agent of the Ilg Electric Ventilating Co., Chicago: Ilg industrial pedestal - Member's Collection: Image courtesy of Mike Mirin - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1945 - The Army-Navy "E" Award was an honor presented to companies during World War II whose production facilities achieved "Excellence in Production" ("E") of war equipment. The award was also known as the Army-Navy Production Award. The award was created to encourage industrial mobilization and production of war time materials. By war's end, the award had been earned by only 5% of the more than 85,000 companies involved in producing materials for the U.S. military's war effort. Usually an Army officer and a Navy officer would be present at a ceremony, where the company would assemble all the employees involved in production. After the award of the pennant to the plant (to be flown), the employees present would receive individual pins.] A total of 4,283 companies received the award in the course of the war.This amounted to about five percent of the companies engaged in war work. Plants that maintained an outstanding record of performance for six months after receiving their original Army-Navy E-Award were granted a star award, with a white star added to their pennant. As with only a small percentage of all war production companies earning an Army-Navy "E" Award, only a small number of these earned stars, with a very small number of plants earning six stars by the end of the war. Ilg Electric Ventilation Company won four stars, according to records from the Department of Defense. Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1946 - Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1947 - Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1948 - New old stock Ilg ventilator complete in original box - Mirin Collection: Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1949 - Ilg Catalog - Mirin Collection: Unrestored ILG Dualaire 1949 - Trevor Soundararajan Collection: Ilg Rollaire: Aluminum blade assembly, wiring diagram rearview and sideview images courtesy of Marshall Smith. : Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1950 - Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1951 - From the Ilg company website history: In 1951, at 1421 – 13 Street, Racine, WI was established General Blower Co. as a subsidiary of ILG Electric Ventilating Company which product line included light, medium and heavy duty air handling, material handling and process blowers, plug fans, tube axial and vane axial fans, as well as a complete line of pressure blowers and turbo-pressure blowers for process air applications thus re-enhancing ILG position as a leading US maker of commercial and industrial fans and blowers represented across US, Canada and overseas by multiple sales offices and distributing centers. Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1952 - Ilg Ceiling Ventilator with ruler for scale - Ryan Nguyen Collection: Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1953 - Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1954 - Ilgrollaire Model RA 204 Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kearns Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 1955 - Ilg Rollaire rear of fan with safety cage removed showing dark green plastic one-piece blades: Ilg Rollaire front, note the air from the blades blow past the motor in front of the blades, thus cooling it as it provides breezes in two speeds... Edited July 19, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.