Henry Clay and Bock & Co. Ltd. Cigar Factory
The Henry Clay and Bock & Company Ltd. Cigar Factory is a historic industrial building located at 507 Grand Street in the Chambersburg neighborhood of Trenton, New Jersey. It was built in 1932 to house the hand production of fine cigars and is considered the most architecturally distinct industrial building in the city, having been designed in the Spanish Revival style to highlight the Cuban origins of the company. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 12, 1979 for its significance in architecture and industry.[3]
Henry Clay and Bock & Company Ltd. Cigar Factory | |
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| Location | 507 Grand Street, Trenton, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates | 40°12′10″N 74°44′43″W |
| Area | 2.4 acres (0.97 ha) |
| Built | 1932 |
| Architect | Francisco & Jacobus |
| Architectural style | Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001500[1] |
| NJRHP No. | 1764[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 12, 1979 |
| Designated NJRHP | May 29, 1979 |
History
The company moved cigar production from Cuba to Trenton in 1932 after a strike at the Cuban factory, and in order to avoid high tariffs. Brands produced at the plant included Henry Clay, Bock, La Corona, and Village Brands, among others, with Winston Churchill counted a faithful customer. At its peak in the 1930s the company produced a quarter of the fine cigar market in the United States, with 3000 employees at the Trenton plant. The factory was closed in 1967 and production moved to Pennsylvania. The building was converted to apartments in the 1980s.[4]
References
- "National Register Information System – (#79001500)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places — Mercer County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection — Historic Preservation Office. January 22, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2013.
- Wolf, Gary (August 26, 1976). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Clay, Henry and Bock and Company Cigar Factory". National Park Service. With accompanying 5 photos
- Nash, Margo (September 14, 2003). "Recalling the Heyday Of Trenton's Cigar Industry". The New York Times.
