In a House Divided, 1850-1890
Objects Parlor stove, ca. 1883
Parlor stove, ca. 1883

Made by Joliet Stove Works, Joliet, IL
Cast iron

Stove-making required a great deal of iron and steel. By 1869 Chicago plants were producing almost one-third of the country's iron and steel. Illinois was rich in coal, which was needed to fire the blast furnaces. Iron ore was shipped from northern Michigan to Chicago on Lake Michigan and sent by rail to stove factories in Joliet, Quincy, and Aurora. Stoves allowed houses, rooms, and windows to expand because heating became more efficient. Families were no longer tied to fireplaces as their only sources of heat.

Illinois State Museum purchase (1987.7.1)



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