THIS BUILDING ONCE WAS PART OF ONE OF THE OLDEST HARD RUBBER FACTORIES IN THE WORLD. A SMALL RUBBER COMPANY, WHICH OPERATED HERE SINCE 1869, EXPANDED INTO A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION WHEN THE RUBBER COMB AND JEWELRY COMPANY ACQUIRED IT IN 1876. BUTLER, A MODEL INDUSTRIAL VILLAGE ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS WEST BLOOMINGDALE, WAS NAMED IN 1880 AFTER RICHARD BUTLER, PRESIDENT OF THE FIRM.HARD RUBBER IS A FIRM RUBBER OR RUBBER PRODUCT; ESPECIALLY :  A NORMALLY BLACK HORNY SUBSTANCE MADE BY VULCANIZING NATURAL RUBBER WITH HIGH PERCENTAGES OF SULFUR