page_title: Malleable Iron Range Company
section_title: 1919–1941
hierarchical_section_title: Malleable Iron Range Company / History / 1919–1941
caption_attribution_description: English: Monarch vintage wood stove
context_page_description: Malleable Iron Range Company was a company that produced kitchen ranges made of malleable iron and other related products. The company existed from 1896 to 1985. Its primary trademark was Monarch and was often referred to as the Monarch Company.
context_section_description: After World War I, building construction projects resumed. In 1920, additions to the enameling building and a new foundry were built. In 1925 and 1926 a warehouse, and sections joining existing buildings, were constructed. By 1928 additions on the south end of the property provided more space for manufacturing electric ranges as well as warehouse, office, and storage space. An experimental and teaching kitchen was included in this addition. By 1929 the plant consisted of 26 individual departments and more than 400,000 square feet of floor space. The plant was producing more than 300 various styles and models of four types of cooking devices: coal/wood, electric, gas and combinations of any two of those types. In addition to domestic equipment, commercial ranges were produced for restaurants, hotels and other institutions.
  The ranges were being sold though more than 4,500 retail locations, including hardware dealers, furniture dealers and utility companies.
  In 1924, Monarch was visited by Samuel Insull, regarding the development of an electric range to be sold by his conglomeration of electric utilities under the Federal Electric name. Ten of thousands of these Fedelco electric ranges were shipped until Insull's highly leveraged holding companies collapsed in 1931. There were other appliances, such as wash machines made by ABC Washer, clothing irons, and vacuum cleaners, that were also sold under the Fedelco name. The line of electric ranges was changed to a Monarch line and were continued to be sold by the same electric utilities. The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 effectively broke up these pyramid style monopolies.
  In 1927–28, Fred Rogers, who was the current president of the company, built a five-story hotel to cater to the salesmen that frequently visited the city. An additional floor was added in 1930. This building was operated as a hotel by his daughter, Anne Rogers Pfeffer, until 1987.  This building is still known as the Hotel Rogers and has been remodeled and is currently operated as an apartment building.
  In 1934 Admiral Richard E. Byrd visited Beaver Dam and assisted in designing a Monarch coal-wood stove to be used in his second Antarctic expedition. He subsequently ordered an oil stove for his third Antarctic expedition. Both stoves were used in all of his following expeditions.
  Additional product lines were developed and produced including refrigerators, gas and electric water heaters. New porcelain, enamel, and chrome departments were added as the company grew.
  By 1941 the company had about 800 employees.
caption: Monarch vintage wood stove
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