Part of the Augustus Adams Series
During the late nineteenth century, the Sandwich Manufacturing Company of Sandwich, Illinois was producing agricultural machinery that reached far beyond the farms of the Midwest. Founded and led for many years by Augustus Adams, the company became one of the most influential manufacturers in Northern Illinois.
A page from one of the company’s catalogs illustrates just how widely their machines were distributed. Surrounding the company name are national emblems representing countries where Sandwich-built machinery was sold, including Germany, France, England, Russia, Argentina, Uruguay, Haiti, and even New South Wales in Australia.
For a town the size of Sandwich, this international reach was remarkable. Agricultural machinery built in the factories along the railroad in Sandwich was shipped across oceans and continents, finding markets in Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and Australia. These machines were part of a broader wave of American industrial exports during the late nineteenth century, when American manufacturers were becoming known around the world for durable and innovative farm equipment.
Catalog illustrations like this one were more than decoration. They served as a powerful marketing statement, assuring prospective buyers that Sandwich machines were trusted not only by farmers in Illinois and the American Midwest, but also by customers around the globe. By highlighting these international markets, the company was proudly presenting itself as a manufacturer of worldwide reputation.
Today, this catalog page offers a glimpse into the global reach of Sandwich’s industrial past. It reminds us that the factories that once stood along the railroad tracks were part of a much larger story—one in which machinery built in Sandwich helped serve farms and industries far beyond the borders of Illinois.
Where Sandwich Machines Were Sold
A late nineteenth-century catalog page from the Sandwich Manufacturing Company highlights several of the international markets served by the company. Among the locations represented are:
• Germany
• France
• England
• Russia
• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Haiti
• New South Wales (Australia)
These markets demonstrate the remarkable global reach of machinery built in Sandwich, Illinois during the late nineteenth century.