The Woodstock typewriter became a hit during World War II. In 1931, the New York Board of Education ordered 1,305 Woodstock typewriters and the Pittsburgh Board of Education ordered six hundred and twenty-three typewriters. Both sides rushed to get the typewriters into schools as quickly as possible, and Sears-Roebuck president R. W. Sears II told the national press that the company had received an order for more than 1,500 machines.
The Woodstock typewriter plant was put to the test after the Second World War. The company became the sole typewriter supplier to the U.S. military and government. It was a huge hit with consumers. However, it was unable to survive the market crash, and Richard Sears II sold off the majority of the company to Century America Corporation in Chicago. His final act was to hand over the typewriter plant to his family, who was very happy.
Before the stock market crash in 1929, Sears II had already started his own company to make and sell typewriters. He marketed the Electrite typewriter, one of the first electric typewriters in the country. Despite being a small company, the Woodstock Typewriter Co. managed to survive the Oliver Company’s bankruptcy and expanded its clientele. It also competed with Remington, Underwood, and Royal.
The Woodstock typewriter company was originally owned by Richard W. Sears, the son of the famous retail magnate. He was just 25 years old when he became president of the Woodstock Typewriter Co. Despite never living in Woodstock, he was a great success and guided the company through adversity. The Woodstock typewriter company survived the stock market crash of 1929 and is still in business today.
After the World War II, Woodstock typewriters continued to be produced. In the early 1950s, the company was owned by the Sears family. In 1947, they sold the company to the R. C. Allen Business Machines, Inc., who continued to produce typewriters at the factory until 1970. Since then, the Woodstock Typewriter Company has become a residential building. There are still many vintage Woodstock typewriters for sale for under $50.
The Woodstock typewriter was not a cheap typewriter. It cost $100 to buy, and it was popular among students. The company later ceased production of the Woodstock typewriter in 1916. The company was sold to the Sears family in 1948, and the name changed to the Roebuck Typewriter Company in 1926. In the same year, the company’s name changed to Woodstock. The name of the company is a reminder of the original founder, who had the vision to start a new typewriter company.
The Woodstock typewriter was a staple of the Chicago community during the World War II. The city was already home to the Oliver Typewriter Company, which opened a main factory in 1896. In addition to the Oliver Typewriter Company, the town coaxed the Emerson Typewriter Co. to relocate to its new location at 300 N. Seminary Ave., and relaunched its operations as the Woodstock. In this way, the typewriters were an integral part of the city’s history.
Fortunately, the Woodstock Typewriter Company was a major success, with the E Award ceremony in 1923 the company’s last public appearance. The E Award was given to Richard II and his mother, Anna Lydia Sears. After selling the company to the Century America Corporation of Chicago, the Sears family would have a much larger stake in the company than they had originally intended. And the typewriter industry would continue to thrive.
The Woodstock Typewriter Company continued to make quality machines and sold them for less than $50 in the 1930s. The E Award was given to the company’s founder, Richard Sears, who had previously inherited the business from his mother. In 1923, Sears had been a pillar of the community, and his name was synonymous with the town. Nevertheless, the company was not able to stay independent, and the Woodstock Typewriter Company was sold to Century America Corporation of Chicago.
During World War II, the Woodstock Typewriter Co. was one of the most successful companies in the industry. Its employees were able to make a great living despite the challenges. During the World War II era, the company established new offices in Chicago. Its sales and management staff was overrun, but it was a huge success, allowing it to expand its operations and clientele throughout the world.
