Caradco

The firm founded in the 1860s known as the Carr-Austin company. It went through many of
different ownerships and name changes. It became one of Dubuque’s largest employers. At the
end of 1894, the company was one of the largest millwork firms in the country. With 300
employees, the company had its own water and electric plants.

Relying on Pine forests of

Minnesota and Wisconsin,
lumber barons William Carr
and W. M. Austin merged
companies in 1856. The
continued growth led to the
formation of the Carr,
Adams & Collier company in
1938. Later on in 1958, the
company became the
Caradco Company.

President Adams was a member of the republican national Committee for 12

years. He was the chairman from 1921 to 1924. He died at the age 76 in 1939.
The products produced by Carr,
Ryder & Adams company
included sash doors, windows,
and roofing materials.
The company displayed their
products so people could see
them. They were located on the
outside of the factory on the
north-east corner of the 9th and
Jackson street in about 1905.

Caradco sold over 30 million doors and 45

million windows. Some of these products were
used in the White House in Washington, D.C.;
West Point Military Academy in New York;
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois;
and the University of Iowa.

Scovill manufacturing bought Caradco in 1966. In 1977, Scovill moved its

Dubuque operations to Rantoull Illinois. This was done because of the out
dated conditions the pant was in. It left behind over 600 employees.
 Caradco Now...

Main building takes an

entire city block, 186,000
square feet to be exact. It
was a part of a 29 million
dollar renovation.
Dubuque built residential
places like apartments. It
also, allowed businesses to
open giving 200 new jobs
for Dubuque.