Today we're looking at the imposing apartment building at 369-413 St. Marks Avenue that began life as the world’s largest hat factory. Founded by Irish immigrant Charles Knox, the Knox Hat Company began operations in lower Manhattan, selling beaver hats in a small store he opened in 1838. Through promotion and word of mouth, the business built an impressive clientele, including Abraham Lincoln, who purchased a new Knox stovepipe right before his 1860 speech at the Cooper Institute.
The factory was built in 1890 by Knox’s son, Edward, who took over the business in 1878 and decided that the company should expand to include manufacturing. The Knox Hat Factory was designed by architect B. Finkenseiper, who originally included a four faced clock tower with a mansard roof, which can be seen in the above illustration. The factory remained in operation until after World War II, when it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. In the mid 1980s developers bought the building and converted it to apartments.
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