Ad, Fashion, Men - Alligator Raincoats & Sportswear - Life Magazine 1941-04-07
Magazine Ad, Fashion, Men
Alligator Raincoats & Sportswear
"Because... It's Sure to Rain!"
Life Magazine 1941-04-07
Specializing in rain-repellent outerwear the Ferguson Waterproof Company was incorporated before 1911, which later reorganized as the Alligator Oil Clothing Company in 1916.
From 1916 through 1918, the company’s manufacturing took place in a two-story factory at 1118 S. Grand. World War I provided impetus for major corporate expansion and construction of the National register-listed plant at 4153-71 Bingham Avenue, St. Louis, MO. The United States Army purchased some three million Alligator raincoats for soldiers, according to an Alligator advertisement. All of these coats were made in St. Louis, and led to the company’s decision to relocate to a large, modern facility with sufficient capacity for large demand. The company’s new facility led to boastful advertising touting its wartime production and the assertion that Alligator’s coats were the only union-made rain gear in the nation. The company’s ads appeared nationally into the 1940s. In 1943, expansion of the plant led to Alligator opening New York and Los Angeles branch offices. During World War II, Alligator enjoyed substantial success as both a military and civilian supplier.
In 1966, clothing giant BVD, Inc. acquired Alligator, continuing production at the Bingham Avenue plant until 1971. In 1971, BVD sold the factory complex to Multiplex, Inc., a manufacturer of beverage dispensing equipment and water treatment systems for the foodservice industry. Multiplex left the plant by the late 1990s, and the buildings have been vacant since then.
Ad, Fashion, Men - Alligator Raincoats & Sportswear - Life Magazine 1941-04-07
Magazine Ad, Fashion, Men
Alligator Raincoats & Sportswear
"Because... It's Sure to Rain!"
Life Magazine 1941-04-07
Specializing in rain-repellent outerwear the Ferguson Waterproof Company was incorporated before 1911, which later reorganized as the Alligator Oil Clothing Company in 1916.
From 1916 through 1918, the company’s manufacturing took place in a two-story factory at 1118 S. Grand. World War I provided impetus for major corporate expansion and construction of the National register-listed plant at 4153-71 Bingham Avenue, St. Louis, MO. The United States Army purchased some three million Alligator raincoats for soldiers, according to an Alligator advertisement. All of these coats were made in St. Louis, and led to the company’s decision to relocate to a large, modern facility with sufficient capacity for large demand. The company’s new facility led to boastful advertising touting its wartime production and the assertion that Alligator’s coats were the only union-made rain gear in the nation. The company’s ads appeared nationally into the 1940s. In 1943, expansion of the plant led to Alligator opening New York and Los Angeles branch offices. During World War II, Alligator enjoyed substantial success as both a military and civilian supplier.
In 1966, clothing giant BVD, Inc. acquired Alligator, continuing production at the Bingham Avenue plant until 1971. In 1971, BVD sold the factory complex to Multiplex, Inc., a manufacturer of beverage dispensing equipment and water treatment systems for the foodservice industry. Multiplex left the plant by the late 1990s, and the buildings have been vacant since then.