Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Barton's Bias Narrow Fabric Co. 1922-1935
• Bias Narrow Fabric Co. 1913-1922
• Magicolor Corp. ca. 1960s-late-20th c.
• Nichols Underwear Corp. 1913-ca. 1920
• Polyfoto Corp. 1937-late-20th c.
• Rivoli Shirt Co. 1937-late-20th c.
• Rivoli Shirt Makers, Inc. ca. 1960s-late-20th c.
• Santafoto Corp. ca. 1960s-late-20th c.

Use (Historic)

• Apparel & Accessories
• Textiles
• Other: Printing (photo processing)

Largest Documented Workforce

50-100 (1927).

Historic Narrative

The Bias Narrow Fabric Company was organized in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1903. The firm was established for the manufacture of plain and folded bias fabrics and trim in widths up to 6 inches, and the business initially occupied a factory at 304 George Street in Bridgeport and offices at 54 Franklin Street in New York, New York. The company moved its offices to 65 Worth Street in New York by 1906, however, production remained at 304 George Street until 1913, when a new three-story red brick factory was erected for the business at 393 James Street in Bridgeport. The Bias Narrow Fabric Company shared the James Street plant with the Nichols Underwear Corporation – manufacturers of muslin and flannelette underwear, corsets, and aprons formerly based in New Milford and Norwalk, Connecticut – from 1914 until the late 1910s, however, the former firm assumed full occupancy of the plant by the early 1920s. In 1922, the Bias Narrow Fabric Company was reorganized as Barton’s Bias Narrow Fabric Company by Frederick C. Barton of New York, the firm’s president at the time. A Thomas A. Barton continued to serve as treasurer, while J. Price Morris, of Bridgeport, remained the factory’s superintendent. During the 1920s, the company’s product line continued to include traditional narrow fabrics such as bindings and tapes, however, it was also broadened through the addition of leather gimps, upholstery trimmings, and auto top material. Barton’s Bias Narrow Fabric Company continued to operate into the 1930s, however, by 1935, the business had vacated the James Street plant. The vacancy left by Barton’s Bias Narrow Fabric Company was soon filled by two new tenants, the newly-formed Polyfoto Corporation, a photographic portrait studio and processor; and the Rivoli Shirt Company, a clothing manufacturer. Both of these firms continued to occupy the James Street plant through the 1960s, by which time they had been joined by two other photographic businesses, the Santafoto Corporation and the Magicolor Corporation, as well as a new division of the Rivoli Shirt Corporation, Rivoli Shirt Makers, Incorporation. The former factory is presently utilized as a plumbing supply warehouse.

Number of Existing Buildings

Two (2) adjoining primary blocks.

Dates of Construction

1913

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Mill

Architectural Description

The former Bias Narrow Fabric Company factory consists of two adjoining primary blocks located on the south side of James Street, at the southwest corner of James Street’s intersection with Linen Avenue. The entirety of the three-story brick pier plant was erected in 1913 and it has a L-shaped footprint with prominent frontages along both James Street and Linen Avenue. Each of the two blocks measures roughly 102’ wide and 48’ deep and they share nearly identical details. These include a rough-cut stone foundation, ashlar stone block watertable, red brick walls, segmental-arched window openings with stone sills, both a corbelled red brick and broad molded metal cornice, and a flat roof. Two recessed rectangular bays are located at the western end of the north elevation. One appears to have been altered to accommodate several stone stairs leading to a single pass-through door, while the other consists of a single loading bay with a metal roll-up door. A four-story red brick stair tower is centered on the south elevation of the factory’s western block.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick

Structural System(s)

• Load Bearing Masonry

Roof Form

• Flat

Roof Material

• Asphalt
• Tar and Gravel

Power Source

• Electricity

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

The plant is in fair condition. The window openings throughout the factory have been infilled, however, overall, the plant appears well maintained and structurally sound.

Specific Location

One 0.23-acre parcel (393 James Street) located on the south side of James Street, at the southwest corner of James Street’s intersection with Linen Avenue.

Adjacent To

• Main Roads

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 40/ 1014/ 14 / Link →

Acreage

0.23

Use (Present)

• Commercial

Form Completed By

Lucas A. Karmazinas

Date

01/22/2016

Bibliography

1. List of Connecticut Manufacturers, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1932.
2. Directory of Connecticut State Manufacturers, 1936, 1939.
3. Industrial Directory of Connecticut, 1947.
4. Register of War Production Facilities in Connecticut, 1951.
5. Map of Fairfield County; Baker, William A., 1854.
6. Atlas of the City of Bridgeport; J.B. Beers & Co., 1876.
7. Atlas of the City and Town of Bridgeport; G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1888, 1917.
8. Atlas of Bridgeport; Kershaw, William H., 1910.
9. Sanborn Map Company, 1884, 1888, 1898, 1904, 1913, 1939, 1950.
10. Aerial Survey of Connecticut, 1934, 1951, 1965, 1970, 1985.
11. Bridgeport City Directory, Various editions.
12. Hartford Courant, 1903.
13. A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport; Orcutt, Samuel, 1886.
14. History of Bridgeport and Vicinity; S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1917.