Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. Inc., Dupont Fabrikoid Div. 1916-c.1980s
• Fairfield Rubber Company 1879-1916
• Fairprene Industrial Products Co. c.1980s-2003

Use (Historic)

• Apparel & Accessories
• Rubber & Chemicals
• Transportation

Largest Documented Workforce

Unknown

Historic Narrative

The Fairfield Rubber Company was founded in 1879 to produce rubberized products for the carriage industry and became best known for its coated fiber carriage tops. As carriage travel was surpassed by automobile travel at the turn of the century, Fairfield Rubber adapted: the coated fabric used in carriage tops was nearly interchangeable with that used in early car tops. The rapid growth of the auto industry allowed for the expansion of Fairfield Rubber in the first two decades of the twentieth century. In 1916, the Fairfield Rubber Company was purchased by the E.I. DuPont De Nemours Company’s subsidiary, DuPont Fabrikoid Company, which also had a factory in Newburgh, New York. The company continued to produce coated fabric auto tops, under the name 'Rayntite,' as well as 'Craftsman Fabrikoid,' a faux leather for upholstering. During World War I, the firm advertised its products as an alternative to 'save leather for soldiers.' While automotive material comprised the majority of their business, the Fairfield branch also produced rubberized cloth for raincoats, coats, work gear and other clothing items, as well as rubberized ventilation tubing used in coal and metal mines and for underground tunnel construction, gaskets, weather-stripping, and stretchable fabrics. Fairpreen Industrial Products Co. purchased the company; it vacated the site in 2003, moving operations to Virginia. The site has since been converted into an athletic complex.

Number of Existing Buildings

Roughly twelve (12) primary blocks.

Dates of Construction

c.1920

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Loft
• Powerhouse
• Warehouse / Production Shed

Architectural Description

Twelve of the extant buildings on this six-acre property, which are for the most part interconnected, appear to date from the buildings’ rubber making era. The three-story wood frame loft building at the southeast corner of the complex dates to the turn of the century and housed rubber mixing operations. Six other buildings date to before 1922, including areas used for vulcanizing operations, and are largely on the east side of the complex. At least two buildings were built between 1922 and 1949. Buildings are both wood frame and brick; several have gable roofs, two have monitor roofs, and two have skylights.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick
• Wood

Structural System(s)

• Post and Beam
• Structural Steel or Iron
• Wood Frame

Roof Form

• Gable
• Monitor

Roof Material

• Asphalt

Power Source

• Electricity
• Steam

Condition

Good, Fair, Deteriorated

Condition Notes

All portions of the building are in generally good condition.

Specific Location

The Former Fairfield Rubber Company complex is located on 6.14 acres to the west of Mill Plain Road in Fairfield, Connecticut. To the south, it is bordered by Metro North railroad tracks, to the north by a cemetery and the west North Pine Creek Road.

Adjacent To

• Main Roads
• Railroad

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 180/359 / Link →

Acreage

6.14

Use (Present)

• Commercial
• Vacant

Form Completed By

Michael Forino

Date

August 2014; November 2016

Bibliography

1. 1947 Industrial Directory of Connecticut.
2. The Hartford Courant, 1916-1961.
3. Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlases, Fairfield, CT, 1922-1949.
4. Advertisement in Everybody's Magazine, Vol. 38 (New York: The Ridgway Co., 1918).
5. Advertisement in Popular Science Monthly (New York: December 1917, November 1918).