The Gerlach Barklow Company was organized in 1907. The construction of
the factory building in Joliet began and was completed that same year.
The prime movers in the organization of the company were Theodore R.
Gerlach, Edward J. Barklow, and K. H. Gerlach. Over the next decade, the
company quickly grew into one of the largest calendar and advertising
companies in America. A leading employer in Joliet for several decades,
the company sponsored many sports teams as well as an annual picnic for
its employees. This book, through vintage photographs and calendar
prints, offers a unique view of the Gerlach Barklow Company's rich
history. It includes calendar prints from the many artists employed by
Gerlach Barklow, photographs of the various departments that made up the
factory, photographs of company-sponsored sports teams, Volland books,
as well as examples of Rust Craft greeting cards.