Round Oak 18 1892
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Round Oak 18 1917
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Round Oak 250
The Round Oak Stove Company, founded by the legendary P.D. Beckwith back in the late 1800’s, had a stellar reputation for designing and manufacturing top of the line, and state of the art for its day, cylinder heating stoves. Staying true to the reputation, this cylinder heating stove, baring the Round Oak name, is a remarkable stove. The solid cast iron antique stove stands at over four feet in height and can warm a large area for up to ten hours. Ribbing at the base of the stove helps circulate heat. There is an ash clean out door at the base, primary and secondary draft controls and a hidden cooklid on top. The top door of the two front loading doors features a sparkling nickel name plate. The famous name is also located in the nickeling on one of the legs. The nickel skirt features beautiful design work which compliments the design work on the dome, front door and base. The Round Oak Cylinder Stove is a powerful heater and impressive in its looks.
Round Oak Advertisements
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Advertisements like the two below were found in the magazines of the day including the Saturday Evening Post, Lady's Home Journal and Country Gentlemen. The local hardware store was a popular place to go and purchase your Round Oak Stove. The price of the handsomely crafted and superior heater? Less than a hundred dollars. Some were even less than $20.00. |
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Round Oak Bottom
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The story goes that P.D. Beckwith started out in the stove manufacturing business by building himself a heating stove because he didn't have the money to buy one. He originally made his Round Oak stoves for railroad waiting rooms.
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It didn't take long for passengers to admire the handsome stove and appreciate the efficient heat and soon folks were inquiring how they could purchase a Round Oak stove for their homes. P.D. Beckwith gave the stove its named because a good-sized chunk of oak could fit into the stove without splitting. Oak trees are handsome, stately trees and that is an image that he wanted associated with his stove. |
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P.D. Beckwith gave the stove its named because a good-sized chunk of oak could fit into the stove without splitting. Oak trees are handsome, stately trees and that is an image that he wanted associated with his stove.
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The Round Oak stove was first manufactured in the early 1860's. The stove was first sold in 1872 and it wasn't long before The Round Oak Stove Company put the city of Dowagiac, Michigan on the map. The factory in Dowagiac, Michigan employed over 50% of the male population in town.During the nearly eighty years the company was in business it sold over five million stoves nationwide. The Round Oak stove company survived both the Great Depression and World War II before closing its doors in 1947. |
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Today the complex of Round Oak buildings in Dowagiac, Michigan house the Ameriwood Furniture Company. Several local companies in the Dowagiac area came about because of the Round Oak Stove Company including: Rudy Manufacturing, Premier Furnace Company, Dowagiac Steel Furnace and Dowagiac Manufacturing.
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Round Oak D18
P.D. Beckwith's Round Oak Stove Company published stove catalogs that featured Indian lore stories.
The stories centered around the life of a young Indian brave named Doe Wah Jack. (not so coincidently that is the pronunciation of the Michigan town where the Round Oak Stove Company was located - Dowagiac.)
According to Indian lore, Doe Wah Jack was named by chief Pokagon. Doe Wah Jack had gone out fishing, having learned the skill by the old chief.
When Doe Wah Jack returned to his village with enough fish to feed the hungry tribe, chief Pokagon called out to the young brave that he would now be called, Doe Wah Jack - "he who catches many fishes."
P.D. Beckwith honored the Indian heritage of the Dowagiac Michigan area by using Doe Wah Jack and local Indian lore and images as primary elements of the stove company's marketing campaign.
Below are excerpts from Round Oak Catalogs written in the early part of the 1900's.
