(Radio Iowa) — The Rocklin Manufacturing building in downtown Sioux City has been added to the National Register of Historic Places for its role in helping produce materials for U-S war efforts. Known earlier as the Albertson and Company building and built in 1912 (at 110 South Jennings Street), the building housed various machinery manufacturing endeavors until 1914 when shop foreman, Swedish-born Frans Oscar Albertson founded Albertson & Company, which took over the manufacturing plant. Rocklin Manufacturing Company took over the building in 1942 and during World War II manufactured equipment for Chrysler, International Harvester and Allis Chalmers while supplying the Chicago Ordnance District, the Detroit Arsenal and the Tank Automotive Center in Detroit with products. Company President Ross Rocklin is the third generation of his family to manage the business.

He says the manufacture a product called the Rocklinnizer, which is added to tools and dies to make them last longer.  They also make another product, a microwelder which repairs molds and dies made of steel. Rocklin would eventually play a key role in providing spring and shock mounts for the national missile defense system. The company received the rare and coveted Ordnance Corps flag from the U-S Army in 1944for outstanding contributions in the field of ordnance production. “They provided us that flag based on really exception performance in support of the war effort,” Rocklin says. “That’s a rare flag — there are only 13 of them out of 22 applicants that received it. It’s something that we proudly display in the entryway of our building.”

The company also has one of Sioux City’s most prominent murals painted on the side of its building facing Gordon Drive from the end of Jennings Street. Rocklin is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.