Uneeda Biscuit!
The Uneeda Biscuit was National Biscuit Company’s first packaged cracker. Pictured above is a 1919 parade float.
Marseilles Nabisco Factory
Marseilles history first mentions a paper mill in 1867 following the construction of a dam on the Illinois River. The power produced by the dam was first used by the Brown and Norton Paper Company. It was the Illinois River Mill around 1893 that manufactured special grades of “combination board” for the Howe and Davidson Company of Chicago. They used the board to make cartons for the National Biscuit Factory.
In the year 1900 the Crescent Paper Company produced paper box board, wrapping paper, egg cases, fillers, folding paper boxes and cartons of every description. Crescent Paper Company was incorporated in 1896
We have more history and pictures in this document: Nabisco.pdf.
Throughout much of the history of Marseilles, Nabisco (National Biscuit Co. carton division) was the largest employer in Marseilles. Located at 240 Main St. it employed 410 people in 1962, making boxes for Nabisco products.