Know Your Neighborhood: The Chocolate Works Apartments   

Henry Wilbur, a Vineland, N.J. hardware store owner, teamed up with Philadelphian Samuel Croft in 1865 to manufacture candy and chocolate(1st photo - ad for their 1st store). In 1884, Croft and Wilbur parted ways, with Wilbur focusing on chocolate, and three years later, with business growing steadily, he built his third - and what would prove to be his company's last - chocolate factory in Philadelphia, on a plot of land bounded by Third, New and Bread streets in Old City. It was in this building that, in 1894, the first foil-wrapped chocolate drop candies - Wilbur Buds - were produced (2nd photo - ad). The company continued to grow and expand through the early 20th century, where it went from a single free-standing building to five architecturally distinct buildings on its Philadelphia site and expanding a plant in Lititz, PA.

The tall building at 231 N. 3rd Street (visible in last photo) from 1909, is an example of Colonial Revival architecture.   Architect Walter Smedley utilized many of the typical features of the style to bestow this factory building with a sense of dignity. White terra cotta classical embellishments, which contrast with the red Flemish bond brick, include keystones, plaques, belt courses, and a cornice. Most noteworthy is the arcaded first-story façade with full arched openings and engaged Doric columns. Sadly, the roofline cornice has been lost.  

The company phased out its Philadelphia operations between 1930 and 1933 (in part due to the depression). The construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge, which began in 1922, had already sliced off a piece of the Wilbur plant prior to its shutdown (3rd & 4th photos). While Wilbur Chocolate Co. remains in business today, making chocolate in the Lititz plant, its days as a well-known consumer brand are well behind it.

The buildings use from 1933 to the 1980's are not apparent (5th photo is from 1960). In 1984 it joined the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. In 1986, developer Carl Dranoff's Historic Landmarks for Living converted much of the former Wilbur Chocolate factory into an apartment complex, The Chocolate Works (6th photo).   While it's chocolate making days are long past, you can still see the Wilbur's sign as you pass the building on the Ben Franklin Bridge (7th photo).

The Power Plant, 230 N 2nd St. was originally part of the Wilbur Complex, but remains a separate commercial property.

1911 ad

1960's era photo

Today


Wilbur's sign still visible from the bridge