Sprague & Carleton Furniture

Q: When we lived in Keene, N.H., years ago we bought furniture from Sprague & Carleton, a local manufacturer. It was reasonably priced furniture that will outlast us. I understand the company has gone out of business. What happened?

A: Sprague & Carleton was founded by Frank L. Sprague and William Carleton in Keene, N.H., in 1899. The company started out making maple rocking chairs and settees. Back frames of chairs were made by home workers, usually women and children. Rattan seats were made at the factory. About 1,000,000 rockers a year were made by companies in Keene, which became known as the “porch chair center of the United States.” In the late 1920s, Sprague & Carleton began making other furniture and bought furniture companies in other cities. Although some sources say the company closed in 1967, that’s just the date one of its divisions closed. Patriot Industries bought Sprague & Carleton in 1968 and continued to operate the factories in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. According to a 1988 newspaper, the factory in Keene closed in November 1988 because of foreign competition. Many U.S. makers of wooden furniture went out of business because of the lower cost of foreign furniture and the demand for more modern furniture.