World’s Largest Globe Maker Keeps Tradition Alive In Illinois

There are a lot of cool products that are made in Illinois, but did you know the world's largest manufacturer of globes is located in our state, and they make them just outside of Chicago?

Illinois Is Home To The World's Largest Manufacturer Of Globes

When I was growing up as a kid going to school, every classroom had a globe. It was one of those essential items for teachers. I was fascinated by them. The world seemed like such a massive place; I felt like it brought everything much closer together. We didn't have the internet to search for information at our fingertips. We had to seek it out on our own. If you wanted to find out where a city was on the other side of the planet, you went to the globe to find it.

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According to Replogle Globes...

From its humble beginnings in a Chicago apartment, Replogle today is the world’s largest manufacturer of globes.

 

From handcrafted masterpieces in the offices of presidents and dignitaries to classroom models that help students understand their world, our belief in the globe as a source of wonder hasn’t changed.

 

desk globe on white table

All these years later, I discovered an interesting fact about globes. The world's largest manufacturer of them is located in Hillside, Illinois (just outside of Chicago). The name of the company is Replogle Globes. The company started in an apartment located in the Windy City back in 1930. The owners would make the globes by hand.

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Today, Replogle Globes is located in a 55,000-square-foot building, and the majority of the products are still handmade by their longtime employees. You can still find their globes in classrooms across the country and even in the offices of famous people. They still focus on their goal of a globe in every home.