Ball and Roller Bearing Company

Ball and Roller Bearing Company comprises three structures along Maple Avenue, featuring two wooden buildings with Queen Anne details and one brick structure positioned near railroad tracks. The factory produced ball and roller bearings for multiple industrial sectors from this site.

The factory began as a machine shop serving Danbury's hat manufacturing before shifting to bearing production. Lewis Heim invented the centerless grinding machine here in the early 1900s, transforming how ball and roller bearings were manufactured.

The name reflects decades of bearing production that shaped Danbury's economy and job market. Today community organizations and churches use the spaces, giving the complex a new purpose in the city's daily life.

The building sits in the industrial district near railroad tracks and is now reserved for community organizations. Keep in mind that the spaces are actively used by churches and social organizations, so access for visitors may be limited at certain times.

Lewis Heim secured multiple patents for his innovations developed within this factory, and his grinding machine technology spread globally across the bearing industry. The invention allowed manufacturers to produce ball bearings with precision that had not been possible before.