Martin Guitar's North Street Complex Named National Historic Landmark

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Dec 03, 2018, 09:01 ET

NAZARETH, Pa., Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- C.F. Martin & Co.^® (Martin Guitar) is pleased to announce that their North Street Complex has been named a National Historic Landmark in the National Register of Historic Places. The North Street Complex includes the former manufacturing buildings, powerhouse, and Martin homestead.

National Historic Landmarks are the highest level of recognition. According to National Park Service (NPS) criteria: "The quality of national significance is ascribed to districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States in history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture and that possess a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association."

"I am very proud that my family's original factory in Nazareth has been selected for National Historic Landmark status," said Chris Martin, Chairman and CEO. "For well over 100 years, this facility produced many of the guitars, ukuleles, and mandolins used by professionals and amateur musicians across the U.S. and around the world. The music made on Martin instruments was and is a very significant part of musical culture for generations."

C. F. Martin Sr. left his homeland of Markneukirchen, Germany, in 1833 and emigrated to the United States, where his family settled in New York City. He set up shop at 196 Hudson Street on the Lower West Side, where the earliest Martin guitars were made. The modest structure included limited guitar production in the back room with a retail store up front, selling everything from cornets to sheet music.

A few years later, C. F. Martin's wife traveled to eastern Pennsylvania and instantly fell in love with the tranquil countryside that reminded her of home. Upon returning to New York, she convinced her husband to make the big move, and, in 1839, he sold his retail store in New York City and moved to Cherry Hill, Pa., located on the outskirts of of Nazareth.

In 1856, the Moravians opened the town of Nazareth to outsiders and agreed to sell land within its borders. In 1857, Martin purchased the block of land at North and Main Streets and began building what would become this historic landmark. The North Street plant, with its multistory construction and numerous additions, was operational through 1964, when, to keep up with rising demand, the company moved to a new facility at 510 Sycamore Street, Nazareth, Pa., where it still operates today.

About Martin Guitars and Strings

C.F. Martin & Co.® has been Inspiring Musicians Worldwide® for 185 years with their superior guitar and string products. Martin guitars and strings remain the choice for musicians around the world for their unrivaled quality, craftsmanship, and tone. Throughout the company's long history, Martin products can be seen and heard across all genres of music and in all segments of pop culture, from concert and theater stages to television and movies.

With an unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing practices, Martin continually drives the acoustic guitar market forward, introducing innovative features that have become standards across the industry. These groundbreaking innovations include the introduction of X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar, and the "Dreadnought" size guitar.

Martin has also led innovations in strings, such as introducing the first high-tensile strength steel-string core wire; the first nickel acoustic strings (Martin Retro®); the proprietary Titanium Core strings; and now the groundbreaking, new Authentic Acoustic line, which offers unmatched stability, tone, comfort, and longevity. Learn more here: www.martinguitar.com/aa.

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SOURCE C.F. Martin & Co.