Epilogue

The early1940s witnessed a rehabilitation of Anthony Overton’s public image. Thus, at the time of his death in 1946, much of the negativity associated with the early 1930s had dissipated. Anthony Overton’s son, Everett, presided over the Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Company from 1946 until his own death in 1960. Everett’s son, Anthony Overton III, ran the company from 1960 until 1983 (when Overton Hygienic closed). Shortly after the Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Company disappeared from the landscape of US business, a consortium of Chicagoans began a campaign to honor the legacy of the company’s founder, Anthony Overton. Their efforts ultimately resulted in the physical restoration of the Overton Building and the Chicago Bee Building, as well as their designation as municipal landmarks.