Dr. Wallace C. Abbott founds Abbott Alkaloidal in Illinois

Background. Wallace C. Abbott, born in 1857, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1885. By 1888, at the age of 30, he established the Abbott Alkaloidal Company. The firm was initially located in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, before its later relocation to North Chicago.

Founding of Abbott Alkaloidal. In 1888, Wallace Abbott founded the Abbott Alkaloidal Company in Ravenswood, Chicago. This event marks the origin of what would become Abbott Laboratories. The company was established by Abbott, who had completed his medical education at the University of Michigan three years prior.

Relocation to North Chicago. Although founded in Chicago, the company moved its operations from Ravenswood to North Chicago, Illinois, in 1922. This relocation occurred decades after the initial 1888 founding, establishing the location often associated with the company's later headquarters.