Cram
George Franklin Cram, a civil war veteran was with Sherman before he became a map publisher. George F. Cram and his uncle, Rufus Blanchard, founded Blanchard & Cram in Evanston, Illinois in 1867. The company manufactured maps and atlases. After two years George became sole owner and it became known as the George F. Cram Company. They sold a wide variety of atlases—including the popular Unrivaled Atlas of the World which was printed continuously from the 1880s to 1952. In 1921, George Cram sold his business to E.A. Peterson of the National Map Company. The CRAM name continued and George F. Cram died at the age of 86 in 1928. Mr. Loren B. Douthit joined the company in 1937 to develop the potential of the schools market and between 1937 and 1966, Cram created a variety of educational maps and globes, including the Horizon Ring Globe. In 1996 Loren Douthit became President and majority shareholder. CRAM moved in 1968 to 301 S. LaSalle St. where it stayed for 38 years. Loren Douthit retired in 1978, handing the reins over to his sons, William Douthit who became President and John Douthit Vice-President. Cram was sold to Herff Jones in 2005 and Douthit family members still work in the business. In 2006 the company moved to the Herff Jones location where it is better placed to serve its customers.