The legacy of Morton Buildings, Inc. consists of a long history of innovation. The roots of the company go back to 1903, when Interlocking Fence Company was formed by John Getz, Sr., who was at the helm until his sudden death in 1925. He was succeeded by his son Joe A. Getz, president from 1925 to 1963. Under the guidance of Joe A. Getz and John Getz, Sr., a single hardware store located in Morton, Illinois was transformed into a fence manufacturing company. The early founders of the company were able to capitalize on changes that were taking place in the heartland of America. A novel invention that facilitated the manufacturing of woven wire gave the young company the highest quality product to offer their growing customer base. The business soon grew into a small mail order business and maintained 14 retail stores in the State of Illinois to service the ever more sophisticated farming industry. The company then began manufacturing grain handling and storage products that made the task of increasing farm productivity easier for their customers. Mail order and delivery gave Interlocking Fence Company a distinct marketing advantage and helped build a solid reputation with their expanding customer base. After WW II, farm mechanization exploded both in size and scope. As farm machinery began to grow in size and utilization, the need to house and protect the farm machinery and provide livestock shelter began to grow exponentially.