Anthony Overton developed a major business conglomerate in Chicago that began its operations from this Overton Hygienic Building. In 1922, Overton commissioned architect Z. Erol Smith to designed and build the Overton Hygienic Building which became the prime business address of the community for a number of years. Supported by a reinforced concrete frame, the Overton Building has street facades of dark red brick with extensive trim in white-glazed terra cotta. An impressive terra-cotta plaque in the center of the fourth-floor façade proudly carries the name Overton Hygienic Company. In addition to his successful cosmetics enterprise, Overton would later operate the Chicago Bee newspaper franchise, Victory Life Insurance Company, Douglass National Bank, and Northern Realty Company from this business facility and his second building The Chicago Bee Building.
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