The Breneman factory was perhaps the first thing a would-be student saw upon entering Oswego. It was located on the east side of the oswego River, at the intersection of Route 481 and West Utica Street. According to the Oswego Illustrated 1890, 75 percent of the shade cloth in the United States was made in Oswego's two shade cloth factories. Oswego was home to a host of other industries, but most of them left town, in the late 1990s Alcan was the only remaining industry.

    Originally, Breneman and Swits Conde were one mill. The center stone section on the river was built in 1832, and was known as the Oswego Cotton Factory. In the 1870's, the brick buildings were built, and part became Swits Conde, part became the Oswego Shade Cloth Company, 'Home of the famous Diana Fyrban Window Shade." The well-visible tower was added in 1907, according to Landmarks of Oswego County. The mill was sold to the Stewart Hartshorn Company in 1916, and later sold to the Breneman Company in 1955. It remained the second leading manufacturer of shade cloth in the United States until it closed and abandoned in the mid-1980's.  It was demolished c.1997.