Riverbank Laboratories

Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories
Company type	Private
Industry	Acoustical testing
Founded	1913
Founder	George Fabyan
Headquarters	Geneva, United States
Products	Acoustical materials evaluation, STC, NRC, IIC, Sound Power measurements

Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories (RAL), commonly referred to as Riverbank or Riverbank Labs, is an acoustical testing facility accredited by NVLAP. Established in 1913 by George Fabyan, it continues to be a prominent independent provider of acoustical materials evaluation. The laboratory specializes in testing such as STC (Sound Transmission Loss following ASTM E90), NRC (Sound Absorption in accordance with ASTM C423), IIC (Impact Sound Transmission per ASTM E492), and Sound Power measurements (ISO 6926). Riverbank Labs is located at 1512 Batavia Ave., Geneva, Illinois, where the Riverbank Acoustical Museum and Library are also situated.

History

The laboratory was created and financed by Colonel George Fabyan on his estate in Geneva, Illinois, known as Riverbank. A supporter of unconventional sciences, Fabyan founded the facility as early as 1916. In 1913, he engaged Wallace Clement Sabine to work on an acoustical levitation device inspired by decoded writings of Sir Francis Bacon. Sabine determined the concept was impractical, prompting Fabyan to construct a cutting-edge reverberation chamber and testing center for Sabine's use.

Following Sabine’s passing in 1919, his cousin Paul Sabine assumed leadership of the lab, enhancing testing procedures and transforming it into a thriving enterprise. Subsequent oversight was handled by Hale Sabine and the Armour Research Foundation affiliated with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IITRI). During the 1960s, IITRI expanded the site by adding a new transmission loss testing facility. In 2002, IITRI’s divisions focused on technology and engineering—including Riverbank Labs—were spun off into Alion Science and Technology, which continues to provide advanced acoustical testing services for prominent manufacturers and government clients.

In its early years, Riverbank also accommodated a cryptanalysis team that decoded messages from Sir Francis Bacon’s texts, Shakespearean works, and intercepted military communications. During World War I, the U.S. Government utilized Riverbank Laboratories for codebreaking operations targeting German and Mexican ciphers. This effort was largely directed by William and Elizebeth Friedman. In recognition of Fabyan’s voluntary cryptanalysis contributions during a critical prelude to America entering World War I, the National Security Agency dedicated a commemorative plaque in 1993. The facility itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable staff

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