G.C. Murphy Co. was a chain of discount variety stores. George Clinton Murphy (1868-1909) founded the G.C. Murphy Co. in 1906 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. it grew to more than 500 stores before its acquisition by Ames Department Stores Inc. in 1985. These photographs document window displays at a G.C. Murphy store in Washington, D.C. In 1906.

The National Industrial Distributors Association (NIDA) was a trade organization representing wholesalers of industrial supplies and hardware that attempted to address some of the problems which stemmed from their relationship with manufacturers, whom they accused of excessive price cutting and attempting to deal directly with retailers. The National Industrial Distributors Association was created in 1905 with thirty-eight members. The records briefly document the history, goals, legal issues, and governmental impact on professional associations of companies that manufacture, supply, and distribute the nation's goods and materials.