The Frederick W. Wood photographs document the career of Frederick W. Wood, an executive in the steel and shipbuilding industries. Wood worked for the Pennsylvania Steel Company beginning in 1877 and went on to become the president of its subsidiary, the Maryland Steel Company, in 1891. As president of Maryland Steel, Wood oversaw the construction and operations of Sparrows Point steel mill and shipyard. Wood continued to manage Sparrows Point when Bethlehem Steel Company purchased Pennsylvania Steel and its subsidiaries in 1916, but he resigned in 1918 to serve as the vice president for the American International Shipbuilding Corporation, a position he held until 1921. Researchers interested in the steel and iron industries, the shipbuilding industry, company towns, and the regional history of the greater Philadelphia and Baltimore areas would find this collection useful.

The collection is organized into six series: Pennsylvania Steel Company, Spanish-American Iron Company of Cuba, Caribbean Manganese Company, Maryland Steel Company, Bethlehem Steel Company, American International Shipbuilding Corporation, and Hog Island Shipyard. Series are ordered by company or corporation and then arranged chronologically following Wood’s career.

The Pennsylvania Steel Company series documents the construction of Steelton, the country’s first steel-producing company town, as well as the mining operations conducted there. Includes photographs of the steel mills, prominent town buildings, and published materials such as business cards.

The Spanish-American Iron Company of Cuba series documents the time Wood spent in and around Santiago, Cuba, from 1882 to 1883, as well as materials Wood acquired from the Spanish-American Iron Company. The Pennsylvania Steel Company directed Wood to scout ore deposits in this region because of diminishing local supplies. Materials document Spanish-American Iron Company mining operations, including ore deposits, mining infrastructure, railroads, and individual mines. The series also includes scenes of the Cuban landscape, residences, downtown areas, and the local population.

The Caribbean Manganese Company series documents the work conducted by the Caribbean Manganese Company in Panama circa 1900, including tunnel construction and mining operations.

The Maryland Steel Company series, which makes up the bulk of the collection, documents the construction and operation of Sparrows Point steel mill, which began in 1887, the construction and operation of Sparrows Point shipyard, which began in 1889, and the town of Sparrows Point. Materials related to the steel mill include the construction of the steel plants and furnaces, proposed arrangements for loading rails and ore handling infrastructure, ore samples and ore handling operations, mechanical readings, and interior and exterior views of the steel mills. Materials related to the shipyard include the construction of the shipyard, the construction of numerous hulls, engines, and a dry dock, as well as steamships, battleships, freighters, steamboats, tugboats, and dredges that were constructed at Sparrows Point. Materials related to the town of Sparrows Point include street views, residences, and town facilities.

The Bethlehem Steel Company series documents Wood’s time managing Sparrows Point under new Bethlehem Steel leadership. The series includes the launch of the SS Cubore from Sparrows Point in 1917, a ship model, a dry dock, and aerial views of the shipyard published in 1940.

The American International Shipbuilding Corporation, Hog Island Shipyard series documents the construction and operation of Hog Island Shipyard, located in Pennsylvania on the Delaware River, from 1917 to 1921. Includes ship construction, hull erection, several ship launchings, including the Quistonck and Cantigny, and visitors, spectators, and executives at the shipyard.