Finding Aids

World's Fairs or International Expositions are large-scale exhibitions that highlight technology, agriculture and other innovations of national or cultural significance. The New York World's Fair took place in Flushing Meadows, Queens from April 30, 1939 to October 31, 1940. The theme was "The World of Tomorrow." This item is a paper-bound scrapbook with empty pages.

Rose, Kimball & Baxter, Inc. is a wholesale hardware distributor headquartered in Elmira, New York. This item is a scrapbook titled, "Full of Household Hints for the Whole Family," compiled by Barker, Rose & Kimball. It contains circulars that the store considered to be valuable resources for up-to-date hardware information.

The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 celebrated the one hundreth anniversary of American Independence. Held in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, it was the first major U.S. world's fair. This collection contains Centennial Exhibition photographs, albums, scrapbooks, and ephemera

The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of American Independence. Held in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, it was the first major U.S. world's fair. This item is an empty scrapbook with a decorative cover celebrating the Centennial Exhibition.

Charles Jennings (1916-2006) served for more than forty years as RCA Global Communications’ primary liaison in Japan, figuring prominently in the development of post-World War II Japanese communications systems. The collection consists primarily of black and white and color photographs, albums, advertising posters, papers, and unbound scrapbook boards of photographs and ephemera. The images predominantly relate to Jennings’ business and personal life during his time in Japan, addressing the themes of Japanese and trans-Pacific telecommunications activities, particularly relating to RCA; postwar Japanese-American business and informal diplomatic relations; and life in postwar Tokyo.

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company is a chemical company more commonly referred to as the DuPont company, established in 1802. DuPont's Chestnut Run Laboratories was opened in 1954 near Wilmington, Delaware. This collection consists of two albums documenting the history of the Chestnut Run facility between 1954 and 1961. One album contains primarily photographs taken of the facilities exteriors between 1955 and 1958. The second album contains mostly newspaper clippings between 1954 and 1961.

Ellis Leroy "Lee" Hawk, Jr. (1926-2012) was a chemical engineer with Hercules Inc., and later the engineering director at Himont. He was involved in establishing polypropylene plants all over the world during the 1950s through the 1980s. This small collection consists of a scrapbook of photographs showing plant construction and a travel memoir written by Hawk about his career in the chemical industry. The memoir provides context for the scrapbook and an interesting portrait of an American businessman during the early stages of globalization.

The Hay’s Fruit Juice Company produced “Hay’s Five Fruit,” fruit juice syrup used to make and flavor beverages and desserts. The company was founded in 1900 in Portland, Maine. The Hay’s Fruit Juice Company album contains photographs and advertisements. The photographs are primarily of the factory’s interiors.

Mark C. Walker & Son Co. was a general contractor firm in the early to mid-twentieth century. The company was founded as Callahan-Walker Construction Company in Omaha, Nebraska, by Mark Connell Walker (1889-1966) and his father-in-law, William F. Callahan (1856-1930), a railroad contractor. Upon Callahan's death, Walker took on his son, Mark Callahan Walker (1911-1999), as a partner. This album, compiled by Walker Jr., documents construction projects during World War II, as well as the post-war western United States. It highlights the impact of public works in the twentieth century. The album contains photographs, text, and newspaper clippings detailing several key construction projects: the Gary Armor Plate Steel Mill in 1942, the Harlan County Dam between 1946 and 1947, and the Orange County Sanitation Plant in 1953. The album also contains photographs and trade catalogs from the company's Polair Mobile Refrigerator Division, which designed and built refrigerated truck trailers for the U.S. Army.

N.W. Ayer & Son, Inc. lays claim to being the first and oldest advertising agency in the United States. Established in Philadelphia by Francis Ayer (1848-1923) in 1869. The Kellett Aircraft Corporation was a manufacturer of airplanes, specifically autogiros, helicopters, and aircraft for the U.S. military. This item is a thin booklet style scrapbook containing newspaper articles about a publicity stunt where a golfer flew a Kellet autogiro to each hole on the golf course at Locust Grove Country Club in Westfield, New Jersey. The demonstration was arranged by N.W. Ayer & Son to promote the Kellet autogiros. All of the articles include a photograph image.

Richard C. du Pont (1911-1943) was an aviator and businessman. In 1938, he purchaseds stock of an inactive company called All American Aviation, Inc. and became PresidentThis collection encompasses the time of Richard C. du Pont's marriage to his death, with a particular focus on his work with gliders. The establishment and growth of Summit Aviation, his son's private air transportation company, is heavily documented from the early 1960s onward. The majority of the collection consists of newspaper clippings and photographs.

Ruth (Bury) Leverenz (1912-2006) was a top Avon Sales Representative for twenty years, from 1958 to 1978. Avon Products, Inc. is a manufacturer and direct selling company of beauty products. For many years Leverenz was the number one sales representative in her district and won numerous sales campaigns. During Leverenz's time as an Avon Representative, she compiled sixty pages of historical communications from the company into a scrapbook. The collection provides insight into methods of direct selling, the daily work of an Avon representative, and the experience of women in small business.