Mason & Hanger Historical Records, 1900-2001 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Daniel Weddington and Malcolm Tabor

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Collection Overview

Title: Mason & Hanger Historical Records, 1900-2001

Predominant Dates:1920-1970

Primary Creator: Mason & Hanger Company (1903-1941)

Other Creators: Mason & Hanger-Silas Mason Co. (1941-)

Extent: 114.0 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 02/23/2006

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky., Civil engineering., Construction contractors., Engineering., Government contractors., Military bases., Nuclear power plants.

Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Mason & Hanger Historical Records consist of company records that were in storage for many years and considered "historical" by the new parent company, Day & Zimmermann. As there was no order to the material, an order has been imposed that we believe is useful for access and which is essentially alphabetical by project. The projects include: Boston Traffic Tunnel, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Camp Zachary Taylor, Cannelton Locks and Dam, Carquinez Bridge, Fort Randall Dam, Gateway Army Ammunition Plant, Grand Coulee Dam, Harvey Canal Tunnel, Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Kennedy Space Center, Lincoln Tunnel, Michoud Assembly Facility (for NASA), Pantex Ordnance Plant and the Van Wyck Expressway. There are also files relating to a number of other projects not listed here but which are listed in the finding aid. The company did major work for the Defense Department, the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

The primary grouping is the "Project Files" which have been ordered alphabetically and which sometimes contain the full range of documents relating to each project from initial bid to completion, including agreements, correspondence, photographs, drawings & blueprints, construction logs, progress reports, payroll and legal documents. The next series is "Financial & Corporate Records" that include financial reports, audits, correspondence, income-tax returns, minutes, newsletters and statements. Loose photographs, oversize material and ephemera are found at the end of the finding aid and generally relate back to "Project Files."

The collection also contains detailed records for various farm enterprises owned by Silas and H.P Mason.

Collection Historical Note

Founded in Virginia in 1827 by Claiborne Rice Mason, the company was originally known as the Mason Syndicate. From its first contract to move dirt using a mule, a cart, a pick and a shovel, the company has been dedicated to exceeding customers' expectations. By 1885, the firm had re-located to Kentucky where it became renowned for its many noteworthy historical projects such as the C&O Railroad's main line extension into the Ohio Valley, the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, and Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville. Today, as the nation's oldest continuously operating engineering and construction company, Mason & Hanger carries on the tradition of quality and customer service that C.R. Mason began with his pick and shovel 175 years ago.

In 1999, Mason & Hanger was acquired by the Day & Zimmermann Group. For more information please visit the Day & Zimmermann website.

Subject/Index Terms

Agriculture--Kentucky.
Civil engineering.
Construction contractors.
Engineering.
Government contractors.
Military bases.
Nuclear power plants.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Fitzsimmons, Robert J. (for Day & Zimmerman)

Related Publications: Sons of Martha by Dixon Lanier Merritt is a history of the Mason and Hanger Company.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Project Files.],
[Series 2: Oversize Project Files],
[Series 3: Project Photographs],
[Series 4: Publications and Office Papers],
[Series 5: Financial & Corporate Records],
[Series 6: Office Files],
[Series 7: Financial Records (Ledgers)],
[Series 8: Agricultural Records, 1933-1974],
[Series 9: Oversize Material],
[Series 10: Artifacts and Memorabilia],
[All]

Series 3: Project Photographs

Box 181

Barcode: 31234014043556

Folder 1: Photographs, 1941-1945: Louisiana Ordnance Plant
Folder 2: Photographs: Demolition work, possibly in Lexington, KY
Folder 3: Photographs, 1940-1942: Snake River Mining Co.
Folder 4: Photographs: Company Personalities
Folder 5: Photographs, 1990s: Manager's meetings
Folder 6: Photographs: Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, CP2 Award
Folder 7: Photographs: Pantex Ordnance Plant
Folder 8: Photographs: Versatech and School display

Box 182

Barcode: 31234014043564

Folder 1: Photographs: Photographs of unidentified concrete silo; Jim Beam plant; Unidentified photographs, mostly modern era, of buildings, personnel at unidentified locations, and equipment.
Folder 2: Photographs: Harvey Canal progress photographs and negatives, smaller size; Louisiana Ordnance Plant square photographs of buildings, machinery, and people. [These are the worst of the curled photographs.]
Folder 3: Photographs: J.A. Higgins Passport size photographs.
Folder 4: Photographs: Harvey Canal negatives taken by Robert Jewell.
Folder 5: Photographs: Unknown Road Project, may be Louisiana Ordnance Plant.
Folder 6: Photographs: Mostly of Jim Beam Plant. Other material not yet identified.
Folder 7: Photographs: Five metal (copper?) printing plates. Images are from Grand Coulee Dam, Fort Randall, East River Bridge (NY), and two plates of personalities from the 1950's

Box 183: Photographs

Two panoramic views of Grand Coulee Dam under construction and during completion, with captions written on the photographs [rolled]

Barcode: 31234014043481

Box 184

Barcode: 31234014043473

Folder 1: Photographs: F-22 SPO Advanced Tactical Fighter paperboard wall hanging of modern F-22 fighter.
Folder 2: Photographs: 150th Anniversary Time Line paperboard composite photographs for time line display.
Folder 3: Blueprints: For "Sumner Tunnel Hydraulic."
Folder 4: Blueprints: For "Sumner Tunnel Hydraulic."

Box 185

Barcode: 31234014043598

Folder 1: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Aerial views, most labeled. Includes sleeved and non-sleeved photographs of Iowa, Mississippi, Cornhusker, and New River Army Ammunition Plants. Also includes photographs of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Not all of the photographs are positively identified, although many include at least a brief caption.
Folder 2: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Composite Photographs sheets from identified and unidentified projects.
Folder 3: Photographs, negatives, and slides: David Joseph; Unidentified negatives.
Folder 4: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Historic Transparency Sho Ordnance Work Show - transparencies for a corporate history presentation and an ordnance work presentation.
Folder 5: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Mississippi Army Ordnance Plant, loose large photographs and composite photograph sheets showing buildings, machinery, assembly line, and construction on plant grounds.
Folder 6: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Black & white - many are captioned, but some are unidentified. Includes negatives for the Shield in Chelsea Relief Sewer, and similar project entitled "Monolithic Sewer."
Folder 7: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Munitions and Warheads - loose large photographs. Their plant of origin is unknown - the items seemed to be posed for publicity photos. Also displays related equipment, also from unidentified plants. Back of the photographs have "IN (#)."
Folder 8: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Range Refurbishment - photographs of unidentified site, vehicles and machinery, workers, and company heads at an unidentified meeting ceremony. The words "Range Refurbishment" were the only indication of what this set of photographs might be. Fairbanks, Alaska might be a possible location (derived from a single photograph) of the ceremony and dinner.
Folder 9: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Range Refurbishment
Folder 10: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Unidentified equipment, loose and sleeved large photographs. Modern era, but plant of origination is unknown.
Folder 11: Photographs, negatives, and slides: Unidentified sleeved photographs. [Several contain captions which tell one what the photo is but not where it was taken. Further comparison should reveal where these photographs come from.]