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Joseph Meyers Willamette Iron and Steel Company collection, 1942-1969
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Meyers, Joseph P. (Joseph Phillip), 1910-1997
- Title
- Joseph Meyers Willamette Iron and Steel Company collection
- Dates
- 1942-1969 (inclusive)19421969
- Quantity
- 0.72 cubic feet, (2 letter document cases)
- Collection Number
- Coll 610
- Summary
- Photographs and ephemera relating to the Willamette Iron and Steel Company. The materials were collected by Joseph Meyers (1910-1997), a marine engineer who worked for the company.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Willamette Iron Works began operating in Portland, Oregon in 1865 and was known for producing the "Willamette Donkey" for logging operations. The company changed its name to Willamette Iron and Steel Works in 1904 after moving from downtown Portland to the waterfront. In 1938, the company was organized as Willamette Iron and Steel Corporation. During World War II, it became a shipbuilding contractor for the Unites States government. In 1946, the company was sold and became known as the Willamette Iron and Steel Company. The company was also known as Wisco.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Joseph Phillip Meyers (1910-1997) was a marine engineer at Willamette Iron and Steel Company in Portland, Oregon.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection primarily consists of photographs of ships that Willamette Iron and Steel Company either built or worked on from World War II to the 1960s, collected by long-time employee Joseph Meyers. Other photographs include aerial views of the company's site and photographs of parts and equipment manufactured by the company. The collection's printed materials include promotional brochures, instructional manuals, and programs for ship launchings and sea trials.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Joseph Meyers Willamette Iron and Steel Company collection, Coll 610, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in two series: Series 1. Printed materials; Series 2. Photographs.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mary Meyers, August 2017 (Lib. Acc. 29095).
Preservation Note
Negatives are not available for direct access. Contact library staff for assistance.
Related Materials
Records of the Willamette Iron and Steel Company are designated Mss 1600, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Separated Materials
Company badge was separated to Museum Collections, Oregon Historical Society.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Printed materials, 1956-1969Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Report on Willamette Iron and Steel Company qualifications |
1958 |
| 1 | 2 | Diagram of cluster installation, removal and transfer container for Westinghouse Electric Corporation |
undated |
| 1 | 3 | Program for SS Mariposa sea trials |
1956 September 28 |
| 1 | 4 | Program for christening of SS Pittsburgh |
1969 November 22 |
| 1 | 5 | Promotional brochure about Willamette Iron and Steel Company |
1956 |
| 1 | 6 | Splicing manual for buried eye splice and buried end splice |
1964 |
| 1 | 7 | "Welding of Medium-Alloy Chrome-Moly Steels," by Kenneth R. Notvest |
1959 |
Series 2: Photographs, 1942-1962Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Identified ships (named)
Arranged alphabetically by name of ship.
|
1943-1962 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 16 | USS Algol (designation AKA 54) |
1944 July 8 |
| 1 | 17 | USS Arneb (designation AKA 56) |
1944 May-June |
| 1 | 18 | USS Barnstable (designation APA-93) |
1944 June 2 |
| 1 | 19 | USNS Barrow Point |
undated |
| 1 | 20 | USS Bouyant (designation AM 153) |
1943 September 8 |
| 1 | 21 | USS Capricornus (designation AKA 57) |
1944 June 7 |
| 1 | 22 | USS Carson |
undated |
| 1 | 23 | USS Catskill (designation LSV-1) |
1944 July |
| 1 | 24 | USS Creddock (designation AM-356) |
1945 November 21 |
| 1 | 25 | PNS Dacca (designation T-AO 132) |
1962 November-December |
| 1 | 26 | USS Dextrous (designation MSF-341) antennas |
1955 May 31 |
| 1 | 27 | USS Dextrous antennas (negatives) |
1955 May 31 |
| 1 | 28 | USS Dunlin (designation AM 361) |
1945 February 10 |
| 1 | 29 | USS General John Pope |
undated |
| 1 | 30 | USS General W. A. Mann |
undated |
| 1 | 31 | USS General William M. Black |
undated |
| 1 | 32 | Launch of USS Harlequin (designation AM 365) |
1944 June 3 |
| 1 | 33 | USNS Kingsport (newswire photograph) |
1960 |
| 1 | 34 | USS Kula Gulf (designation CVE 108) |
1945 May |
| 1 | 35 | USS Marine Phoenix |
circa 1945 |
| 1 | 36 | USS Marine Phoenix and unidentified ship |
circa 1945 |
| 1 | 37 | SS Mariposa |
1955-1956 |
| 1 | 38 | USS Monterey |
1956 |
| 1 | 39 | USS Neville |
undated |
| 1 | 40 | USS Ozark (designation LSV-2) |
1944 October 2 |
| 1 | 41 | USS Parris Island (designation AG 72) |
1944 November 17 |
| 1 | 42 | Pine Tree Mariner |
1955 August 1 |
| 2 | 1 | HMS Rajah (designation AG 72) |
1944 November 17 |
| 2 | 2 | USS Rendova (designation CVE 114) interior after running aground |
circa 1944 |
| 2 | 3 | USS Sicily (designation CVE 118) |
circa 1945 |
| 2 | 4 | SS Simmons Victory (designation GTR 5; later renamed USS Liberty) |
circa 1945 |
| 2 | 5 | HMS Slinger (designation CVE 32) |
1943 July 19 |
| 2 | 6 | HMS Speaker (designation CVE 40) |
1943 November 16 |
| 2 | 7 | Launch of the new steamer Portland |
1947 May 24 |
Subseries 2: Identified ships (unnamed)
Arranged alphabetically by ship designation.
|
1943-1945 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 8 | ACV-24 |
1943 April 9-May 5 |
| 2 | 9 | APL-46 |
1945 September 11 |
| 2 | 10 | PCE-893 |
1943-1944 |
| 2 | 11 | PCE-899 |
1945 March 27 |
| 2 | 12 | YDG 11 |
1945 August 11 |
| 2 | 13 | YF 743 |
1944 October 4 |
| 2 | 14 | YF 747 |
1944 November 29 |
Subseries 3: Other photographs |
1942-1960 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 8 | Aerial photographs of Willamette Iron and Steel Company |
circa 1955 |
| 1 | 9 | Boat wreck |
circa 1944 |
| 1 | 10 | Employee groups and events |
1944; undated |
| 1 | 11 | Equipment and parts |
1943-1960 |
| 1 | 12 | Keel-laying of first minelayer |
1942 |
| 1 | 13 | Model for CVE-class ships |
circa 1943 |
| 1 | 14 | "President's Safety Week" signage |
1956 May |
| 1 | 15 | Shipping container |
undated |
| 2 | 15 | Unidentified ships |
undated |
| 2 | 16 | Unidentified ship interior |
undated |
| 2 | 17 | Snapshots of unidentified ship |
undated |
| 2 | 18 | Unidentified aircraft carrier |
circa 1960 |
| 2 | 19 | Unidentified ship interior |
circa 1960 |
| 2 | 20 | Snapshots of unidentified ship |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Shipbuilding--Oregon--Portland
- Shipyards--Oregon--Portland
- Warships--Oregon--Portland
- World War, 1939-1945--Oregon--Portland
Corporate Names
- United States. Navy
- Willamette Iron and Steel Company
- Willamette Iron and Steel Corporation
Form or Genre Terms
- photographs
- printed ephemera
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- White, Helen B. (photographer)
Corporate Names
- Ackroyd Photography Inc. (Portland, Or.) (photographer)
- Delano Studios (Portland, Or.) (photographer)
- Willamette Iron and Steel Corporation (photographer)
