View XML QR Code

Tree Top, Inc. Records, 1938-2009

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Tree Top, Inc.
Title
Tree Top, Inc. Records
Dates
1938-2009 (inclusive)
Quantity
15 linear feet of shelf space, (20 boxes plus oversize)
Collection Number
Cage 785 (collection)
Summary
The collection includes historic corporate records, photographs, and ephemera of Tree Top, Inc.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
Return to Top

Historical Note

Tree Top, Inc. is a fruit processing cooperative headquartered in Selah, Washington. Bill Charbonneau founded the enterprise in 1944 as a private company, shortly after he and his family moved to Washington from Southern California. He purchased a small apple processing plant, first operating under its existing name, Pomona Products, then changing the name to Charbonneau Packing Corporation in 1946. He introduced the Tree Top apple juice brand in 1947. In 1960, a small local group of farmers joined together and created a grower cooperative, buying out Charbonneau's company and the Tree Top name. Since then, Tree Top, Inc. has operated continuously as a cooperative.

Return to Top

Content Description

The collection includes historic corporate records, photographs, and ephemera of Tree Top, Inc. In addition to the cooperative's records, the collection also includes earlier materials from from Tree Top's predecessor company, which was owned by Bill Charbonneau. The collection also contains oral histories and other materials created during company-sponsored history projects in 1980, 2003, and 2008-2010.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

The oral history audio recordings from Series 4, Box 17 were digitized in March 2021. The audio files are retained both as unedited wav files and as speed-corrected mp3 files in MASC’s archival digital storage.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]

Tree Top, Inc. Records, 1938-2009 (Cage 785)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection was organized by Amanda Van Laren when Tree Top, Inc. loaned the records to historian David Stratton to support his research for a book-length company history. This arrangement has been retained. The collection is organized in five series:

Series 1: Management Records, 1956-2009. This series consists of records related to the management and operation of Tree Top, Inc. including the grower newsletter Tree Topics (1968-1997), Apple Corps, plant newsletters, annual reports, growers' contracts, and information on cooperatives.

Series 2: Public Relations, 1963-2004. This series consists of records related to Tree Top public relations, including press releases and articles related to Tree Top or the juice industry.

Series 3: Advertising, 1950s-2008. This series consists of Tree Top advertisements and promotions, including copies of advertisements, product labels, and promotional brochures.

Series 4: History, 1938-2008. This series includes textual documents and media relating to Tree Top's history, as well as a large sequence of photographs (both documentary and advertising), and other visual materials. It is divided into four subseries:

Subseries 4.1: History files. This subseries consists of a variety of textual documents. Some were gathered together as key sources for David Stratton's research for his book, "Tree Top: Creating a Fruit Revolution," and others were created in the course of his project planning and execution. It includes a small amount of material related to founder Bill Charbonneau; earlier company histories in various formats ("The Tree Top Story," materials from 2003 employee oral histories, and historic fact sheets); related notes and compiled historical data; and oral history project documentation.

Subseries 4.2: Photographs. This subseries consists of photographs (color and black and white prints and negatives) of Tree Top facilities, employees, and events, as well as photographs produced for advertising.

Subseries 4.3: Audiovisual and electronic media. This subseries consists of audio recordings of oral histories, miscellaneous video recordings, and digital files of corporate minutes.

Subseries 4.4: Oversized materials. This series consists of large-format items, including advertisements, newspapers, mounted photographs, artwork, and posters.

Series 5: Artifacts. This series consists of promotional or souvenir items and other realia.

Location of Collection

(MASC Staff Use) Container 21 is a large oversize folder located in the map case.

Acquisition Information

Tree Top, Inc. donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries in 2012 (MS 2012-24).

Processing Note

Before the collection was donated to Washington State University, graduate student Amanda Van Lanen performed extensive preliminary processing in her role as research assistant to David Stratton for his book, "Tree Top: Creating a Fruit Revolution." Kevin Renner assisted with final processing in 2012, under the supervision of Manuscripts Librarian Cheryl Gunselman.

Separated Materials

Files related to David Stratton's book, "Tree Top: Creating a Fruit Revolution" were removed from the collection and processed separately as David Stratton Papers on Tree Top, Inc., 1960-2010 (Cage 786)

Related Materials

David Stratton Papers, circa 1890s-2013 (MSSM.022)

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Apple industry -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources

Corporate Names

  • Tree Top, Inc. -- Archives
  • Tree Top, Inc. -- History -- Sources

Finding aid prepared by Cheryl Gunselman.
2012

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

Loading...
Loading...