Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Meier and Frank Company collection, 1855-2006
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Meier and Frank (Portland, Or.)
- Title
- Meier and Frank Company collection
- Dates
- 1855-2006 (inclusive)18552006
- Quantity
- 25 cubic feet, (35 document cases, 7 flat boxes, 6 custom boxes, 11 oversize folders)
- Collection Number
- Mss 2866
- Summary
- Records of and relating to the Meier and Frank Company, a prominent department store in Portland, Oregon. Includes selections from the company's financial and administrative records; photographs; advertising materials; issues of the store's employee newsletter, The daily bulletin; ephemera; land records; plaques for Rose Parade floats; and Safety Program records from 2002-2006.
- 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
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Meier & Frank was the premier department store in Portland, Oregon, from the late 1800s to 2006. The store originated in 1857, when Aaron Meier opened a small mercantile establishment on SW Front and Yamhill. In 1873 Sigmund Frank became a partner in the enterprise, and the store expanded rapidly as the city grew. In 1898 Meier & Frank moved to a large new five-story building at SW Fifth Avenue and Morrison Street, and between 1909 and 1915 this original structure was replaced with the complex that currently (in 2007) fills the entire block. Even greater expansion took place beginning in the 1950s, as branches were opened in Salem (1955), Portland’s Lloyd Center (1960), Eugene (1969), Vancouver, Washington (1977) and elsewhere. But by the mid 1960s the store was faced with competition from nation-wide chains, and the firm was sold to the May Company (later Robinsons-May) in 1966. The store continued to bear the Meier and Frank name, but with the merger of Robinsons-May with Macy’s in the mid-2000s, the Meier & Frank name was finally superseded by the Macy’s trademark in 2006.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of a wide variety of materials, although it represents only a relatively small selection of the company's overall records. Included are a small number of photographs, primarily documenting the 75th anniversary of the store in 1932 and various events in the mid-1990s. Among these are: a set of images by noted Portland photograph Walter Boychuk showing the interior of the Portland store in 1932, shortly after an extensive remodeling; a group of photographs showing the store's display windows in 1912; and a photo album featuring displays and events relating to the store's 75th anniversary in 1932.
Among the general files is an important notebook, 1904, listing the members of Congregation Beth Israel, Portland's most prominent Jewish synagogue. Also among the general files is a notebook of Julius L. Meier from 1916, scrapbooks, and other ephemera. A run of the store's employee newsletter, The daily bulletin from 1928-1966 (with gaps) provides details of the day-to-day running of the enterprise. War advertising materials illustrate the store's publicity activities during World War II. Financial records date primarily from the 1920s through the 1940s and include extensive indexes of people holding Meier and Frank charge accounts, as well as a collection of the company's stock certificates issued between 1937 and 1944. The collection also includes award plaques for the store's Portland Rose Festival parade floats, with pictures of the floats; and saftey program manuals from 2002 to 2006.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.
Preferred Citation
Meier and Frank Company collection, Mss 2866, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series:
- Series A: photographs, 1855-2000
- Series B: General files, 1887-2005
- Series C: Daily bulletins, 1928-1965
- Series D: War advertising program, circa 1941-1945
- Series E: Land records, 1880-1938
- Series F: Financial records, 1871-1965
- Series G: Catalogs and other printed books, 1917-1953
- Series H: Safety program notebooks, 2002-2006
- Series "I": Plaques, 1972-2002
Custodial History
The bulk of the collection was found in the store's offices when it was acquired by Macy's in 2006. These materials were given to a descedant of one of the firm's original founders, who passed them on to the Oregon Historical Society in 2007.
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 1990 and 2007, Library Accessions 19930 and 26379
Processing Note
Accessions from 1990 and 2007 were integrated into a single collection at the time of processing.
Separated Materials
A plastic holder for charge account forms, circa 1965, and framed portraits of Aaron Meier and Sigmund Frank, were transferred to the Artifact Collections of the Oregon Historical Society.
Related Materials
A collection of photographs of the Meier and Frank Portland store is designated Org. Lot 695 in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Additional images of the store and its personnel can be found in the Library's Self-Indexing photograph files.
Personal papers of Julius L. Meier are designated as Mss 2683 in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: Photographs, 1855-2000Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Blazers Wives party--Color snapshots |
1994 |
| 1/2 | Bridal fair, Eugene, Oregon--Color snapshots |
1988 |
| 1/3 | Cocktail party--Color snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| 1/4 | Cocktail party--Color snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| Extra oversize 7 | Construction of wing of store |
circa 1915 |
| 36/1 | Diamond jubilee photograph album
Includes photographs of interiors, exteriors, and displays
|
1932 |
| 36/2 | Historic delivery wagon |
circa 1958 |
| 1/5 | Event with executives--Color snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| 1/6 | Fashion show--Color snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| Oversize folder 1 | May Company executives |
1983 |
| Extra oversize 7 | Meier & Frank Association picnic, Government Island
(cirkut print) |
1911 July 23 |
| 39/1 | Photographs of store interiors
Copies of vintage prints, formerly mounted on large display
board, probably for an in-store display.
|
circa 1908 |
| 39/2 | Oversize photographs
Includes: series of display windows designed by Edward F.
Petersen, 1912; construction site of Portland building, circa 1909; and Rose
Festival float, 1961.
|
circa 1909-1913; 1961 |
| Extra Oversize 1 | Rose Festival Floral Parade float
Photo of horse-drawn float, possibly from late 1930s or 40s,
mounted on board
|
circa 1940 |
| 1/7 | Rose Festival Floral Parades--Color
snapshots |
circa 1993; undated |
| 1/8 | Sale photos--B&W prints |
circa 1950 |
| 1/9 | Salem store--B&W snapshots |
1966 |
| Oversize folder 2 | Scrapbook |
1924-1966 |
| Oversize folder 3 | Scrapbook |
1965-1966 |
| 42/2-3 | Scrapbook of foms and prospectuses, Meier & Frank
Investment Company |
1917-1961 |
| 1/10 | Slides of Rose Festival Floral Parades, Christmas party,
Haloween, advertising layouts, etc. |
circa 1980-2000 |
| 1/11 | Trade show--Color snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| 1/12 | Walter Boychuk photographs of remodeled store
interiors
These photos were used in an advertising supplment in the
Oregonian, 1932 October 2.
|
1932 |
| 1/13 | Winfield (?) party and trade show--Color
snapshots |
circa 1995 |
| 1/14 | General photographs
Includes construction of building, 1913-1914.
|
circa 1850-1995 |
Series B: General files, 1887-2005Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/1 | Advertisements |
circa 1910-1979 |
| 2/2 | Advertising brochures--History of the store, charge
account information |
1959; undated |
| Oversize folder 4 | Advertising campaign materials, 122nd
anniversary |
circa 1977-1978; undated |
| 39/3-4 | Advertising campaign materials, including drawings,
past-ups, magazines, and clippings |
circa 1978-1988; undated |
| Extra oversize 1 | Advertising posters |
1967; 1991; undated |
| Extra oversize 2 | Advertising newspaper supplements |
1905; 1932; 1959; 1979 |
| 42/1 | Bag and box samples |
circa 1985 |
| 2/3 | Banking procedures |
1977 |
| 2/4 | Centennial program |
1957 |
| 2/5 | "A Christmas to remember"--Campaign notebook |
1975 |
| 2/6 | "Cinderella and the cat"--Sheet music and
programs
Musical production by students of the Portland Public Schools.
Materials were found loose in a scrapbook.
|
1924-1928 |
| 2/7 | Clippings
Includes clippings regarding sale of the store to May Department
Stores, 1966.
|
1919-1999 |
| 2/8 | Congregation Beth Israel membership book |
1904 |
| 2/9 | "Cooks kitchen" catalog |
1977 |
| 2/10 | Customer registers (blank) |
circa 1960 |
| 2/11 | Correspondence concerning Amos Parrish Company and Meier
& Frank centennial promotion |
1957 |
| 2/12 | "Diamond jubilee" of Kaufman's |
1946 |
| 2/13 | Employee directory |
circa 1902-1904 |
| 2/14 | Garment directory |
1887-1890 |
| 3/1 | General materials
Primarily ephemera, certificates, miscellaneous letters
|
1889-1970; undated |
| 3/2 | "I've seen the largest store in the world"--Illustrated
pamphlet from Macy's, New York City |
1939 |
| 3/3 | Keys |
undated |
| 3/4 | Menus from store restaurants |
circa 1980-1990 |
| 39/5 | Menus--Oversize |
1984; undated |
| 3/5 | Meier and Frank Training Department--NCR Class 53
optical font data control register |
1973 |
| 3/6 | Meier and Frank Training Department--Telephone systems
manual |
1971 |
| 3/7 | Meier and Frank Training Department--Systems training
manual |
1965 |
| 3/8 | Notebook of Julius L. Meier |
1916 |
| 3/9 | Notebook of Julius L. Meier--Original leather
cover |
1916 |
| Extra oversize 7 | Placards with company logo, probably from
1980s |
undated |
| 3/10 | Postcard of downtown Portland store |
circa 1970 |
| 3/11 | Receipts for warehouse construction, NW 14th Ave. &
Irving St. |
1922 |
| 3/12 | Receipts, general |
1911-1930 |
| Extra oversize 6 | Scale drawings (3) of 2 store elevations and Tea
Room |
1931 |
| Extra oversize 3 | Scrapbook: Meier & Frank Company activities and
promotions |
1951 |
| 3/13 |
The star (in-house magazine, 2
issues) |
2005 February-May |
| 3/14 | Teaching guide |
1973 |
| 3/15 | Telephone directory of store personnel |
circa 1971-1975 |
Series C: Daily bulletin (store newsletter for employees), 1928-1965Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4/1 |
These issues titled
Toy Town Bulletin
|
1928 December 3-24 |
| 4/2 | 1931 October-December | |
| 4/3 | 1935 April-June | |
| 4/4 | 1935 October-December | |
| 4/5 | 1936 April-June | |
| 4/6 | 1936 July-September | |
| 4/7 | 1936 October-December | |
| 4/8 | 1938 January-March | |
| 4/9 | 1938 April-June | |
| 4/10 | 1938 July-September | |
| 4/11 | 1938 October-December | |
| 5/1 |
These issues titled
Toy Town Bulletin
|
1938-1939 |
| 5/2 |
These issues titled
Toy Town Bulletin
|
1940 November 25-December 24 |
| 5/3 | 1942 November 30-December 17 | |
| 5/4 | 1944 January-March | |
| 5/5 | 1944 July-September | |
| 5/6 | 1944 October-December | |
| 5/7 | 1945 October-December | |
| 5/8 | 1954 January 2-March 31 | |
| 5/9 | 1954 April 1-June 30 | |
| 5/10 | 1954 July 1-September 30 | |
| 5/11 | 1954 October-December | |
| 5/12 | 1957 March 20-26 | |
| 5/13 | 1958 January-March | |
| 6/1 | 1958 April-June | |
| 6/2 | 1958 July-September | |
| 6/3 | 1958 October-December | |
| 6/4 | 1965 | |
| 6/5 |
Salem store only
|
1965 |
Series D: War advertising program materials, circa 1941-1945Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 7/1 | Volume 3 |
1944 February 23-June 2 |
| 7/2 | Volume 4 |
1944 June 3-September 10 |
| 7/3 | Volume 5 |
1944 September 11-December 12 |
| Extra oversize 4 | Scrapbook titled "Book 3" |
circa 1941-1945 |
| Extra oversize 5 | Scrapbook titled "Book 4" |
circa 1941-1945 |
Series E: Land records, 1880-1938Return to Top
Includes deeds, mortgage records, abstracts of title, and other records.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
General records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 8/1 | 1900-1914 | |
| 8/2 | 1915-1919 | |
| 8/3 | 1920-1924 | |
| 8/4 | 1925-1929 | |
| 8/5 | 1930-1935 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 8/6 | Auto Freight Terminal Company |
1924-1929 |
| Oversize folder 1 | Clackamas County (Or.), Kulper
property--Blueprints |
circa 1920 |
| 8/7 | Couch's Addition, Block 120 |
1925 |
| Oversize folder 1 | Hamilton, Louise E.--Certificate of delinquincy,
Highland Park |
1915 |
| 8/8 | Jewish Shelter Home |
1920-1938 |
| 8/9 | Rethlefsen, Lena C. |
1880-1922 |
| 9/1 | Taylor Street (Caples Hotel) |
1928-1933 |
| 9/2 | Warehouse, 15th & Irving--Contractors |
1922-1923 |
| 9/3 | Waverleigh Heights |
1910-1915 |
| 9/4 | Willamette & Columbia River Towing
Company |
1908-1931 |
Abstracts of title |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 9/5 | Klickitat County |
1890-1911 |
| 9/6 | Lots 1 & 4, Block 97, Couch's Addition |
1920 |
| 9/7 | Aaron Meier estate |
circa 1922 |
| 9/8 | SW Broadway and Taylor Street |
circa 1902 |
| 9/9 | "Madrona" subdivision |
1935 |
| 9/9 | Irvington Park |
1865-1919 |
Series F: Financial records, 1871-1965Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Charge account indexes
Ledgers containing names of customers and their addresses
|
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 10/1 | 1907-1916 | |
| 10/2 | 1909 September-1911 | |
| 11/1 | 1916 May 19-1919 August | |
| 11/2 | 1919 August-1922 March | |
| 11/3-4 | circa 1918-1926 | |
| 12/1 | 1926 February-1931 April 16 | |
| 12/2 | 1931 April 16-1938 April 16 | |
| 13/1 | 1938 April 16-1943 May 1 | |
| 13/2 | 1943 May 1-1947 March 1 | |
| 14/1 | 1947 March 1-1953 March 31 | |
| 44/1 | 1953 April-1957 September 1 | |
Banking materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 15/1 | First National Bank, account books |
1885-1888 |
| 15/2 | Ranley's Rhode Island Reds |
1921-1923 |
| 15/3 | Cornelia L. Meier Estate, Meier and Frank Profit
Sharing Retirement Trust |
1956-1957; 1962-1964 |
| 15/4 | General passbooks and statements |
1922-1965 |
Ledgers |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 15/5 | "Stock book"
This volume was found in the store basement along with other
discarded records in 1980s, after sale of the firm to May Co.
|
1871-1873 |
| 15/6 | Accounts of family members and other
information |
1901-1933 |
| 40/1 | Ledger |
circa 1924-1937 |
| 41/1-2 | Ledgers of daily sales (2 volumes) |
1921-1944; 1945-1949 |
| 15/7 | Profit and loss; real estate; other
information |
circa 1912-1924 |
| 16/1 | Meier & Frank Investment
Company--Journal |
1912-1933 |
| 16/2 | Welfare funds ledger |
1925-1932 |
| 16/3 | Aaron M. Frank farm |
1927-1931 |
| 16/4 | Ledger |
1937 |
| 17/1 | "P.J. Misc." (payable journal?) |
1942-1945 |
| 17/2 | "P.J. Misc." (payable journal?) |
1945-1951 |
| 40/2 | Ledgers
These materials are closed for research until 2046.
|
1949-1956 |
| 45/1 | Standard monthly journal |
1937-1946 |
| 46/1 | Accounts |
1893-1895 |
| 47/1 | General ledger, Meier & Frank Company |
1894-1896 |
| 48/1 | Furniture--Stock book--Warehouse |
circa 1910 |
Insurance materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 17/3 | Report of insurance, Meier & Frank,
Inc. |
1939 November 1 |
| 17/4 | Insurance apparisal of Meier & Frank
Co. |
1952 August 20 |
| 17/5 | Insurance appraisal of Meier & Frank Co., Location
3 |
1940 November 4 |
| 17/5 | Insurance appraisal of Meier & Frank,
Inc. |
1953 May 29 |
| 43/1 | Register of insurance policies |
1942-1944 |
Stockholders materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 18/1 | Legal proxies |
1927 |
| 18/2 | Stock dividends |
1924-1925 |
Stock certificates |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 18/3 | Stock to family members |
1921-1938 |
| 18/4 | Certificates to Eleanor Yale and Foster &
Marshall |
1937; 1947 |
| 18/5 | Certificates C-1245 SF501-SF1000 |
1937-1938 |
| 18/6 | Certificates C-1245 SF1001-SF1501 |
1938-1944 |
| 18/7 | Certificates C-1245 P1001-P1500 |
1937-1939 |
| 18/8 | Certificates C-1245 P01501-P01750 |
1937-1938 |
| 19/1 | Certificates C-1245 P01751-P02000 |
1938-1939 |
| 19/2 | Certificates C-1245 P02001-P02250 |
1939-1940 |
| 19/3 | Certificates C-2145 P01-P0250 |
1937 |
| 19/4 | Certificates C-2145 P0251-P0500 |
1937 |
| 19/5 | Certificates C-2145 P0501-P01000 |
1937 |
| 20/1 | Certificates C-2145 P01001-P01250 |
1937 |
| 20/2 | Certificates C-2145 P01251-P01500 |
1937 |
| 20/3 | Certificates C-2145 P02251-P02500 |
1940-1942 |
| 20/4 | Certificates C-2145 P02501-P02750 |
1942 |
| 20/5 | Certificates C-2145 P02751-P03524 |
1943-1946 |
| 21/1 | Certificates C-2145 P992, P995,
P1501-P2000 |
1937-1942 |
| 21/2 | Certificates C-2145 P2001-P2500 |
1942-1944 |
| 21/3 | Certificates C-2145 PU1-PU50 |
1937 |
| 21/4 | Certificates C-2145 PU51-PU100 |
1937 |
| 21/5 | Certificates C-2145 PU101-PU250 |
1937-1944 |
| 21/6 | Certificates C-2145 SF01-SF0500 |
1937 |
| 21/7 | Certificates C-2145 SF0501-SF0500 |
1937 |
| 21/8 | Certificates C-2145 SF1-SF500 |
1937 |
Series G: Catalogs and other printed books, 1917-1953Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 22/1 | Lenox china catalog |
1922 |
| 37/1 | Lenox china catalog |
1937 |
| 38/1 |
Sterling flatware pattern
index
|
1953 |
| 22/2 |
Bentley's complete phrase code
book
|
circa 1918 |
| 22/3 |
Western Union telegraph
code
|
1917 |
| 23/1 |
A.B.C. code, 5th
edition
|
1919 |
| 23/2 | Customs regulations |
1937 |
Series H: Safety program notebooks, 2002-2006Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 24/1 | Emergency plans |
undated |
| 24/2-3 | 2002 February-July | |
| 24/4-6 | 2002 August-October | |
| 25/1-2 | 2002 November-2003 January | |
| 25/3 | 2003 February-March | |
| 25/4 | 2003 April-May | |
| 25/5 | 2003 June-July | |
| 26/1 | 2003 August | |
| 26/2 | 2003 October | |
| 26/3 | 2003 November-December | |
| 26/4 | 2004 January | |
| 26/5 | 2004 February | |
| 27/1-5 | 2004 March-2004 October | |
| 28/1-5 | 2004 November-2005 May | |
| 29/1-5 | 2005 January-2006 January |
Series "I": Plaques, 1972-2002Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Rose Festival Floral Parade plaques for Meier &
Frank floats (with photographs of floats) |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 30/1-4 | 1972-1975 | |
| 31/1-4 | 1976-1979 | |
| 32/1-4 | 1981-1984 | |
| 33/1-4 | 1989-1993 | |
| 34/1-4 | 1994-1998 | |
| 35/1-3 | 1999-2002 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 35/4 | Associate of the month |
2002 |
| 35/5 | Manager of the month |
2002 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Advertising--Oregon--Portland
- Department stores--Oregon--Portland
- Display of merchandise--Oregon--Portland
- Portland Rose Festival.
Personal Names
Corporate Names
Family Names
Geographical Names
Form or Genre Terms
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
Corporate Names
