Unifine Milling Company Records

Unifine Milling Company Records, 1949-1996

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Unifine Milling Company
Title: Unifine Milling Company Records
Dates: 1949-1996 (inclusive)
19491966
Quantity: 2 containers., (1.5 linear feet of shelf space.)
Collection Number: Cage 691
Summary: The records of the Unifine Milling Company of Pullman, Washington include correspondence, photographs, and plans related to the development of the unifine process at Washington State University in addition to the company's own operating records. The collection also includes files created by Clarice McCartan, one of the shareholders of the mill. The unifine process of milling flour was the idea of an Englishman, John Wright, who brought the process to Washington State University for experimentation and further development in the late 1940s.
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 for research use.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Unifine process of milling flour was the idea of an Englishman, John Wright. This process of milling flour produced a whole wheat flour with a lengthier period of rancid-free storage than ordinary whole wheat flour. Moreover, the flour had baking properties similar to enriched white flour. Wright approached the Washington State College Division of Industrial Research with his idea in the late 1940s, and period of experimentation with the mill soon began. The mill could not be patented, but Washington State College controlled the registration of the name "Unifine" until 1975.

One commercial application of the unifine technology was the Unifine Milling Company of Pullman. In 1981 this company began producing flour for sale to the public under the name "Flourgirls." This firm continued in operation until about 1995.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The records the Unifine Milling Co. consist both of company records (meeting minutes, correspondence, financial statements, and marketing reports), along with correspondence, photographs, and plans related to the development of the unifine mill at Washington State College. Additional Unifine Milling Company records stand separate from the larger body of records because these originally were the files of Clarice McCartan, one of the shareholders.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 691, Unifine Milling Company Records. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The arrangement of the records is as three record series. Series 1 consists of records concerning the unifine mill experiments at Washington State College. Series 2 consists of records relating to Unifine Milling Company. Series 3 consists of the files of Clarice McCartan, and her involvement with Unifine Milling Co.

Acquisition Information

Records concerning the Unifine Experimental Flour Mill at Washington State College and Unifine Milling Company were donated to the Washington State University Libraries in 1998 by Eric Wegner of Pullman, manager and miller.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Research and development - Unifine processReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1	Unifine mill inquiries	1952-1962
		Early correspondence
Box	Folder
1	2		1949-1952
1	3		1952-1953
1	4		1953-1960
1	5		1949-1955
Box	Folder
1	6	(RP 121/6 [original filing code]) Unifine flour mill	1950-1962
1	7	Unifine experimental mill photographs	undated
1	8	Early designs	1965; 1982
1	9	Resurvey	1958; 1970-1971
1	10	Trademark application and information	1951-1981

Series 2: Unifine Milling Company RecordsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Minutes, Board of Directors
Box	Folder
1	11		1981
1	12		1982
1	13		1983
1	14		1984
1	15		1985
1	16		1986
1	17		1987
1	18		1988
1	19		1989
1	20		1990
1	21		1991
1	22		1992
1	23		1993
1	24		1995
1	25		1996
Box	Folder
1	26	Manager applications	Nov 1985
1	27	Manager's reports	1987
1	28	Manager's reports	1988
1	29	Artwork for flour bag	undated
1	30	Expired licenses	1986-1989
1	31	Unifine Flour: Twenty Five Years Later-Mary Corbett Stevens	ca 1975
1	32	Newspaper clippings	1975-1991
1	33	Feature stories (source material)	1991-1994
1	34	Unifine	1957-1982
1	35	Bindered material (Marketing, finances, minutes, correspondence)	1985-1986
1	36	Minutes, marketing, finance, correspondence, photograph of owners	1981-1985
1	37	Minutes, marketing, finance, correspondence, bylaws	1977-1984

Series 3: Records kept by Clarise McCartanReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
2	38	Minutes: Management team, Board	1986-1989
2	39	Minutes: Management team, Board	1981-1985
2	40	Contacts for buying/distributing Flourgirls flour	1987-1991
2	41	Product information about Flourgirls flour, business cards	undated
2	42	Cookbook - Draft and early ideas	undated
2	43	Shareholder memos and correspondence	1981-1987
2	44	Handwritten business notes	1985
2	45	Marketing	1982
2	46	Letters to and from Clarice McCartan	1982-1987
2	47	Letters to or concerning Mary Stevens	1982-1985
2	48	Finances and Treasurer's reports	1984-1989

Oversize itemsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
o.s.	49	Unifine Mill plans	1952

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Flour
Flour mills--Washington (State)
Flour mills--Washington (State)--Pullman--Records and correspondence
Unifine flour

Personal Names

McCartan, Clarice

Corporate Names

Unifine Milling Company--Archives (creator)
Unifine Milling Company--Washington (State)--Pullman

Archives West Finding Aid

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