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Selections From the Henry J. Kaiser Pictorial Collection, 1941-1946
BANC PIC 1983.017-019, 027--PIC
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Collection Title: Selections From the Henry J. Kaiser Pictorial Collection,
Date: 1941-1946
Collection Number: BANC PIC 1983.017-019, 027--PIC
Extent:
ca. 911 items
909 digital objects
Collector:
Henry J. Kaiser
Repository:
The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley.
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Languages Represented:
English
Collection stored, in part, off-site. Advance notice required for use.
Other portions of the collection may be unarranged and/or restricted from use. Inquiries concerning the remainder of the collection should be directed, in writing, to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library.
Restricted glass and film negatives. Use of negatives only by permission of the Curator of Pictorial Collections, The Bancroft Library.
Other portions of the collection may be unarranged and/or restricted from use. Inquiries concerning the remainder of the collection should be directed, in writing, to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library.
Restricted glass and film negatives. Use of negatives only by permission of the Curator of Pictorial Collections, The Bancroft Library.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted
in writing to the Curator of Pictorial Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted
to research and educational purposes.
[Identification of item],
Selections From the Henry J. Kaiser Pictorial Collection, BANC PIC 1983.017-019, 027--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Digital Representations Available
Digital representations of selected original pictorial materials are available in the list of materials below. Digital image files were prepared from selected Library originals by the Library Photographic Service. Library originals were
copied onto 35mm color transparency film; the film was scanned and transferred to Kodak Photo CD (by Custom Process); and
the Photo CD files were color-corrected and saved in JFIF (JPEG) format for use as viewing files.
Title: Henry J. Kaiser Papers,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 83/42 c
Title: Edgar F. Kaiser, Sr. Papers,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 85/61 c
Title: Eugene E. Trefethen, Jr. Papers,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 87/35 c
Title: Henry J. Kaiser, Jr. Papers,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 88/205 c
Title: Henry J. Kaiser, Sr. Scrapbooks - Hawaii Activities,
Date: 1955-1956,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 85/155 cp
Title: Kaiser Foundation Hospitals - Hawaii Region Collection,
Date: 1958-1985,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 87/131 cp
Title: Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program,
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 91/12 c
The Henry J. Kaiser Photographs were transferred from the Henry J. Kaiser Papers (BANC MSS 83/42 c). The Henry J. Kaiser Papers
were given to The Bancroft Library by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. in 1983, with additions in 1985 and 1986.
| 1882 | Henry John Kaiser born in Sprout Brook (near Canajoharie), New York, on May 9, son of Francis J. and Mary Yops Kaiser, German immigrants. |
| 1895 | Left school at age 13, to help support his parents and three sisters, by working in a dry goods store in Utica, New York |
| ca. 1903-1906 | Became a salesman and partner in a photographic business in Lake Placid, New York; bought out his partner, and opened stores in Daytona Beach and Miami, Florida, and Nassau. |
| 1906 | Moved to Spokane, Washington, and worked as a hardware and sand and gravel salesman. |
| 1907 | Married Bessie Fosburgh on April 8 in Boston. |
| 1912 | Began a road paving business in Washington and British Columbia. The Henry J. Kaiser Company, Ltd. established in Vancouver, B.C., in 1914. |
| 1921 | Won his first California paving contract, between Redding and Red Bluff, and established headquarters in Oakland. |
| 1923 | Started sand and gravel quarry at Radum (near Livermore), to supply the Livermore-Pleasanton paving job. This was the beginning of Kaiser Sand and Gravel Company. |
| 1927 | Worked on a 200 -mile, 500 -bridge highway in Cuba. |
| 1929 | Formed a consortium called Six Companies, Inc., with Henry J. Kaiser as chairman of the executive committee, to build Hoover (Boulder) Dam on the Colorado River. Also collaborated on the building of Bonneville, Grand Coulee, and Shasta Dams, natural gas pipelines in the Southwest, Mississippi River levees, and the San Francisco -Oakland Bay Bridge underwater foundations. |
| 1939 | Built the Permanente Cement plant near Los Altos, California, in seven months, to provide cement and aggregates for the construction of Shasta Dam. |
| 1940-1945 | During World War II, coordinated production of liberty ships, "baby flat top" aircraft carriers, aircraft, cement, steel, magnesium for bombs and artillery shells, as well as laying the ground work for post war production of housing, cars and consumer goods. |
| 1942 | Granted loan by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to build a steel plant at Fontana, California, the first in the western United States. Broke ground in April, and the first blast furnace was blown in on December 30, 1942. |
| 1944 | Considered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as his fourth-term vice presidential running mate. |
| 1944 | Chairman of the Non-Partisan Association for Franchise Education, to promote voting. |
| 1945 | Kaiser-Frazer Corporation incorporated in Nevada, and produced 750,000 automobiles in its ten years of production. |
| 1945-1946 | Served as national chairman of the Victory Clothing Collection, the Civilian Production Administration Emergency Food Collection, and the United States Relief Administration. |
| 1946 | Began making aluminum at five rented plants, and showed a profit of $5.3 million in less than one year. |
| 1951 | Bessie Fosburgh Kaiser died in Oakland. A month later, on April 10, Henry J. Kaiser married Alyce Chester in Santa Barbara. |
| 1955 | Turned over day to day operation of Kaiser Industries Corporation to son Edgar F. Kaiser, and moved to Hawaii. There he developed the Hawaiian Village Hotel, and a $350 million real estate development and resort called Hawaii Kai. |
| 1958 | Opened Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Honolulu. |
| 1961 | Henry J. Kaiser, Jr. died in Oakland. |
| 1961 | Awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by University of California, Berkeley. |
| 1963 | Received the International Broadcast Free Enterprise Award. |
| 1965 | Given the AFL-CIO Murray Green Humanitarian Award, "in recognition of notable accomplishments in voluntary medical care, housing and labor-management relations." |
| 1967 | Died on August 24 in Honolulu. By the time of his death at age 85, Henry J. Kaiser had founded more than 100 companies, which operated 180 major plants in 32 states and 40 foreign countries, employing 90,000 people and making 300 products and services, with assets of $2.5 billion. |
The Henry J. Kaiser Pictorial Collection contains more than 75,000 items, including photographic prints, albums, and glass
and film negatives. The collection dates from circa 1930 to circa 1976. The bulk of the collection, like the manuscript collection,
dates from after World War II, by which time the affiliated Kaiser companies were producing an amazing array of building materials,
including steel, cement, aluminum, and gypsum; beginning engineering projects all over the world; and, building affordable
housing and consumer goods, such as Kaiser-Frazer cars, Willys Jeeps, and even dishwashers.
The collection has been divided into 75 subject-based collections represented by the call number range BANC PIC 1983.001-.075.
Subjects include the Hoover, Parker, Bonneville, Grand Coulee, and Shasta Dams; the Kaiser shipyards in Richmond, California,
including its products, workers and workers' housing conditions; the Kaiser-Frazer, Kaiser Steel, Kaiser Hospitals, and other
Kaiser corporations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii and their products and projects; and family photographs. A brief
list of all Kaiser collections follows.
The present finding aid describes four of the subject-based collections. All four deal with the Kaiser shipyards in Richmond,
California during World War II. Descriptions of these collections follow the brief list of all Kaiser collections. Preliminary
listings for some of the other collections are available in the library. Other portions of the collection are unarranged and
not available for use. Inquiries concerning access to the remainder of the collection should be directed, in writing, to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library.
Brief List of All Kaiser Collections
Note: in many cases, more detailed information is available in the U.C. Berkeley library online catalog.
- 1983.001
- Hoover Dam
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.002
- Hoover Dam Miscellaneous
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.003
- Parker Dam
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.004
- Bonneville Dam
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.005
- Grand Coulee Dam
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.006
- Shasta Dam
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.007
- Shasta Flood and Flood Damage
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.008
- Sand and Gravel Operations connected to Dam Building
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.009
- Miscellaneous Dam Building Projects
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.010
- Richmond Shipyard Aerial and General
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.011
- Richmond Shipyard Constructions
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.012
- Richmond Shipyard Operations
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.013
- Richmond Shipyard Facilities
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.014
- Richmond Shipyard Machinery, Shipbuilding Tools, and Supplies
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.015
- Shipyard Crane Lifts
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.016
- Miscellaneous Shipyard Equipment
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.017
- Richmond Shipyard Workers: General.
[Full listing available in the Container List of the present finding aid.]
See also 1983.060 - 1983.018
- Richmond Shipyard Workers: Women.
[Full listing available in the Container List of the present finding aid.]
See also 1983.060 - 1983.019
- Richmond Shipyard Workers: Housing
[Full listing available in the Container List of the present finding aid.] - 1983.020
- Northwest Shipyards: Swan Island, Vancouver, Oregon Shipyard
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.021
- Ship Models, Drawings, Early Prototypes
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.022
- Ships by Type: Liberty, Frigate, Tankers, Troopships, etc.
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.023
- Ship Sections
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.024
- Ship Interiors
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.025
- General Ship Construction
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.026
- Sea Trials and Various Tests
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.027
- Building the Robert E. Peary
[Full listing available in the Container List of the present finding aid.] - 1983.028
- Shipyard Events, Celebrations, Ceremonies
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.029
- Visitors to the Shipyard (Non-Launch)
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.030
- Yard #1 Launchings and Miscellaneous
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.031
- Yard #2 Launchings and Miscellaneous
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.032
- Yard #3 Launchings and Miscellaneous
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.033
- Yard #4 Launchings and Miscellaneous
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.034
- Jeep, Kaiser Willys, Willys-Overland
[No items have been assigned to this number.] - 1983.035
- Eng. Dept.
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.036
- Ship Del.
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.037
- Shipyard Miscellaneous
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.038
- Albums: Dams and Dam Construction
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.039
- Albums: Permanente Cement
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.040
- Albums: Aircraft design, models, and construction
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.041
- Albums: Awards and Ceremonies (Henry J. Kaiser, Edgar F. Kaiser and Henry J. Kaiser, Jr.)
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.042
- Albums: Foreign Operations and Visits (Henry J. Kaiser, Edgar F. Kaiser and Henry J. Kaiser, Jr.)
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.043
- Albums: Kaiser Frazer
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.044
- Albums: Permanente Metals Corporation, and Kaiser Metal Products Incorporated.
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.]
See also 1983.040.3 - 1983.045
- Albums: Kaiser Co., Inc., Kaiser Engineers
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.046
- Albums: N.W. Shipyards
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.047
- Albums: Richmond Shipyards
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.048
- Albums: Bridge Construction
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.049
- Albums: JEEP Vehicles, Kaiser Willys, Willys-Overland
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.050
- Albums: Kaiser Community Homes
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.051
- Albums: Kaiser Steel
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.052
- Albums: Sand and Gravel (and Paving Operations)
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.053
- Albums: Boats and Boating
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.054
- Albums: Hospitals
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.055
- Albums: Kaiser Family Homes
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.056
- Albums: Commencement Exercises, Honorary Degrees
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.057
- Albums: Kaiser Family Albums (Henry J. Kaiser, Bess, Edgar)
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.058
- Albums: Miscellaneous
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.059
- Albums: Hawaii
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.060
- Kaiser employee and business associates
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.061
- Kaiser-Frazer
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.062
- Kaiser Steel
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.063
- Kaiser Miscellaneous Metals: Magnesium, Aluminum
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.064
- Sand and Gravel and Cement Operations (Permanente)
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.065
- Early Road Building Operations
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.066
- Aircraft
[Unprocessed collection. No collection listing available.] - 1983.067
- [number not used]
- 1983.068
- Miscellaneous Projects (Kaiser Center, Oakland office building, College of the Holy Names, Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART),
San Francisco-Oakland Trans Bay Bridge, Aircraft Plans), Airport Plans
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.069
- Kaiser Hospitals
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.070
- Kaiser Hawaiian Operations: Hawaii Kai, Hawaiian Village
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.071
- Kaiser Community Homes and Miscellaneous Housing Developments
[Collection listing not available online. Preliminary listing available in the library.] - 1983.072
- [number not used]
- 1983.073
- Kaiser Foreign Operations
[No collection listing available.] - 1983.074
- Henry J. Kaiser personal portraits. RESTRICTED
- 1983.075
- Family portraits
[No collection listing available.]