The William Brown, Sr. Collection includes a wide variety of material concerning the steel industry. The bulk of the collection pertains to the Republic Iron and Steel Company and its successor, the Republic Steel Corporation, with the emphasis on the latter company's operations in the Mahoning Valley from the early 1900s to the mid-1980s. The Brown Collection captures well the impact of Republic Steel upon the Mahoning Valley and the Youngstown area with materials from the early twentieth century until the steel industry's dislocation in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Republic Iron and Steel Company was organized in 1899, establishing its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. In 1905 the company moved its headquarters to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in 1911 transferred them to Youngstown, Ohio. The company became the Republic Steel Corporation in 1930 and in 1936 moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Until the decline of the steel industry in the 1970s and early 1980s, Republic was a vital economic force in the Mahoning Valley area. Nationally, the company was a mainstay of steel production in the United States, producing steel used by, among others, the American automobile, defense, and air industries. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, at a time when steel companies across the country were closing plants, the company substantially reduced its operations in the vicinity of Youngstown. In 1983 LTV bought Republic Steel, making the former company the nation's second largest steel-making concern. The Brown Collection contains materials on the Republic Corporation up until the time of its merger with LTV.
Company Files consists of miscellaneous materials, primarily from the Republic Steel Corporation, including contracts, proposals, manuals, a brochure, and others. (One contract involves Republic and the Youngstown-based William B. Pollock Co., and one of the proposals includes as negotiating parties Republic and Youngstown's William Tod Co.) A significant item in Company Files is a "No Charge Book" maintained by Republic Iron and Steel from 1913-1933, which documents the transfer of equipment between various works and furnaces of the company.
In Series 2 are two copies of the Youngstown Vindicator, for September 16, 1958 and June 16, 1964. The former issue covers the opening of a new office complex by the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company and the latter discusses the dedication of a new research facility by Sheet and Tube.
Included in this series are two property drawings of a portion of Republic's Youngstown General Works (1968). These drawings show the layout of some mills and other buildings. Also included in this series are two photocopies of maps of Republic Steel's Warren Plant (n.d.) and Youngstown General Works (1969).
In the Brown collection there are four phonograph albums (33's) produced by steel-making companies. Three of these albums -- Music From the Great American Bars and Music of the Tired Tigers, The New World of Stainless Steel, and Rhapsody for Bar Users -- were produced by the Republic Steel Corporation. The fourth album, The Sounds of Steelmaking, was produced by the United States Steel Corporation.
One of the most significant components of the Brown Collection is its 134 black and white photographs. The photographs date from 1907 to 1953, but the bulk of them span the years between 1911 and 1939. They vary in size, including 8x10, 8x19, and 8x27. The photographs generally depict the various works and plants of the Republic Corporation in the Mahoning Valley. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by city and have been further subdivided alphabetically by plant, works, or a descriptive title. In addition, there is also an 10x15 black and white photograph of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company board of directors, ca. 1925, and a 14x18 color print by Howard Fogg titled "The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company -- Blast Furnace of Republic Steel Corporation, Youngstown, Ohio, 1958."
In addition to the items mentioned above, the William Brown, Sr. Collection also includes books and periodicals which have been cataloged and placed in the library collections.
The Ohio Historical Society acquired the William Brown, Sr. Collection between 1988 and 1992 from William Brown, Sr. Jack L. Ballard processed the collection in 1994. The Ohio Historical Society owns the property rights of the collection. What rights the donor possessed in this collection have been dedicated to the public. Consideration of all other copyrights is the responsibility of the author and publisher. This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio Historical Society. Researchers are requested to cite the collection name, the collection number, the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, and the Ohio Historical Society in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Container: 1
Folder: 1
Contents: Republic Iron and Steel Co., Contracts, 1905-1915
Container: 1
Folder: 2
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Manual, "Effectiveness Through
Work Simplification," 1976.
Container: 1
Folder: 3
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Manual, "Informative Data of District
Operations," ca. 1976.
Container: 1
Folder: 4
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Invitation to Dedication 56" Hot-Strip
Mill, 1961.
Container: 1
Folder: 5
Contents: Republic Iron and Steel Co., Proposals, 1902-1905.
Container: 1
Folder: 6
Contents: Republic Iron and Steel Co., Brown-Bonnell Works, Skelp Mill Engines,
Specifications, June 4, 1909
Container: 1
Folder: 7
Contents: Leetonia Steel Corporation, Stock Certificate, ca. 1910
Container: 1
Folder: 8
Contents: Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co., Company Grocery Store, Price List,
1928 (Photocopy)
Container: 2
Contents: Republic Iron and Steel Co., No Charge Book, 1913-1933
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 1
Contents: Youngstown Vindicator, September 16, 1958 and June 16, 1964
Container: 1
Folder: 9
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Maps of Warren Plant, n.d. and Youngstown
General Works, 1969, photocopies
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 2
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Youngstown General Works, Property Drawings,
1968
Container: 3
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Music from the Great American Bars
and Music of
Container: 3
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, The New World of Stainless Steel
Container: 3
Contents: Republic Steel Corporation, Rhapsody for Bar Users
Container: 3
Contents: U.S. Steel Corporation, The Sounds of Steelmaking
Container: 4
Folder: 1
Contents: Birmingham, Alabama, Works, Construction of Coke Screening Building
Foundation
Container: 4
Folder: 2
Contents: Cleveland, Ohio, Blast Furnace, 1907
Container: 4
Folder: 3
Contents: Cleveland, Ohio, Ore Bridge, 1907
Container: 4
Folder: 4
Contents: Niles, Ohio, Works, Bunk Houses, 1920
Container: 4
Folder: 5
Contents: Niles, Ohio, Works, Construction of Terne Plate Machine, 1929
Container: 4
Folder: 6
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Blast Furnace and Ore Yard, 1953
Container: 4
Folder: 7-8
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Construction and Dedication of Blast Furnace, 1939
Container: 4
Folder: 9
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Galvanizing Line, ca. 1940
Container: 4
Folder: 10
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Pickle House, 1928
Container: 4
Folder: 11
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Tandem Tin Plate Mill, ca. 1920
Container: 4
Folder: 12
Contents: Warren, Ohio, Tin Plate Mill, ca. 1950
Container: 4
Folder: 13
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Blast Furnace, 1911-1942
Container: 4
Folder: 14
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, By-Product Coke Works, 1914
Container: 4
Folder: 15
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Coke Plant and Works, ca. 1915
Container: 4
Folder: 16
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Coke Plant, Pusher Machine and Ovens, 1914
Container: 4
Folder: 17
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Coke Works, Liquor Coolers, 1924
Container: 4
Folder: 18
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Construction of Gas Producer Foundation, 1916
Container: 4
Folder: 19
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio Gas Washer Furnace No. 5, 1916
Container: 4
Folder: 20
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, General Plant Views, 1913 - ca. 1919
Container: 4
Folder: 21
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Haselton Furnace No. 5, General Views, 1916-1917
Container: 4
Folder:22
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Haselton Furnace No. 5, Ore Yard and Bridge, 1917
Container: 4
Folder: 23
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Haselton Furnace No. 5, Unloading Turbo Blower,
1917
Container: 4
Folder: 24
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, 16" and 14" Mill, 1911; n.d.
Container: 4
Folder: 25
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Boiler Shop, 1929
Container: 4
Folder: 26
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Chemical Lab, 1914
Container: 4
Folder: 27
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, 48" Strip Mill, 1946
Container: 4
Folder: 28
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Hospital, Second Story Addition, 1918
Container: 4
Folder: 29
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Ingots, 1913
Container: 4
Folder: 30
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Ladle Car, 1913
Container: 4
Folder: 31
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Plant, 1913
Container: 4
Folder: 32
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Physical and Testing Lab, 1917
Container: 4
Folder: 33
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, Roll Shop, Excavation and Piling Machine,
1918
Container: 4
Folder: 34
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Open Hearth, 7" Electric Welding Machine, 1929
Container: 4
Folder: 35
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Ore Yard, ca. 1911 - ca. 1920
Container: 4
Folder: 36
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, 90" Plate Mill, 1911
Container: 4
Folder: 37
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Pig Yard and Blast Furnace, ca. 1900
Container: 4
Folder: 38
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Plate and Merchant Buildings, 1915
Container: 4
Folder: 39
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Railroad Tracks and Building, ca. 1920
Container: 4
Folder: 40
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Steam Crane, 1911
Container: 4
Folder: 41
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Tube Mill, Interior Scenes, 1913, ca. 1916
Container: 4
Folder: 42
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Tube Works, General View, ca. 1919
Container: 4
Folder: 43
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Tube Works, Office Employees, ca. 1920
Container: 4
Folder: 44
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Tube Works, Police Station and Hospital, 1918
Container: 4
Folder: 45
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Tube Works, Store House, Building and Scale Foundation,
1918
Container: 4
Folder: 46
Contents: Bessemer Process, n.d.
Container: 4
Folder: 47
Contents: Construction of 10" Bar Mill, location unknown, n.d.
Container: 4
Folder: 48
Contents: Dry Run and Crab Creek, Ohio, 1914
Container: 4
Folder: 49
Contents: Flood, location unknown, 1913
Container: 4
Folder: 50
Contents: Flood, Warren Ohio, 1913
Container: 4
Folder: 51
Contents: War Department Certificate, World War I, ca. 1919
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 3
Contents: Birmingham, Alabama, Works, General View, 1925
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 4
Contents: Birmingham, Alabama, Works, General View, 1925
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 5
Contents: Niles, Ohio, DeForest Sheet and Tin Plate Co., ca. 1919
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 6
Contents: Niles, Ohio, Works, General View of Sheet Mill No. 2, 1920
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 7
Contents: Niles, Ohio, Works, Preparing Foundation for No. 2 Sheet Mill, 1920
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 8
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Coke Works, No. 3 Battery, 1924
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 9
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Fourth Annual Ohio CIO Council Convention, 1941
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 10
Contents: Youngstown, Ohio, Overview of Plant, 1919
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 11
Contents: Republic Steel Railroad Yard, location unknown, ca. 1910
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 12
Contents: Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, Board of Directors, ca. 1925
Container: *Oversize
Folder: 13
Contents: Print: Howard Fogg's "The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company
- Blast Furnaces of Republic Steel Corporation, Youngstown, Ohio," 1958