Columbia Steel photographs

Collection

Identifier: Org. Lot 1432

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of approximately 2,611 photographic prints, 1,270 negatives, 170 contact sheets, 145 slides, and 8 compact discs created and compiled by Columbia Steel Casting Company Inc. over 121 years. These photographic materials depict company personnel, engineered parts, and labor done in Columbia Steel facilities. The collection also includes company newsletters, written history, articles, and correspondence. The bulk of the materials date from 1970 onward, as few historical records prior to this period were preserved.

Dates

1905-2022
Majority of material found within 1930-2005

Creator

Columbia Steel Casting Co., Inc. (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright for photographs produced by Columbia Steel staff is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed under a Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial, ShareAlike (BY-NC-SA) license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.

Copyright to other materials in the collection has not been determined, and permission for use may require authorization from copyright holders.

Administrative History

Columbia Steel Casting Company Inc. was established in 1901 under Samuel Maxwell Mears as Columbia Engineering Works, and began operating out of Portland, Oregon in 1904. It is believed to be the first steel foundry west of the Mississippi River. The metal casting company engineered numerous parts for various industries, including mining and cement manufacturing. The company also cast parts for ships constructed in the Portland shipyards during World War II. In 2022, Columbia Steel closed under a purchase agreement with CMS Cepcor Group. The “Columbia Steel” name now functions as an independent trading company under CMS Cepcor Group.

Sources: Collection materials; press release on Columbia Steel website (accessed March 2024), https://www.columbiasteel.com/news/pressandmedia/columbia-steel-cms-cepcor/

Extent

7.29 Cubic Feet (19 letter document cases; 1 legal document case)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection consists primarily of photographic materials documenting the operations of the Columbia Steel Casting Company, a metal casting company that operated out of Portland, Oregon, from 1904-2022. The collection also includes company newsletters and other papers, including articles and correspondence.

Arrangement

Materials in the collection are in original order.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Negatives are not available for direct access. Materials on compact discs in the collection require specialized equipment to view. Contact staff for assistance.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Martha Cox and Glen Kuhn, September 2023 (RL2023-057) and February 2024 (RL2024-016).

Processing Information

Collection materials retain their original title and numbering system, with some minor alterations by the processing archivist to provide clarity to the contents. Because the collection retains its original order, folder arrangement deviates from numerical order in some sections.