Hicks family and Hicks Engine Works photograph albums, 1895-1925

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Summary

Title:
Hicks family and Hicks Engine Works photograph albums
Dates:
1895-1925
Creators:
Hicks family
Abstract:
The Hicks engines and family photograph albums, circa 1895-1925, (SAFR 24849, P16-013) are comprised of albums containing photographs related to the production and use of Hicks engines. The collection has been processed to the File Unit level and is open for use.
Extent:
3 items
Language:
In English.
Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P16-013 (SAFR 24849), Hicks family and Hicks Engine Works photograph albums, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Background

Scope and content:

The Hicks engines and family photograph albums, circa 1895-1925, (SAFR 24849, P16-013) are comprised of albums containing photographs related to the production and use of Hicks engines. The collection has been processed to the File Unit level and is open for use.

Contains albums with photographs of Hicks engines and the San Francisco, California, shops where they were manufactured as well as photographs of fishing boats and Hicks family members, circa 1895-1925. There are 2 photograph albums containing a total of 218 items (primarily black-and-white photographic prints) and 1 mounted photographic print. Some of the same images appear in both albums.

The albums include photographs of various Hicks engine models. There are views of Hicks' shops located at 108 Main Street and 967-969 Howard Street in San Francisco, California, some of which show staff at work. There are also photographs of the Frank A. Hicks Machinery shop at 242-244 Central Avenue in Los Angeles, California.

The albums also include photographs of power yachts and fishing boats, from feluccas to the gas-engine powered boats that replaced them. This shows the progression in West Coast maritime technology as fisherman came to rely less on sails and more on marine engines which led to the development of Monterey clippers. There are photographs of fishing boats at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, and other fishing fleets and fish processing activities in unidentified locations.

The collection also includes photographs of company founder James L. Hicks, his sons Robert and Frank A., and Frank's children James W., Mary, and Edward. Some of the photographs show Hicks family members vacationing in Lake County, California.

Biographical / historical:

James L. Hicks, an Irish immigrant, was a machinist in San Francisco, California. His business focused on sewing machines early in his career, and later he shifted to gas engines and machine tools.

Hicks' refinements to the single cylinder four-stroke engine led to it becoming the engine of choice with San Francisco Bay Area fisherman due to its reliability and durability at a fair price. The company was sold circa 1918 and renamed the Hicks Iron Works, later Hicks Engine Works. In 1927, the Yuba Manufacturing Company took over the production of Hicks engines until the 1940s. Frank A. Hicks, James L. Hicks' son, was also a machinist. He operated a shop in Los Angeles, California.

Sources: Grayson, Stan. Engines Afloat. Marblehead, MA: Devereux Books, 1999. "Hicks Reorganization." Pacific Marine Review vol. XXIV, no. 2 (February 1927): 83-84.

Acquisition information:

SAFR-02523

Frank A. Hicks (1880-1927) gave the collection to his son, James William Hicks (1903-1983). James passed the collection on to his own son, Robert Hicks, who donated it to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in December 2016. Robert's son, Greg Hicks, was also involved in the donation process.

Processing information:

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.

Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Arrangement:

The collections is arranged into 1 series with 3 file units by album and physical form.

Physical location:
San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Physical description:
.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard .

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by: L. Bianchi, 2017.
Date Prepared:
2017
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from ICMS database and converted into xml from a template revised and updated by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department. 6/30/2017 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Terms of access:

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P16-013 (SAFR 24849), Hicks family and Hicks Engine Works photograph albums, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
Website