Description
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, subcollection 1 (HDC0345.01, SAFR 17494) are business
records that date from 1850 to 1978 inclusively and are contained in 213 boxes. The business records include order books,
cost books, scrapbooks, sales books, specifications, correspondence, official documents, order records, catalogs and employee
card files. The records contain detailed information about orders placed, project-associated costs and sales records. Of note,
is a scrapbook (Series 3, file unit 1) documenting the activities and events of the Vigilance Committee by Col. John S. Ellis
(former Sheriff and Colonel of the First California National Guard). Also, Series 7 - the Employee Card Files, 1908 to 1918,
contain a wealth of demographic data ranging from native country to local address, job titles and appraisal notes.
Background
Beginning at San Francisco, California in 1849 with the blacksmith shop of Peter Donahue and Brothers and later the establishment
in 1856 of the Union Iron Works, these companies grew into one of the major west coast shipbuilding companies with the creation
of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division in 1938.