The Texture of Industry: An Archaeological View of the Industrialization of North America

457 Pages·1997·46.38 MB·English

by  Robert B. Gordon

THE TEXTURE
OF INDUSTRY
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THE TEXTURE
OF INDUSTRY
An Archaeological View
of the Industrialization
of North America
Robert B. Gordon
Patrick M. Malone
New York Oxford • Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford New York
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Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
t'irst published in 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.,
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I'irst issued as an Oxford University Press paperback 1997
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gordon. Robert B. (Robert Hovel), 1929-
1 he texture oi industry : an archaeological view of the industriali/ation
of North America / Robert B. Gordon. Patrick M. Malone.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0 19-50S8HS-2; ISBN 0-19-51 U41-9 (pbk.J
1. Industrial archaeology- North America.
2. Industriali/ation—North America.
I. Malone. Patrick M. 1!. 'Title.
T21.G67 1994 609.7-—dc20
92-17396
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21
Printed in the United Stales o! America
on acid-free paper
For Margaret, Matthew, and Penelope
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Acknowledgments
Many of our ideas have been developed in the course of eonversations with
Carolyn Cooper and Michael Raber, our colleagues and collaborators in
numerous industrial archaeology projects. Robert Vogel, one of the first
practitioners of industrial archaeology in the United States, has generously
shared his extensive experience and insights, helped us with machine-tool
studies, and allowed us to use his collections of photographs and documents.
Charles Hyde read the first draft of the manuscript and helped us with
many valuable suggestions. He also shared his extensive knowledge of the
industrial archaeology of Detroit and northern Michigan. Peter Licbhold
assisted in our experiments with historic machine tools and helped us locate
many illustrations.
A number of scholars have discussed interpretation in industrial archae-
ology with us, including Richard Anderson, Martin Blatt, John Bowditch,
John Bowie, Pierre Bureau, James Celenza, Bruce Clouette, John Cotter,
Victor Darnell, Susan Douglas, Edward Ezell, the late Michael Folsom,
Robert Friedel, Greg Galer, Richard Greenwood, Laurence Gross, Richard
Hills, Donald Hoke, David Hounshell, Donald Jackson, Emory Kemp, David
Killick, Larry Lankton, Thomas Leary, Svante Lindqvist, Carter Litchiield,
Steven Lubar, Judith iVlcGaw, Patrick Martin, Peter Molloy, Sandra Nor-
man, Charles Parrott, Theodore Pcnn, Edward Pershey, Fredric Quivik,
Terry Reynolds, Matthew Roth, Theodore Sande, Bruce Sinclair, Merritt
Roe Smith, Myron Stachiw, David Starbuck, Robert Weible, David Weit/,-
man, Dennis Zembala, and Michael Zuckcrman.
Scholars who have shared unpublished manuscripts, reports, and re-
search findings with us include Robert Asher, Betsy Bahr, Paul Bigelow,
Lindy Biggs, Julia Bonham, Anne Booth, Nancy Cleary, Edward Connors,
viU ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
James Conrad, Kim Dawson, Mary Donahue, Emma Dyson, Robert Frame,
Kingston Heath, Michael Herbert, Demian Hess, Louis Hutchins, Steven
Kasierski, (Jinny Leslie, John Light, John Lozier, William Mass, John
MeGrain, Mark Newell, Scott Nixon, Douglas Reynolds, Victor Rolando,
Edward Rutseh, Roch Samson, Helen Schcnck, George Sellmer, Peter
Stott, Alan Steiner, and Bonnie Stepenoii.
Institutions and individuals who allowed us to use specific illustrations
are acknowledged in the figure captions, but there are others who deserve
special credit for taking photographs, creating maps, or producing drawings.
1 ,yn Malone used her cartographic skills to produce four of our figures.
Charles Parrott drew the Wilkinson waterwheel and provided copies of other
illustrations. Bill Sacco, Greg Galer, Charles Hyde, Matthew Roth, Brooke
Hammcrle, and Charles Francis did photography at our request. David
Wcitzman, who provided a number of photographs from his personal collec-
tion, made a special trip to photograph a California mining site for us.
Many colleagues at Yale have helped us with discussions and counsel,
including Michael Coc, William Nordhaus, Turan Onat, Brian Skinner,
and William Smith. William Cronon, Leo Hickey, and the other members of
the faculty seminar on the environment have given us new insights, as have
Abbott Cummings, Frank Hole, Howard Lamar, Jules Provvn, and other
members of the Yale American Art and Material Culture discussion group.
Arthur Goodhue has given us an oral history of toolmaking. We have re-
ceived help from Barbara McCorklc at the Sterling Memorial Library map
room, Aida Rodriguez at the Kline Geology Laboratory, William Sacco of the
Peabody Museum, Renee Kra, Barbara Narendra, and Stephen Victor.
Colleagues at Brown have been equally helpful. Joseph Steim read the
petroleum sections, provided important sources and suggestions, and an-
alyzed historic photographs. Susan Smulyan, Barrett Hazeltine, Hunter
Dupree, and the late Carl Bridenbaugh were very generous with counsel and
support. Richard Could, Patricia Hubertone, and Larry Murphy provided
anthropological insights. Peter Heywood helped with ecological theory. Paul
Kahn and Cooper Abbott used the Intermedia computer program to model
some of our ideas on wood technology. Kathy Franz assisted in research and
with captions. Ned Connors proofread galleys. Carol Frost assisted in the
preparation of the indexes. The American Civilization Department and the
university administration provided a most welcome sabbatical leave at a
critical point in this project.
The Smithsonian Institution has important collections of artifacts, draw-
ings, and photographs. We have benefited from access to these collections
and from assistance given by many members of the Smithsonian staff, in-
cluding Nanci Edwards, Edward Ezell, Bernard Finn, Harry Hunter, Peggy
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS j
x
Kidwcll, Gary Kulik, Peter Liebhold, Steven Lubar, Arthur Molclla, Robert
Post, Jim Rowan, Terry Sharrer, Carlene Stephens, Jeffrey Stine, Susan
Tolbcrt, Deborah Warner, John White, William Worthington, and Helena
Wright. A Regents' fellowship at the Smithsonian provided time for comple-
tion of the manuscript.
Hric Delony, Kllen Minnich, and Gray Fitzsimons helped us with access
to the Historic American Engineering Record (HAKR) collections of the
National Park Service. Stephen Ostrow expedited the duplication of photo-
graphs from the HAF,R collections at the Library of Congress.
At the Slater Mill Historic Site, Holly Begley, William Johnson, and Gail
Mohanty cooperated with enthusiasm. In addition, we got valuable help
from former curatorial staff (Gary Kulik, Sandra Norman, Thomas Leary,
Stephen Victor, Priscilla Brewer, John Johnson, and Robert Macieski) and
from trustees such as Walter Pulawski, David Macaulay, Judith Benedict,
and Dana Newbrook.
At the Museum of American Textile History, Laurence Gross read several
sections of the manuscript, generously shared the results of his research on
the textile industry, and found important documents, artifacts, and photo-
graphs for us. Glare Sheridan and her staff provided wonderful access to the
library and graphics collections. Diane Affleck supplied information on fab-
rics. Directors Thomas Leavitt and Paul Rivard were highly supportive, and
the museum awarded a generous Sullivan fellowship for research on incre-
mental innovation in the textile industry.
Members of the Old Sturbridge Village research and curatorial staff who
have given us new ideas on the transformation of American life from agri-
cultural to industrial and helped us locate sources and photographs include
Jack Larkin, John Worrell, Myron Stachiw, Garoline Sloat, Tom Kelleher,
and Frank White.
At the Hugh Moore Museum, Lance Met/ and Mike Knies helped us
examine photographs. At the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village,
John Bowditch gave us a tour of the machinery collections, and archivists
provided access to Ford Motor Company photographs. At the Hagley Muse-
um, we were assisted by Frank McKelvey and Robert Howard. Stuart Frank,
Mary Malloy, and Gare Reid at the Kendall Whaling Museum let us partici-
pate in several whale-oil renderings and provided data on the results of these
imitative experiments. Greg Galer and James Parkinson showed us artifacts
and videotapes at the Valentine Museum and helped us examine the site of
the Trcdcgar Iron Works.
At the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, John McCabe, William
Meuse, Richard Harkins, Larry Lowenthal, and Stuart Vogt answered many
questions and located artifacts for us.