The Iron Worker Collection: Official publication of the Lynchburg Foundry, 1934-1977

Access and use

Location of collection:
Radford University
University Archives
McConnell Library
Radford University
P.O. Box 6881
801 East Main Street
Radford, VA 24142
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Bud Bennett
Phone: (540) 831-5694
Phone: (540) 831-5701

Summary

Extent:
3.0 Linear feet Contains 14 bound volumes.
Creator:
Lynchburg Foundry Company
Abstract:
Contains issues of the publication Iron Worker from the years 1934- 1977, which was published by the Lynchburg Foundry Company.A typical issue of The Iron Worker included articles about plant processes, plant employees and managers, features on local history and personalities, and dozens of photographs. Relevant local history articles in the issues from 1934-1947 are noted in the container list, but the later issues (1948-1977) also contain articles on local history that are not documented in this finding aid. The full inventory is available through the Radford University Appalachian Collection.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains issues of the publication Iron Worker which was produced from 1934-1977. Articles about local history are present with topics such as the early days of the Radford Works, a description of Lynchburg in 1935, and Lynchburg's Early Water Systems. Articles written during World War II specifically from 1942-1944 detail the effect the war had on the industry and foundries in Lynchburg with article titles such as We have a Task to Perform, Postwar Planning, and Training for War Production. Issues from 1945-1947 detail the surrender of Nazi Germany, ending World War II and discussion of the atomic bomb with articles such as For War or Peace? and From Horsedrawn Plow to Actomic Energy. Also included are the issues of the Iron Worker from 1960-1977.A typical issue of The Iron Worker included articles about plant processes, plant employees and managers, features on local history and personalities, and dozens of photographs. Relevant local history articles in the issues from 1934-1947 are noted in the container list, but the later issues (1948-1977) also contain articles on local history that are not documented in this finding aid.

Biographical / historical:

The Iron Worker was a company publication of The Lynchburg Foundry, which had plants in Radford and Lynchburg, Virginia. Lynchburg Foundry Company was founded in 1896 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and spent its first several years consolidating stock and building capital. In 1903 it constructed a plant in Lynchburg to produce iron pipe. In 1905 it purchased the Radford Pipe Works, which was originally developed by a group of Cincinnati investors that included J. N. Gamble of the Proctor & Gamble Company. The Radford plant went into receivership for a while, and was idle before being purchased by the Virginia Iron, Coal, and Coke Company, which operated it as the Radford Pipe Works for about a year, when VICC then leased the plant to Glamorgan Pipe and Foundry until 1905, when it was sold to Lynchburg Foundry.

Acquisition information:
Donated in 2013.
Arrangement:

Box 1: 1934-1956

Box 2: 1960-1977

Physical location:
Locked in compact shelving, level 1, shelf 29D.
Physical description:
.