Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Historical Note
Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works Company was founded in 1900 by Edward
Hite, Robert S. Raven, and Joseph W. Callahan and incorporated in 1902 as Puget
Sound Sheet Metal Works, Inc. (PSSMW) by Raven, Hite, and David Bowen. Bowen
led the company until his death in 1944; his son Harry was also on the Board
(eventually becoming president) until shortly before his death in 1956. PSSMW
began as a sheet metal and roofing company, but over the course of its history
the company was involved a wide variety of projects, including the manufacture
of stainless steel brewing equipment beginning in the 1930s and special train
cars to transport 747 parts. During World War I and World War II, the company
produced war-related materials such as lifeboats and aircraft parts.
In its early years, PSSMW was located at 1328 Western Avenue
(1900-1905), Railroad, Wall, and Elliot Avenues (1909-1918: in one building
1905-1909, and in a new building after the first one was destroyed by fire in
1909), and 3631 E. Marginal Way (1918-1945). During World War II, the company
also established aircraft part manufacturing facilities at First Avenue S. and
Spokane Street, and Airport Way and Hardy Street. In 1949 the company opened a
new plant at 3670 E. Marginal Way after the old one was destroyed by fire.
After Harry Bowen’s resignation as president in 1955, his son-in-law
Gordon Anderson became president and changed the company’s name to Puget Sound
Fabricators, Inc (by that point, sheet metal was only a small percentage of
PSF’s business). Although Anderson remained president, Bowen’s death in 1956
led to a struggle with Pacific National Bank for control of the company and
financial problems during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Anderson regained
control of PSF from the bank, but sold his shares in the company to Jim
Beardsley shortly thereafter in 1964; Beardsley became president and majority
owner. He established a new plant and offices at 65 S. Horton Street in 1965,
which was followed by another name change to PSF Industries, Inc in 1967. In
1991, the mechanical contracting division became a separate company called PSF
Mechanical, headed by Warren Beardsley. 1995 brought changes in company
leadership as Jim Critchlow became president and CEO of PSFM and Stanley R.
Miller purchased PSFI from Jim Beardsley.
(adapted from
The First One Hundred Years: History of PSF
Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc., by Nile Thompson)
Content Description
This collection documents the history of the companies known today as
PSF Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. These materials include records
from this same body under three previous names: Puget Sound Sheet Metal Company
(1900-1902), Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works, Inc. (1902-1955), and Puget Sound
Fabricators, Inc. (1955-1966).
As a part of PSF’s one-hundredth anniversary celebrations, Nile
Thompson wrote a history of the company from 1900-2000 entitled
The First One Hundred Years: A History of PSF
Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. The PSF Industries, Inc. and
PSF Mechanical, Inc. Records contain items assembled and used by Thompson in
writing the history, as well as a copy of the book itself. The collection
contains over 40 photographs of work done by PSF (including both finished
projects and work in progress) as well as an album of photographs of PSSMW’s
history prior to 1945, which depict life around the office and manufacturing
plants as well as work completed (with series of photographs related to PSSMW
during World War I and World War II). In addition to the photographs, the
collection contains flyers and advertisements for PSF’s work, articles that
reference the company, and company documents such as a bid book and a book of
stock certificates (the majority of these items date from the first 60 years of
the company’s history). The collection also contains 13 folders of notes and
partial transcripts produced from oral history interviews with current and
former PSF employees and owners (Nile Thompson conducted the interviews in the
course of researching PSF’s history for
The First One Hundred Years).
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use :
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation :
PSF Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. Records, Museum of
History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Arranged in four series:
Photograph Albums
Photographs
Research Materials
Papers and Publications
Acquisition Information :
Received from PSF Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. on August
25, 2004.
Separated Materials :
2 oversize calendars have been moved to the poster drawer.
Bibliography :
Thompson, Nile.
The First One Hundred Years: A History of PSF
Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. Seattle: Elton-Wood
Publishing, 2002.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
PSF will be used here to indicate materials related to the companies
currently known as PSF Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc. as well as all
of their predecessors, PSSMW will be used with materials related to Puget Sound
Sheet Metal Works Company and Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works, Inc. only, and
PSFI and PSFM will be used for PSF Industries, Inc. and PSF Mechanical, Inc.
respectively.
Photograph Albums, 1900-1945
Dudley,
Roger ( photographer)
1 album containing 71 photographs concerning PSSMW’s history. Some
photographs are Dudley’s reprints of earlier photos (unknown creator).
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
1
Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works
photograph album
1900-1945
Page
1
David Bowen
undated
2-4
Pre-fire plant
locations
1900-1909
5-8
Railroad Fire
1909
9-14
Second railroad building &
World War I manufacturing
1909-1918
15-18
Exterior photographs of E.
Marginal Way plant
1918-1945
21-28
Interior views of E. Marginal
Way plant
1918-1945
19-20 and 29-52
World War II aircraft parts
plants
1940-1945
53-71
Innovations developed by
company to save time and labor
Includes flyers and advertisements for PSF’s work, articles that
reference the company, and company papers such as a bid book and a book of
stock certificates.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
2/1
Company bid book
1931-1936
2/2
Original stock certificate book
(certificates 1-46)
1902-1907
2/21
PSF Industries
brochures
5 brochures
1975-2000
2/22
Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works
brochure
8-page color brochure
undated
2/23
PSF Mechanical brochures with
list of company projects & business card for James D. Critchlow, VP/General
Manager
2 brochures
circa 1990, ; circa 2000
2/24
PSF building & equipment sale
flyer
1963
2/25
PSFM quarterly
newsletters
7 newsletters
2001-2003
2/26
PSFI quarterly
newsletters
2 newsletters
1999-2000
3/1
PSFI “Qualification Book”
submitted to BP Amoco Oil Company
Book contains scanned photos of site installations
1999
April 26
PSFM project specifications
circa 2000
Box/Folder
3/2
DeVry Technical College
(Federal Way, Washington)
circa 2000
3/2
1700 7th Ave (Seattle,
Washington)
circa 2000
3/2
Capital One Processing Center
(Federal Way, Washington)
circa 2000
3/3
Corporate minutes, notes, &
clippings from PSSMW
Photocopies
1941-1955
3/4
PSF general ledger
1953-1956
3/5
PSF private ledger
1957
December 31
3/6
Daily Journal of Commerce article,
“Sheet Metal Firm Acquires Site for Expansion”
1946
October 28
Articles of
Incorporation
Photocopies
1901-1902
Box/Folder
3/7
Puget Sound Roofing &
Refining Co
1901 May 25
3/7
PSSMW
1902 March 28
PSFI Letters of
Compliment
5 letters
Photocopies
1976-1987
Box/Folder
3/8
Weyerhaeuser (Springfield,
Oregon)
1984 February 17
3/8
Union Carbide Corporation
(Magna, Utah)
1986 December 12
3/8
Western Kraft Paper Group
(Salem, Oregon)
1976 March 18
3/8
Pope & Talbot, Inc.
(Portland, Oregon)
1985 November 15
3/8
Boise Cascade Paper Group (St.
Helens, Oregon)
1987 February 3
3/9
PSFI birthday log
1971
December
3/11
“A Tank Farm on a Roof” by George
T. Dexter & William T. Hamilton
Article reprint from
Brewer’s Digest
1973
August
3/12
PSFI hire/termination
log
circa 1997
3/13
Average labor/hour: sheet metal
vs. boilermakers
1938-1957
3/15
Newspaper clippings about PSFI
special 747 railroad cars
3 photocopied
clippings
1967
Company histories
Written by/based on drafts by George Taylor
1907-1997
Box/Folder
3/16
From
King County and its Emerald City,
Seattle
1997
3/16
From unknown book
undated
3/16
From
Sketches of
Washingtonians
1907
3/18
Newspaper articles
6 photocopies, 9
originals
1961-1973
PSFM employee
documents
2000
Box/Folder
3/19
Office Personnel Policies and
Procedures Manual
2000 June 15
3/19
Employee’s Expense Report
(blank)
undated
3/19
Personal History & Hire
Record (blank)
undated
PSFM management
documents
undated
Box/Folder
3/20
Quotation form/terms &
conditions on reverse
undated
3/20
Company letterhead
(blank)
undated
3/20
Business card: Marsha L.
Stubbins, Office Manager
undated
3/20
Job expenditures tracking
form
undated
3/21
PSFM flyer on HVAC design,
fabrication & installation
2 copies
1 copy from when Mechanical Design Division was part of PSFI; 1
copy with taped on new name, logo, & address for PSFM
circa 1991
3/23
PSSMW Time book
1919-1922
3/26
Article from Wilhelm Trucking Co.
Newsletter about installation of PSF brew kettle
Original pasted to cardstock
1970
3/27
PSFI 75th anniversary invitation
and guest list
1975
November 1
3/28
Seattle Business magazine
(articles on Seattle’s business pioneers)
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
