Collection # P 0009 F 1713–F 1816 HUGH J. BAKER & COMPANY COLLECTION, 1905–1972 Collection Information Biographical Sketch Scope and Content Note Series Contents Cataloging Information Processed by Janet Schmidt and Dorothy A. Nicholson 15 May 2008 Manuscript and Visual Collections Department William Henry Smith Memorial Library Indiana Historical Society 450 West Ohio Street Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269 www.indianahistory.org COLLECTION INFORMATION VOLUME OF Manuscript Materials: 4 folders, 103 reels of microfilm COLLECTION: Visual Materials: 12 boxes of photographs, 1 OVA box of photographs, 15 acetate negatives COLLECTION 1905–1972 DATES: PROVENANCE: Hugh J. Baker & Co., Indianapolis RESTRICTIONS: None COPYRIGHT: REPRODUCTION Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection RIGHTS: must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. ALTERNATE FORMATS: RELATED HOLDINGS: ACCESSION 1988.0149 NUMBER: NOTES: The engineering drawings of construction projects on the microfilm can be accessed for researchers by library staff through the ArchIE Database. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH The Hugh J. Baker & Company was a locally owned fabricator of structural and reinforcing steel and concrete in Indianapolis. The company was involved in the construction of many major building projects in Indiana and especially Indianapolis during the first half of the 20th century. The founder, Hugh J. Baker, a native of Ohio, began his career in Indianapolis in 1909 as a draftsman for the Brown- Ketcham Iron Works. The following year he established a consulting engineering office in the Majestic Building. By 1911 he formed the Fireproofing Company, a structural steel firm, with his brother-in-law, J. Ralph Fenstermaker. In 1918 the two businesses were consolidated as Hugh J. Baker and Company and began to produce steel building products for buildings. In 1921 the company began to make wood forms for concrete joists under the name Baker Forms. By 1922 the business moved to 602 W. McCarty Street where it remained for decades. Baker died in 1938 and Fenstermaker continued to run the business. During WW II Baker & Company devoted 95 percent of its production to war-related products. By 1980 the company was one of the largest independent fabricators of structural and reinforcing steel in the country. The company sold Baker Forms in 1986 to an Ohio firm, and a year later a second division was sold off to a New Jersey corporation. Baker Company executives purchased the remaining assets in 1987 and formed Farnsworth Steel, and remained in Indianapolis. Sources: The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c1994. Reference Room Collection: F534.I55 E4 1994 Indianapolis city directory. Woodbridge, Conn. : Research Publications, [197-?] Book Microfilm F534.I55 A18 SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The collection contains several hundred photographs of buildings and construction sites from the office files of the Hugh J. Baker & Company. The images include banks, churches, hospitals, hotels, garages, office buildings, schools, manufacturing and industrial sites, warehouses, reinforcing and structural steel products, windows, and road and bridge construction. The majority of images are of buildings located in Indianapolis and around Indiana with others located throughout the mid-western and southern states. The photographs focus on the completed buildings, sometimes the phases of construction, and the use of Baker materials during the construction phase. On the verso of most photographs are notes with the name and location of the building, the architect, contractor, and materials used for the building project. Each building is described when possible in the collection guide with the building name, location, architect, contractor, and date. The photographs were found in no discernable order and are now arranged into five series by geographic location, then alphabetical by the name of building. Series 6 contains engineering drawings of buildings and projects on microfilm. The films were produced and used by the Baker Company. The microfilm has been indexed in the ArchIE Database. This database is available only to library staff. In order to access the subjects on the microfilm researchers must request an ArchIE search by library staff. Reel numbers on the boxes correspond with the ArchIE records and the Hugh J. Baker subjects are identified by the collection name HUGJBA. Series 1: Indianapolis, buildings listed alphabetically. Series 2: Indiana Cities, alphabetical by city. Series 3: United States, alphabetical by city. Series 4: Indiana Bridge and Highway Projects. Series 5: Baker Products, Unidentified Sites, and Manuscript Materials. Series 6: Engineering Drawings on Microfilm. Reel numbers on the boxes correspond with the ArchIE records and the Hugh J. Baker subjects are identified by the collection name HUGJBA. SERIES CONTENTS Series 1: Indianapolis, 1905–1968 CONTENTS CONTAINER Acme-Evans Milling Company Photographs: 852 W. Washington St. Box 1, Folder 1 Architect/Engineers: Nordyke & Marmon Contractor: Charles J. Wacker Date: 1920 Adams Residence (wood forms) Photographs: 4161 Washington Blvd. Box 1, Folder 2 Architect & Builders: Burns & James Date: 1926 J. D. Adams Office Building Photographs: 217 S. Belmont St. Box 1, Folder 3 Architect: Private Plans Contractor: Hall Construction Company Date: 1951 Admiral Apartments Photographs: 3025 N. Meridian Box 1, Folder 4 Architect: Arthur W. Fleck Contractor: Thomas A. Moynahan Construction Co. Date: ca. 1920 Advance Paint Co. Office Building Photographs: 538 Norwood St. Box 1, Folder 5 Architect: McGuire & Shook Contractor: Service Construction Co. Date: 1923 Aero Mayflower, 2 photos Photographs: 863 Mass. Avenue Box 1, Folder 6 Date:1939, Sept. 1972 Alameda Apartments Photographs: 37 W. St. Clair St. Box 1, Folder 7 Architect: Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller General Contractor: Lynn B. Millikan, Inc. Date: 1924 Alhambra Theatre Photographs: 44 W. Washington St. Box 1, Folder 8 Date: 1913 Ambassador Hotel Photographs: 850 N. Pennsylvania Box 1, Folder 9 Architect: Frank B. Hunter Contractor: T. A. Moynihan Construction Co. Date: ca. 1920 American Fletcher National Bank Photographs: (Operation Center & Branch Bank Office) Box 1, Folder 10 Market & East Streets Date: 1960 [interiors] and 1965 American Fletcher National Bank OVA Photographs: Market & East Streets Box 1, Folder 1 Date: 1960 American Hominy Company Photographs: 1602 Madison Ave. Box 1, Folder 11 Engineers: Hugh J. Baker Contractor: Bedford-Stone Construction Co. Date: Jan. 13, 1919 American Legion National & State Headquarters Photographs: 700 N. Pennsylvania St.& 777 N. Meridian Box 1, Folder 12 Architect: Walker & Weeks Contractor: Craig-Curtiss Co. Date: 1925, 1950 American States Insurance Co. Photographs: 542 N. Meridian Box 1, Folder 13 Architect: McGuire & Shook & Associates Contractor: Carl M. Geupel Construction Co. Date: 1956 American United Life Photographs: 1 W. 26th Box 1, Folder 14 Architect: Rubush & Hunter, 1931 1958 addition McGuire & Shook Contractor: Carl M. Geupel Construction Co. Date: 1958 Andrews Overall Laundry (Bayley Sash after fire) Photographs: 2512 E. 12th Street Box 1, Folder 15 Date: 1923 Apollo Theatre Photographs: 17 N. Illinois Box 1, Folder 16 Architect: Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller Contractor: Bedford Stone & Construction Co. Date:1935 Architects and Builders Building Photographs: 333 N. Pennsylvania Box 1, Folder 17 Architect: Rubush & Hunter Contractor: William P. Jungclaus Co. Date: 1/06/1930 Arsenal Technical High School (Milo H. Stuart Hall) Photographs: 15 E. Michigan St. Box 1, Folder 18 Architect: Pierre & Wright Contractor: Service Construction Co. Date: 1940 Arsenal Technical High School (First New Unit) Photographs: 15 E. Michigan St. Box 1, Folder 18 Architect: Vonnegut & Bohn Contractor: John A. Schumacher ? Atkins Saw Company Photographs: 402 S. Illinois Box 1, Folder 19 Architect: J. H. Scharn Date: 1916 Photographs: Ayres, L. S. & Co. Box 1, Folder 20 West Washington and Meridian Streets Architect: Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller Contractor: Strathman Construction Co. Date: 1920s Ayr-Way Shopping Center Photographs: Architect: Lennos, Matthews, Simmons & Ford, Inc. Box 1, Folder 21 Contractor: Carl M. Geupel Construction Co. Date: ca. 1960 Bemis Bag Company Machine Shop Photographs: Barth Ave. & Belt RR Box 1, Folder 22 Date: 1913 Bethard Wall Paper Company Photographs: 415 Massachusetts Ave. Box 1, Folder 23 Architect: Clarence Myers Contractor: Paul V. Matkin Co. Date: 1928 Bixby, S. M. and Co. Photographs: Architect: Fermor S. Cannon Box 1, Folder 24 Contractor: Conder & Culbertson, Bedford Stone & Construction Co. Date: 1913, 1921 3 photos, old (1140 Division St.) and new plant (Morris St. & Harding) Block & Co., William H. Photographs: Southern Plaza Box 1, Folder 25 Architect: C. Wilbur Foster & Associates Contractor: Foster Engineering Company, Ltd. Date: 1961 Bramwood Press Building Photographs: 121 W. North St. Box 1, Folder 26 Architect: C. H. Byfield Contractor: A. V. Stackhouse Co. Date: 1924 Bridgeport Brass Co. (Photo of transfer cart) Photographs: S. Holt Rd. & Minnesota Ave Box 1, Folder 27 Date: 1957 Bright Building (John B. Bright & Son, Inc.) Photographs: 11 S. Meridian Box 1, Folder 28 Architect: Lynn B. Millikan, Inc. Contractor: Lynn B. Millikan, Inc. Date: 1916 Brookside Community House Photographs: Brookside Parkway Box 1, Folder 29 Architect: Harrison & Turnock Contractor: Strathman Construction Co. Date: ca. 1930 Bryant Manufacturing Photographs: Architect: Carl