American Legion Department of Indiana collection
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: S0939
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a collection of certificates, newsletters, pamphlets, postcard, and circular letters compiled by the American Legion Department of Indiana in Indianapolis, Indiana ranging from 1943 to 1963 and undated, regarding World War II war work, conservative Americanism, and a Richmond, Indiana labor union.
There are seven newsletters from the Local No. 118 union, a member of the Farm Equipment Division of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (FE-UE), in Richmond, Indiana during March-May, 1954; a pamphlet, circular letter from Independence Foundation, Inc. of Portland, Indiana (1958-1963); two certificates for wartime service in Marion County, Indiana given to Frances Bowen in 1943; two programs, a letter, and a certificate belonging to employee Mary Fields for her part in the Continental Optical Company earning the Army-Navy Production Award for Excellence in War Production in 1943; and a jumbo postcard and print of the American Legion National Headquarters in Indiana (undated).
Oversize newspapers, five issues of Dawn from Independence Foundation, Inc. (1963) and an August 1962 issue of The Hoosier Arrow published by Forrester Courts of Central Indiana, are also included (OBC118).
There are seven newsletters from the Local No. 118 union, a member of the Farm Equipment Division of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (FE-UE), in Richmond, Indiana during March-May, 1954; a pamphlet, circular letter from Independence Foundation, Inc. of Portland, Indiana (1958-1963); two certificates for wartime service in Marion County, Indiana given to Frances Bowen in 1943; two programs, a letter, and a certificate belonging to employee Mary Fields for her part in the Continental Optical Company earning the Army-Navy Production Award for Excellence in War Production in 1943; and a jumbo postcard and print of the American Legion National Headquarters in Indiana (undated).
Oversize newspapers, five issues of Dawn from Independence Foundation, Inc. (1963) and an August 1962 issue of The Hoosier Arrow published by Forrester Courts of Central Indiana, are also included (OBC118).
Dates
- 1943-1963, undated
Creator
- American Legion. Indiana Department (Donor, Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Administrative History
Continental Optical Company was founded in 1910, manufacturing optical lenses and developing one-piece bifocal and trifocal lenses in the early 1900s. By 1925, it had expanded its operations to "manufacture, purchase, and sell optical, photographic, electrical, scientific, engineering and mathematical goods, wares, merchandise, materials, articles, specialities, instruments, apparatus, machinery, tools" (IHS). It had offices in New York City and Indianapolis, Indiana, but closed the New York office and consolidated its operations in Indianapolis in 1928. The Indianapolis factory produced ophthalmic and precision optics for the U.S. Army and Navy during World War II and earned a production award of excellence in war production in 1943. The company merged with Shuron Optical Company of Rochester, New York in 1962, becoming the Shuron-Continental Division of Textron, continuing to operate at 1402 North Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Brockman, Paul. "Continental Optical Corporation records, 1925-1928." Finding aid. Updatd April 15, 2004. Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/continental-optical-corp-records-1952-28.pdf.
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In the 1870s, Hoosier Drills, an agricultural equipment manufacturer, relocated to Richmond, Indiana from Milton due to its superior rail facilities. The company grew over the next few decades and merged with the American Seeding Company of Springfield, Ohio in 1903. In 1920, the company was purchased by International Harvester and the Richmond Works provided employment to most of the town's residents for decades. Local No. 118 union, a member of the Farm Equipment Division of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (FE-UE), represented the interests of the workers at the Richmond Works. The factory reduced its work force several times during the 1950s, resulting in strikes and picket lines, and by 1957, the factory closed.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Farm Equipment Workers Ask Aid to 'Save' Jobs." National Road Traveler, November 29, 1951. Accessed September 25, 2024. Newspapers.com.
Morrison-Reeve Library. "Richmond’s Industrial Heritage: Hoosier Drill, American Seeding Company, and International Harvester." Discover Indiana, July 20, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://discoverindianahistory.org/tours/show/47.
"Worker Fights Union Leader at Richmond." National Road Traveler, August 28, 1952. Accessed September 25, 2024. Newspapers.com.
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Independence Foundation, Inc. was a social conservative organization in Portland, Indiana that desired to "resell America to the American people" during the 1950s-1960s. It espoused a specific conservative, anti-Communist, pro-Christian view of Americanism and published a newspaper titled Dawn during that period.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Brockman, Paul. "Continental Optical Corporation records, 1925-1928." Finding aid. Updatd April 15, 2004. Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/continental-optical-corp-records-1952-28.pdf.
-----
In the 1870s, Hoosier Drills, an agricultural equipment manufacturer, relocated to Richmond, Indiana from Milton due to its superior rail facilities. The company grew over the next few decades and merged with the American Seeding Company of Springfield, Ohio in 1903. In 1920, the company was purchased by International Harvester and the Richmond Works provided employment to most of the town's residents for decades. Local No. 118 union, a member of the Farm Equipment Division of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (FE-UE), represented the interests of the workers at the Richmond Works. The factory reduced its work force several times during the 1950s, resulting in strikes and picket lines, and by 1957, the factory closed.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Farm Equipment Workers Ask Aid to 'Save' Jobs." National Road Traveler, November 29, 1951. Accessed September 25, 2024. Newspapers.com.
Morrison-Reeve Library. "Richmond’s Industrial Heritage: Hoosier Drill, American Seeding Company, and International Harvester." Discover Indiana, July 20, 2020. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://discoverindianahistory.org/tours/show/47.
"Worker Fights Union Leader at Richmond." National Road Traveler, August 28, 1952. Accessed September 25, 2024. Newspapers.com.
-----
Independence Foundation, Inc. was a social conservative organization in Portland, Indiana that desired to "resell America to the American people" during the 1950s-1960s. It espoused a specific conservative, anti-Communist, pro-Christian view of Americanism and published a newspaper titled Dawn during that period.
Extent
0.07 Cubic Feet (1 folder, 1 large oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the American Legion Department of Indiana in 2012 February.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2024/09/25 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid created 2024/09/25 by Brittany Kropf.
- Certificates
- Circular letters
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Jay County (Ind.)
- Labor unions
- Labor unions -- Indiana
- Marion County (Ind.)
- Nationalism
- Newsletters
- Patriotism
- Periodicals
- Portland (Ind.)
- Postcards
- Programs
- Richmond (Ind.)
- Soldiers
- War work
- Wayne County (Ind.)
- World War, 1939-1945
- World War, 1939-1945 -- War work
Creator
- American Legion. Indiana Department (Donor, Organization)
- Title
- American Legion Department of Indiana collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
