This collection consists of approximately 300 color and black/white transparencies, mostly of diverse work scenes from the offices and mills of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company (YS & T), circa 1961. The images are on Kodak, Ansco and Ektachrome safety film. They vary in size, ranging from 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 to 3 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches.In November of 1900 a group of fifty-five Youngstown citizens, led by James A. Campbell, raised $600,000 in capital to create the Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company. Land was purchased along the Mahoning River approximately 3 miles east of downtown. Construction of the mill began immediately and in 1902, opened for production.
Spectacular growth marked the company's second decade, some of it spurred on by the demand for steel caused by World War I. In 1923, YS & T purchased the Brier Hill Steel Company of Youngstown and the Steel and Tube Company of America of East Chicago. During the 1930's the company survived the Great Depression and the 1937 "Little Steel" Strike to emerge as one of the nation's leading steel producers.
After relatively prosperous times in the 1950's and early 1960's, YS & T began to experience a decline. Unable to acquire the capital needed to convert its plants to the basic oxygen process, the company was forced into a merger with the Lykes Corporation in 1969. Lykes was a conglomerate, and unexperienced in the manufacturing of steel. By 1977 it was estimated that Sheet and Tube needed a $550 million infusion of capital to cover the cost modernizing their mills.
On September 19, 1977, Jennings Lambeth, president of YS & T, announced that most of their Campbell Works would close. By 1979, Lykes had merged with the LTV Corporation and phased out all of its Youngstown holdings.
The Ohio Historical Society obtained this collection as a gift from Robert Wolfe in March 1995. The donor salvaged the items from YS & T as abandoned property. David Desimone processed the collection in March-April, 1996. The collection is now housed at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor. The Ohio Historical Society holds the property rights to these materials. The copyrights to the photographs are held by the photographer. Consideration of copyright is the responsibility of the patron.This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Ohio Historical Society. Researchers are requested to cite the collection name, the collection number, the Youngstown Historical Society in all footnote bibliographic references.
Blast Furnace
Brier Hill Works
Campbell Works
Company Plane
General Offices
Group Photographs
Indiana Harbor Works
Oil Derricks
Open Hearth Furnace
Personnel
Struthers Works
Youngstown Metal Products Company
Series 1 Transparencies YS & T Office Building
This series includes color transparencies of the general office building located in Boardman, Ohio. There are images of a reception area, employee lounge, cafeteria, theater, parking garage and meeting rooms. Many of the images show employees at work. There are 15 items: all are 3 3/4 X 4 3/4. They are undated.Series 2 Transparencies YS & T Company Airplane
This series contains images of a twin engine propeller plane. The plane is shown both on the ground and airborne. There are images of the interior and cockpit of the plane as well. Two of the photographs include personnel. There are 10 items: all are 3 3/4 x 4 3/4. They are undated. *One of the photographs is experiencing discoloration.Series 3 Transparencies and Negatives YS & T Interior of Mills
This series documents YS & T's Steel Mill Works. The images show steel making equipment such as ladles, soaking pits, and steel molds. Also included are images of open hearth furnaces, electric weld pipe mills, seamless tube mills, and slab reheating furnaces. There are 57 items: 41 (3 3/4 x 4 3/4), 15 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4). They are undated. Series 4 Transparencies and Negatives YS & T Finishing Mills and Laboratories
This series depicts finishing mills at YS & T facilities. Including railroad spike mill at Struthers Works, coiling process of sheet metals at Campbell Works, coiling machine at Campbell Works, wire drawing department, Struthers Works, press department at the Youngstown Metal Products Company, and technicians conducting tests in laboratories. There are 35 items: 24 (3 3/4 x 4 3/4), 11 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4). They are undated.Series 5 Transparencies and Negatives YS & T Exterior of Mills
This series documents the Brier Hill, Campbell, and Indiana Harbor works. Including No. 1 blast furnace at the Indiana Harbor Works, the Brier Hill Works, rail yard at the Campbell
Works, Pittsburgh Railroad train carrying pipe past mill, ore boats at the Indiana Harbor Works, and the seamless tube yard at Youngstown. There are 31 items: 23 (3 3/4 x 4 3/4), 2 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4), 6 (3 1/4 x 2 1/4). They are undated.Series 6 Transparencies and Negatives Oil Derricks
This series depicts motor oil cans and the Atlas Exploration Hartzier No. 1 Derrick. There are 7 items: all are 3 3/4 x 4 3/4. They are undated.Series 7 Transparencies and Negatives Personnel/Portraits
This series contains images of YS & T personnel. Currently none of images are identified. There are 75 items: 55 (3 3/4 x 3/4), 20 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4). They are undated. *For identified portraits see the Lykes-Youngstown Corporation Audiovisual Archives Collection, MSS134.Series 8 Transparencies and Negatives Personnel/Group Images
This series contains images of YS & T personnel at meetings, banquets, and receptions. Both men and women are depicted in the images. There are 44 items: 16 (3 3/4 x 4 3/4), 28 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4). They are undated.Series 9 Transparencies and Negatives Miscellaneous
This series contains images of a variety of non-steel related items. Some of the subjects depicted within this series are hotels, men fishing, christmas trees, squirrels and religious items. There are 29 items: 13 (3 3/4 x 4 3/4), 16 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4).
SERIES 1 FOLDER 1
Transparencies General OfficesSERIES 2 FOLDER 2
Transparencies Company PlaneSERIES 3 FOLDER 3
Transparencies and Negatives Interior of Steel MillsSERIES 4 FOLDER 4
Transparencies and Negatives Finishing Mills and LaboratoriesSERIES 5 FOLDER 5
Transparencies and Negatives Exterior Views of Steel MillsSERIES 6 FOLDER 6
Transparencies and Negatives Oil DerricksSERIES 7 FOLDER 7
Transparencies and Negatives Personnel/PortraitsSERIES 8 FOLDER 8
Transparencies and Negatives Personal/Group ImagesSERIES 9 FOLDER 9
Transparencies and Negatives Miscellaneous