Collection documents the operations, tools, machinery, products, and employees of the Norton Grinding Machine Company located in Wocester,
Massachusetts.
Content Description:
Collection consists of silver gelatin photographic prints documenting the operations, equipment, machinery, products, and employees of the Norton Grinding Company located in Worcester, Massachusetts. These photographs include images of grinding machines, grinding shops, grindstones, ground work pieces, lab experiments, plant interiors, and portable grinders. In addition there are images of grinding machinery in automobile, sewing, and pearl button manufacturing plants. Most of the photographs have descriptions of the prints but are not dated. The collection is arranged in two series. Series one is photographs and series two is an exhbition catalogue published by the Worcester Historical Museum in 1985 celebrating the centennial of the Norton Grinding Machine Company.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged in two series.
Series 1; Photographs, undated
Series 2: Other Materials, 1985
Biographical / Historical:
Norton Grinding Manufacturing Company is the forerunner of what is now Norton Abrasives. It was founded by Frank B. Norton and Frederick Hancock, two cousins from Vermont, who opened a pottery shop in Worcester in 1858. F. B. Norton & Company sold redware and stoneware pottery until one of their employees, Sven Pulson, invented a grinding wheel. Frank Norton would patent the invention and the company began manufacturing grinding wheels. Eventually, Norton would become a major manufacturer of abrasives along with other products for industry and home use.
Sources:
Norton Company at 100 Years: A Celebration of People and Technology, 1885-1985, Worcester Historical Museum, 1985
Wikipedia, Wikipedia.org
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subject Categories: Abrasive Industry, NMAH.AC.0060
Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0143
Singer Industrial Design Collection, NMAH.AC.0169
United Shoe Machinery Corporation Records, NMAH.AC.0277
Pratt, Read Corporation Records, NMAH.AC.0320
Iowa Button Industry Collection, NMAH.AC.0504
Industry on Parade Film Collection, NMAH.AC.0507
Max Holland Numerical Control Collection, NMAH.AC.0537
Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company Records, NMAH.AC.0977
Lockwood Greene Records, NMAH.AC.1113
National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
ILC Dover Apollo Reports and Aperture Card Drawings Collection, Accession 2016-0032
Provenance:
Assembled by the Norton Grinding Company; acquired prior to 1988.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
