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.
Collection Citation:
Catherine Hann Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Archival materials documenting the manufacture and sale of Kit Mobile Homes.
Scope and Contents note:
The records of the Kit Manufacturing Company date from 1951 to 1995. They consist primarily of advertising materials, newspaper clippings, copies of Articles about the company and photographs. The photographs portray many of the models built during the years 1951 1995. Most of the models are named and many show the date of production. Many photographs show internal views. However, some are not identified by either name or date. One photograph shows the company's main plant at Caldwell, Idaho.
The collection also includes an autobiographical publication written by Dan Pocapalia, I Love A Challenge! This is the interesting story of a successful, self made business man whose inborn skills and quick mind, coupled with determination and hard
work, resulted in building a successful new business one that started on the proverbial shoestring and wound up listed on the American Stock Exchange. In the Epilogue, the publication also includes brief references to Mrs. Pocapalia and the five children, as well as short statements about, Arnold J. Romeym, Bill Worman, and Jim Nicholson, all of whom were involved to a major degree in the growth and establishment of the company.
Arrangement:
Divided into 3 series
Series 1: Advertising brochures, newsclippings and articles
Series 2: Photographs
Series 3: Publications
Biographical/Historical note:
Dan Pocapalia in 1994 celebrated a nearly fifty-year association with Kit Manufacturing Company by writing a history of the company that is also the story of his life. Born on December 12, 1916, on a small farm near Santa Monica, California, Mr. Pocapalia is a prototype of the successful self made businessman. His father, born in Pinerolo, Italy, arrived in the United States at the age of 22. His mother, Rosa Camusso, followed shortly thereafter. After working in New York for several years, the young couple moved to California. Named Dante but always called Dan, the boy was the second of four children. One of Dan's earliest pleasure was building things. At the age of 10 or 11 he produced a radio from a pair of earphones found on a dump. His mother died in 1929 and the years of the depression were difficult ones for the family. Dan left school during the sixth grade to help in the fields, picking truck crops that sometimes did not bring enough to pay freight and commission charges on the produce. By 1938, he had decided to leave the farm and see the country before looking for a real job.
His first real job was at Vultee Aircraft Company (later known as Consolidated Vultee) near his father's farm, at that time in Norwalk, California. Talent and a quick mind compensated for lack of education and experience and very quickly, Dan Pocapalia became a valuable employee on Vultee's wartime government contract for planes. Working thirteen to sixteen hours a day meant financial reward for Dan but little else. Several attempts at enlistment in the military failed because he was considered an essential industrial worker. By 1945, however, most of the talk at the plant was about what one hoped to do after the war ended.
In November 1945, a chance meeting with Bill Worman, a former worker at Vultee, determined Dan Pocapalials future. Worman was part owner of a trailer business in a nearby plant on Telegraph Road. He planned to build 60 "tear drop" camper trailers because he had found and bought 60 Fulton hitches. He had chosen the name "Kit" to reflect his marketing plan: the units were to be sold in a knocked down kit, which would be assembled by the
buyer. In less than a week Dan Pocapalia borrowed $800 to buy out Worman's other partner to become a one half partner in Kit Manufacturing Company. The new partners decided to redesign the Kit Kamper to increase the simplicity and eficiency of its assembly. The original Kit Kamper was built while materials were still subject to World War II's War Production Board prioritie's and it and later models illustrate new and creative uses of
aluminum and fiberglass. Dan Pocapalia was responsible for the design; Bill Worman for bookkeeping, sales and promotion. Despite shortages of necessary supplies and the money to buy them, their first appearance at the Gilmore Stadium Show in February 1946 was successful. They booked about 500 orders, with some dealers paying in advance.
The work force expanded to meet the demand and the partners decided to enter into an agreement with Sackett Nicholson of Long Beach, California, to be sole distributor for the Kit Kamper. Although they did not get along, Pocapalia recognized Nicholson's expertise and ability as a salesman even though he did not trust him. Similarly, Bill Worman did not get along with nor trust Arnold Romeyn, the bookkeeper for Sackett Nicholson. Despite these problems, the company expanded production to build 3 bedroom mobile homes, dormitory mobile homes for government projects such as the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, and relocatable classrooms. The tribulation, escapes from bankruptcy, quarrels, and major disagreements among the partners were many but Kit Manufacturing Company became a respected and successful business. When Kit went public in 1969, the shares of each participant in the company were retired for more than $500,000 out for each participant. Dean Witter & Company underwrote the offering of 1,434,839 shares at $14.75 a share. The company was listed on the American Stock Exchange in March 1970.
Dan and his wife, Mary Ann, lived in an 81' x 331' Kit mobile home for the first two years of their marriage. Their first child was born while they lived there but as other children came along they moved to a new house built by Mary Ann's architect father. In 1995, Dan Pocapalia marked his 50th year of association with Kit Manufacturing Company, and was still active full time as chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Provenance:
Donated to the Archives Center, NMAH, by Mr. and Mrs. Pocapalia in
October 1994.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research and access on site by appointment. 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.
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.
Collection Citation:
Coon Chicken Inn Records and Graham Family Papers, 1913-1973, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
World Premiere / Igor Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto / and a program of modern American music / presented by / Woody Herman and his Orchestra... [black and white photographic reproduction on advertising flier]
Concert held on March 25, 1946 at Carnegie Hall, New York City; photographer unidentified.
Local Numbers:
02065902.tif (AC Scan)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Copyright restrictions. Contact staff for information.
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 1940-1950 -- Reproductions
Handbills -- 1940-1950
Collection Citation:
Jack Siefert Woody Herman Collection, 1913-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Tools, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Real Estate, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Real Estate, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Real Estate, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Musical Instruments Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (3 boxes, one oversize folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Programs
Scrapbooks
Sheet music
Correspondence
Advertising fliers
Postcards
Posters
Clippings
Photographs
Place:
Saint Louis (Mo.) -- 1890-1920
Boston (Mass.)
Charleston (S.C.)
Buffalo (N.Y.)
Date:
1899-1937
bulk 1902-1902
Scope and Contents:
The materials cover the career of a woman bandmaster with an all women's traveling military band from 1898-1913, with the bulk of the material ca. 1902. Contents include clippings, photographs, programs, sheet music, hand noted music, posters, post cards, advertising fliers, letters, telegram, biographical article announcing candidacy for U.S. Senate seat in 1936, and "The Flood of 1937" section of the Cincinnati Post, February 13, 1937. Bands included Helen May Butler's Ladies Military Band, Talma Ladies Orchestra, U.S. Talma Ladies Military Band.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Helen May Butler, woman bandmaster, directed an all-women traveling military band from 1898 to 1913. "Music for the American people, by American composers, played by American girls" was one of the band's mottoes. Born in New Hamphire in 1873, she pursued a variety of musical studies and became an accomplished performer in both violin and cornet. She announced candidacy for a U.S. Senate seat in 1936.
Provenance:
Collections donated by Helen May Butler Young, June 1962.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
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.
Collection Citation:
Helen May Butler Collection, 1899-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Advertisment for Dr. Buker's Root and Herb beer, text only. Claims to purify the blood and stimulate the organs without alcohol. Lists the herbs and plants and the address in Providence, Rhode Island.
Local Numbers:
AC0060-0002308.tif (AC Scan, Front)
Series Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Beverages, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
Mary Charles Collection, Accession XXXX-0011, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
