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Fuller Transmission Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-3299

Scope and Contents

The Fuller Manufacturing had its beginnings in 1902 when Frank and Charles Fuller joined Maurice and Charles Blood to form the Michigan Automobile Company. Their factory was located at the northeast corner of Prouty and North Pitcher Streets. The company began to make exclusively transmissions and in 1916 was renamed the Fuller & Sons Manufacturing Company. The company later became known as the Fuller Manufacturing Company and had another site on North Burdick. The company was acquired by Eaton Corporation in 1958. The Fuller News came out either monthly or bi-monthly. It was filled with all kinds of information about employees including retirement, department activities, new products, lists of new employees, birth announcements and various recreational activities like baseball and bowling leagues. It also included photographs of various company-sponsored events like dinners held in various local sites like the Harris Hotel on East Michigan Avenue. The newsletters cover the period 1947 to 1961. Transmission Times provided information on various products. The issue in this collection also has information on the purchase of Fuller by Eaton in 1958.

Dates

  • Creation: 1947-1961

Creator

Extent

0.25 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection is composed of issues of the Fuller News employee newsletters and one copy of the magazine Transmission Times both produced by the Fuller Manufacturing Company in Kalamazoo. The magazine and newsletters date from 1947 until 1961.

Source of Acquisition

This acquisition came to us via the Starring Fund. They came from Jane Garver in Petoskey, Michigan whose Grandfather, Albert E. Engles worked at Fuller.

Physical Description

The collection amounts to .25 cubic feet. There are eight folders arranged chronologically. Each folder has anywhere from one to five newsletters which are 8 ½"x11". The newsletters are in black-and-white although some covers do have a little color in them. There are a total of 23 newsletters and 1 magazine. They are in good condition although the paper is coated and light weight and is fragile in some spots. Also, some of the corners are worn.

Title
Fuller Transmission Collection Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Lynn Houghton
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490