Detroit Public Library. Burton Historical Collection.
Hammond Building Company records, 1855-1985
01108
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Detroit Public Library. Burton Historical Collection.
- Creator
- Hammond Building Company (Detroit, Mich.).
- Title
- Hammond Building Company records
- ID
- 01108
- Date [inclusive]
- 1855-1985.
- Extent
- 39.0 Linear feet (14 boxes, 56 volumes, 3 large manuscript)
- Location note
- Level A
- Language
- English
- Language of Materials
- In English.
Biographical/Historical note
In 1886, George H. Hammond, a wealthy Detroit meat packer, opened what the Detroit Free Press boasted as "a huge enterprise...George H. Hammond & Co. will build in Detroit, the largest oleomargarine factory in the country." Born in Massachusetts around 1838, Hammond became the builder of Detroit's first skyscraper, the Hammond Building. In 1870, Hammond built the first successful refrigerated boxcar, packing it with ice from the Detroit River and sending a shipment of beef to Boston. By 1885, the Hammond Standish & Company meat-packing house was using 800 refrigerated boxcars and were delivering three carloads of meat a week to the Atlantic seaboard. Hammond married Ellen Barry and they had eight children. Among those who went into the family business were sons George, Charles and Edward, and daughter Florence. Florence married Edward A. Skae, who acted as secretary-treasurer of the Hammond Building Co. In 1920, Hammond Standish & Company was listed in the Detroit City Directory as a Beef and Pork Packing House. Charles F. Hammond was president and treasurer. At the same time, Edward Hammond was president of the Hammond Building Company, with his sister Florence working as secretary and treasurer. Historian W. Hawkins Ferry, in The Buildings of Detroit, describes Detroit's pride when the Hammond Building was completed: "In 1890 Detroit was astir with excitement over the completion of its first skyscraper, the Hammond Building, which stood on the southeast corner of Fort and Griswold Streets. To celebrate the opening a tightrope walker was hired to walk from the roof of the ten story structure to the tower of the City Hall across Fort Street..." Though George H. Hammond died before his namesake building was erected, a Chicago architect, Harry W.J. Edbrooke, was able to persuade Mrs. Hammond to hire him to create the skyscraper. In 1956 the Hammond Building was torn down to make room for the new National Bank of Detroit.
Scope and Contents note
This collection consists of papers from the Hammond Building Company, the George H. Hammond Estate Company, Hammond Standish & Company and Fame Land Corporation. Papers include accounts, properties owned by the Hammond Building Co., financial records and organizational papers.
Arrangement
Organized into four series: I. Organizational records. II. Land holdings. III. Family/Personal papers. IV. Fame Land Corporation.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Detroit Public Library. Burton Historical Collection. Nov. 23, 2009
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use as of Feb. 8, 2008.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
01108
Hammond Building Company records, 1855-1985. (OCLC record)
[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/298220867]Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Fame Land Corporation (Metamora, Mich.).
- George H. Hammond Estate Company.
- Hammond Standish & Company.
Family Name(s)
- Hammond Family
Genre(s)
- Business records
- Correspondence
- Financial records
Geographic Name(s)
- Detroit (Mich.)--Buildings, structures, etc.
Personal Name(s)
- Hammond, George H.
Subject(s)
- Construction industry
General Note
See finding aid for complete listing.
Collection Inventory
Organizational RecordsGeneral noteInformation, drawings, specifications and proposals for the Hammond Building itself are contained in this series, as well as material on the company, such as bylaws, contracts and legal papers. |
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BOX 1 |
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1:1 Appraisals of Hammond Building, 1945-1948 |
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1:2 Bids & Proposals, 1890-1929 |
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1:3 -- Elevators, 1893-1914 |
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1:4 -- Fire Escapes, 1911 |
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1:5 Building Permits, 1897-1901 |
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1:6 Bylaws & Certificates of Resolution, 1906-1955 |
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1:7 -- Contracts & Agreements, 1891-1926 |
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1:8 -- Bids, etc., 1896-1905 |
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1:9 -- 1908-1909 |
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1:10 Dissolution of Company, 1954-1956 |
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1:11 Employees |
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1:12 Hammond Building Specifications |
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1:13 Hammond, Standish & Company, 1901 |
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BOX 2 |
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2:1 Inspection Certificates Boiler Inspectors, 1890-1909 |
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2:2 -- Public Lighting Commission, 1897-1910 |
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2:3 Inspection Reports, 1890-1927 |
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2:4 Insurance Papers, 1910-1956 |
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2:5 -- Fidelity & Casualty Company, 1896-1919 |
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2:6 Legal Papers, 1897-1956; Not Dated |
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2:7 Lists/Notes/Miscellaneous |
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2:8 Material from Volumes (see also LMS Folder 1) |
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2:9 -- Superior Land Company |
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2:10 Newspaper Clippings, 1956 |
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2:11 Specifications & Drawings, 1896-n.d. |
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2:12 Summaries of the Hammond Building, 1921 |
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Sub-series A: Correspondence General noteAmong the letters in this section are those written to Miss Mollie R. Cummings. She was the company cashier. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the writer. Sec also Volumes: Letter Book, 1918-1928. |
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BOX 3 |
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3:1 A, 1910-1950 |
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3:2 B, 1910-1953 |
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3:3 C, 1910-1953 |
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3:4 Consumers Cooler Company, 191 1-1916 |
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3:5 Cummings, Miss Mollie R., 1910-1917 |
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3:6 D, 1892-1926 |
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3:7 E-F, 1909-1950 |
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3:8 G, 1910-1927 |
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3:9 Guardian Savings & Trust Company/Guardian Tnist Co., 1913-1929 |
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3:10 H, 1910-1953 |
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3:11 I-L, 1893-1934 |
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BOX 4 |
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4:1 M, 1910-1928 |
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4:2 N-O, 1909-1926 |
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4:3 Nicol-Ford & Company, 1925-1929 |
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4:4 P, 1910-1923 |
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4:5 R, 1911-1952 |
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4:6 S, 1911-1927 |
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4:7 T, 1908-1918 |
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4:8 U-V, 1901-1952 |
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4:9 W-Z, 1909-1929 |
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4:10 Wayne County & Home Savings Bank, 1914-1927 |
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4:11 Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, 1910-1911 |
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Sub-series B: George H. Hammond Estate Company |
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4:12 Invoices & Statements, 1889-n.d. |
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4:13 Ledger, 1888-1898 |
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4:14 Probate Office Petition, 1893 |
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4:15 Receipts, 1882-1886 |
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BOX 5 |
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5:1 Receipts, 1887 |
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5:2 1889 |
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5:3 1890-1891 |
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Sub-series C: Financial Records |
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5:4 Mutual Gas Company, 1886-1887 |
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5:5 Bank Books, 1953-1956 |
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5:6 Bills of Sale, Receipts, etc. |
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5:7 Charges to Tenants, 1917 |
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5:8 Detroit Trust Company Reorganization, 1933-1943 |
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5:9 Income Tax - Capital Stock Tax Returns, 1919-1926 |
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5:10 Correspondence, 1920-1926 |
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5:11 Notes |
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5:12 Returns, 1917-1920 |
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5:13 1921 |
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5:14 1922-1925 |
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5:15 1926-1930 |
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5:16 Notes |
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BOX 6 |
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6:1 Receipts & Agreements, 1897-1952 |
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6:2 -- Bennett, Smith & Co., 1925-1929 |
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6:3 Stockholders, 1931-1956 |
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6:4 Vouchers, 1886-1887 |
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6:5 -- 1891-1899 |
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6:6 -- 1909, December 3-13 |
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6:7 -- 13-31 |
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6:8 -- 1910, January 6-10 |
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BOX 7: Vouchers |
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7:1 1910, January 10-25 |
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7:2 February 5-10 |
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7:3 -- 11 |
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7:4 -- 14-28 |
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7:5 March |
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7:6 April 1-16 |
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7:7 -- 16-22 |
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Land HoldingsGeneral noteThis series contains the company's accounts and properties, including abstracts of title for a number of them. |
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Sub-series A: Accounts |
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BOX 8 |
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8:1 Abegglen, Albert & Johanna, 1908-1913 |
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8:2 Casgrain, Annie K. et al, 1901-1907 |
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8:3 Dalton, Laurence & Hannah, 1892-1906 |
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8:4 Howard, John P., 1887 |
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8:5 Wallace, Ellen L., 1885-1898 |
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8:6 Watkins, Ralph, 1938-1941 |
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8:7 Williams, John Constantine, 1869-1909 |
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Sub-series B: Skinner Engine Company |
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8:8 1910-1920 |
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8:9 Correspondence, 1909-1910 |
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8:10 1911-1919 |
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8:11 Invoices, 1909-1910 |
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8:12 Specifications/Agreements |
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Sub-series C: Property |
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BOX 9 |
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9:1 Abstract Sheets, A-W |
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9:2 Abstracts of Title |
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9:3 -- Hammond's Subdivision, Lot 51, Private Claim (P.C.) 30 |
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9:4 -- Hammond's & Rich's Subdivision, P.C. 47 |
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9:5 -- P.C. 47 & 583 |
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9:6 -- B.E. Taylor's Golf & Country Club Subdivision |
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9:7 Land Records, 1889-1909 |
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9:8 Mortgages & Leases, 1887-1929 |
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9:9 Bellevue Desnoyers Subdivision, Lot 80, 1889- E 909 |
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9:10 Cass Farm Subdivision, 1871-1911 |
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9:11 L. Chapaton Farm Subdivision, 1895-1908 |
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9:12 Dearborn, 1910-1923 |
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9:13 Detroit Garages, 1927-1936 |
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9:14 Stockholder Material, 1928-1938 |
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BOX 10 |
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10:1 Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1872-1921 |
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10:2 -- Correspondence, 1898-1936 |
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10:3 Forsyth Farm, 1862-1911 |
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10:4 Grosse Pointe, 1889-1910 |
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10:5 -- 1916 |
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10:6 Joseph Campau Farm Subdivision, 1889-1908 |
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10:7 Labrosse Farm, 1886-1905 |
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10:8 Perrin's Subdivision, Grosse Pointe, 1892-1916 |
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10:9 R.L. Polk Building, 1925-91934 |
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10:10 B.E. Taylors Golf & Country Club, 1937-1955 (see also Box 9:6 & LMS Folder 2) |
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10:11 -- Powers of Attorney, 1937-1945 |
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10:12 Thompson Farm, 1855-1906 |
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10:13 Winders Subdivision, 1866-1902 |
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10:14 Woodward Avenue & Boulevard, 1909 |
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Sub-series D: Sweeney-Huston Company Building/Detroit Recreation Company General noteThe Sweeney-Huston Stores & Amusement Building Company changed its name to Recreation Company, also known as the Detroit Recreation Company. Blueprints for the Memoranda of Changes may be found in Box 14. |
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10:15 1916-1922 |
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10:16 Financial Papers, 1923; 1940-1950 |
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10:17 Statements, 1928-1931 |
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10:18 Memoranda of Changes, #1-6, 1916-1917 |
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BOX 11 |
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11:1 Memoranda of Changes, #7-20, 1916-1917 |
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11:2 Mortgages/Leases, 1916 |
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11:3 -- 1917 |
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11:4 -- 1922-1926 |
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11:5 -- 1928-1950 |
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11:6 -- John Christy, 1935-1937 |
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11:7 Mortgage (Second), 1922 |
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11:8 Specifications, 1916 |
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11:9 -- for Building Work |
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11:10 -- Revised |
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Family/Personal PapersGeneral noteBecause the company was such a family concern, there is some overlap in the correspondence and receipts with this series and Series 1: Organizational Records. Family/Personal Papers contain household receipts and expenses. Many well-known Detroit vendors were used by the well-to-do Hammond and Skae families, including laundries, dressmakers, jewelers, caterers, hardware, grocery orders, etc. for Ellen (Mrs. George H.) Hammond and Florence Hammond Skae. Letterhead and receipts for such turn-of-the-century companies as The Michigan Telephone Company, F.J. Schwankovsky Music Co., Goodyear Rubber House and D.M. Ferry & Co. Seedmen are included. In her personal life, Florence Hammond (Mrs. Edward A.) Skae was an extensive traveler, sailing often with her children to Europe and Japan. She served as president of the League of Catholic Women. She was also co-owner ol'the West Bloomfield Recreation Company. |
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BOX 12 |
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12:1 Ellen Hammond—Estate, 1898-1911 |
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12:2 -- Itemized Financial Statements, 1889-1891 |
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12:3 George H. Hammond, 1885-1914 |
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12:4 Ellen Skae Phelan, 1984-1985 (see also Fame Land Corporation) |
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12:5 Edward A. Skae -- Receipts, 1925-1928; 1935 |
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12:6 -- Florence Hammond (Mrs. E.A.) Skae—Appraisals, 1924-1928 |
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12:7 -- Correspondence, C-D, 1924-1929 |
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12:8 -- F-L, 1910-1928 |
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12:9 -- M-P, 1910-1929 |
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12:10 -- Packard Motor Car Company, 1926-1929 |
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12:11 -- Peninsular State Bank, 1926-1929 |
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12:12 -- Pontiac Commercial & Savings 1925-1929 |
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12:13 -- R-W, 1910-1928 |
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12:14 -- Receipts, A-F, 1928-1929 |
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12:15 -- G-P, 1924-1928 |
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12:16 -- R-S, 1924-1928 |
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12:17 -- T-W, 1924-1929 |
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BOX 13 |
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13:1 Janet Skae—Correspondence/Receipts, 1927-1929 |
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13:2 Correspondence—General, 1913-1929 |
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13:3 Telegrams, 1910-1929 |
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Sub-series A: Receipts |
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13:4 1896-1897 |
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13:5 1925-1927 |
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BOX 13 (Continued) |
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13:8 1961-1962 |
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13:9 Financial Records, 1963-1984 |
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13:10 Lapeer County Bank & Trust, 1970-1982 |
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13:11 Skaphe Hill Farm, 1963 |
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13:6 1928-1929 |
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13:7 Warehouse, 1923-1924 |
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Fame Land CorporationGeneral noteIn a related collection, the Fame Land Corporation of Metamora, Lapeer County, was run by Florence Hammond Skae's daughter, Ellen. Born on June 10, 1905, Ellen Skae married James J. Phelan. They had four daughters. Ellen Skae Phelan was a one-time Republican Party leader and Detroit-area clubwoman. She served as chairman of the Republican Party's 8`h Congressional District in Michigan's Thumb area as a representative on the State Central Committee. Mrs. Phelan was a member of the Detroit Club, Village Club of Birmingham, Sigma Gamma Association, Country Club of Detroit and the Economic Club of Detroit. She also served as a member of the Lapeer County Board of Canvassers and the Dryden Board of Education. One of her daughters, Mary Meade Fuger, became director of the Women's Resource Center in Grand Rapids. Besides the Fame Land Corporation, James and Ellen Phelan were owners of Skaphe Hill Farm in Metamora. Ellen Skae Phelan died in Metamora on February 10, 1985. See LMS Folder 3 for more material on Fame Land Corporation. |
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LMS BOX 14: Blueprints, Sweeney-Huston Company—Memoranda of Changes |
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Folder 1: Material from Scrapbook, 1895-1898 |
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LMS Folder 1: Printing Block, Hammond Building, not dated |
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LMS Folder 2: B.E. Taylor's Golf& Country Club Subdivision #2, Plat Maps, 1926 |
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LMS Folder 3: Fame Land Corporation, Plat Maps of Survey, 1948; 1969 |
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VolumesGeneral noteSee also Material from Volumes (Box 2:8) |
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Account Book: |
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-- 1932-1946 |
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-- 1954-1963 |
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Bowling, Billiard & Bar Account Book, 1953-1954 |
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Car Book, 1878-1881 |
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Cash Books |
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-- 1892-1894 |
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-- 1898 |
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-- 1905-1907 |
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Check Registers |
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-- 1935-1946 |
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-- 1948-1951 |
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Detroit Recreation Company |
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-- Minutes of Meetings, 1923-1935 |
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-- Articles of Incorporation/Minutes of Regular, Board & Stockholders Meetings, 1935-1945 |
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-- *Articles of incorporation/Minutes of Regular & Board Meetings, 1935-1961 |
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Hammond Building Company |
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-- *Articles of Association/Minutes, 1905-1926 |
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-- *Minutes of Meetings, 1951-1956 |
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Invoice Books |
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-- 1890 |
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-- 1895 |
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-- 1899 |
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James A. Jones Insurance Company, 1898-1899 |
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Journals |
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-- No, 1, 1906-1920 |
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-- 1871-1873 |
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-- 1873-1877 |
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-- 1874-1875 |
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-- 1875-1876 |
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-- 1876-1878 |
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-- 1878-1880 |
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-- 1880-1881 |
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-- 1881 |
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-- *1926-1934 |
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-- *1933-1935 |
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-- 1954-1956 |
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-- General Journal 1953-1964 |
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Ledgers |
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-- No. 1, 1906-1923 |
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-- No. 2, 1910-1912 |
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-- No. 3, 1913-1916 |
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-- No. 4, 1917-1918 |
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-- 1869-1871 |
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-- 1871-1873 |
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-- 1873-1877 |
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-- 1874-1875 |
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-- 1875-1876 |
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-- 1876-1877 |
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-- 1878-1880 |
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-- 1880-1881 |
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-- 1881 |
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-- General Ledger, 1931-1935 |
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-- Transfer Ledger, 1947-1953 |
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Letter Book, 1918-1928 |
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List of Special 400 Names, American Union Life Insurance Company, 1898-1899 |
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Monthly Statements, 1927-1933 |
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Parking Survey, 1941 |
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Receipt Book, 1940-1946 |
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*Scrapbook, 1895-1898 (see also LMS: Folder 1) |
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Stock Certificates |
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-- *Common Stock Certificates, 1905-1955 |
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-- Hammond Estate Company Stock Certificates, 1906-1920 |
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*Superior Land Company, 1891-1905 |
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Voucher Register, 1947-1951 |
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