In the public mind, the work most often associated with Appalachia is farming and the extraction of natural resources, specifically coal and timber. Other types of industrial work have been important to the region's economy, especially since the railroads began providing improved transportation for manufactured goods. Some of our collections focusing on industry are highlighted below. You may also want to browse the subject guides to Business, Coal and Coal Mining, Labor, Logging and Lumbering, and Railroads.

Browse our Suggested Reading List for books of interest.

Manuscripts

American Bemberg Research Department Report
Report prepared in 1952 examines the preparation of staple fiber in the textile industry as this relates to the Bemberg plant in Elizabethton, Tenn.

Bernard H. Cantor Collection
Records (1959-78) of this Johnson City, Tenn. labor lawyer includes arbitration and labor cases involving various area labor unions and industries.

Congress on Appalachian Development/Gordon Ebersole Collection
Includes correspondence, reports, clippings, and other printed matter related to the organization's efforts to promote economic and industrial development in the Appalachian region.

East Tennessee Light and Power Company Records
Contains correspondence, reports, financial records, ledgers, job orders, and other material related to the company's operations providing electricity to East Tennessee business, industrial, and residential users.

Eastman Chemical Company History
Consists of company produced video-recordings and a booklet on the Kingsport, Tenn. industry from its founding in 1920 as the Tennessee Eastman Corporation until 1990.

First Tennessee-Virginia Development District
Contains correspondence, reports, plans, and publications related to the district's efforts to promote economic and social development in the upper East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia area, including materials related to the Tri-County Industrial Park.

General Shale Products Corporation Records
Records of this East Tennessee-based company include correspondence, by-laws, board minutes, land deeds, and other printed matter related to operations between 1909-86.

IPC Dennison Company Collection
Consists of samples (1929-78) of printed labels for tobacco and non-tobacco products produced by this Rogersville, Tenn. printing company.

Johnson City Foundry and Machines Works Records
Extensive records document the operation of this major Johnson City, Tenn. company between 1902-83 and includes correspondence, ledgers, financial records, pamphlets, office files, union contracts, orders, photographs and other materials.

Johnson City Press Newsclippings
Includes newspaper clipping files (1936-87) on various economic and industrial issues, as well as on individual area companies.

Kingsport Press Strike Collection
Contains correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, speeches, memorabilia, and other material related to the 1960s strike at this Kingsport, Tenn. company.

Magnet Mills Collection
Extensive records (1916-70) of this Clinton, Tenn. hosiery mill include correspondence, agreements, grievances, personnel records, publications, newspaper clippings, and other material documenting company operations.

Walter F. Smith Papers
Includes stockholder agreements, reports, board minutes, correspondence, financial statements, and other printed matter related to Smith's work as an executive and eventual president and chairman of the Kingsport Press, Inc., Kingsport, Tenn.

Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company Records
Contains deeds, correspondence, maps, and court transcripts related to the operations of this southwest Virginia concern incorporated in 1899.

Appalachian Photographic Archive

The Appalachian Photographic Archive has photographs on the following subjects: American Bemberg Company; Cottage Industries; Elizabethton, Tenn.--Industries; Industrial Equipment; Johnson City, Tenn.--Industries; Kingsport, Tenn.--Industries; North American Rayon Company; Southern Potteries, Inc.; W. M. Ritter Lumber Company; Woodworking Industry.

Appalachian Publications Files

Includes issues of the following company publications; Spinnerette (North American Rayon, Elizabethton, Tenn.) and TEC News (Tennessee Eastman Company, Kingsport, Tenn.).

Suggested Reading from Special Collections

The following is a list of selected titles relating to industry and industrial development. For a complete listing, please consult Sherrod Library Online Catalog.

Eller, Ronald D. Miners, Millhands, and Mountaineers: industrialization of the Appalachian South, 1880-1930. 1982.

Epperson, Terry E., Jr. Geographic Factors Influencing the Manufactural Industries of Upper East Tennessee. 1960.

Holly, John Fred. Elizabethton, Tennessee, a case study of southern industrialization. 1949.

In Quiet Ways: George H. Mead, the man and the company. 1970.

Kingsport,Tennessee: a modern American city-developed through industry. n. d.

Lay, Elery A. An Industrial and Commercial History of the Tri-Cities in Tennessee-Virginia. 1982.

Long, Howard. Kingsport: a romance of industry. 1928.

Moore, John R., ed. The Economic Impact of TVA. 1967.

Petro, Sylvester. The Kingsport Strike. 1963.

Williams, John Alexander. West Virginia and the Captains of Industry. 1976.