GLMS 29 - Wilford G. Bartenfeld Collection

File 1

Title	GLMS 29 - Wilford G. Bartenfeld Collection
Subject	Business & Commerce
Introduction	The files of the Wilford G. Bartenfeld Collection were transferred to HCGL on June 5, 1975. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research. Final processing was completed by Mark J. Barnes and Monica Manny with the assistance of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in August 1991.
Biographical Sketch	Wilford G. Bartenfeld's career as a marine architect was noted for over three decades of sound management of his architectural firm, for a reputation for expertise that led to inclusion of his comments on technical papers in the printed proceedings of professional organizations and for a status as a published author. W.G. Bartenfeld and Company was managed from Cleveland, OH while national and international contact were maintained. Service as a U.S. Naval Engineering Officer enhanced Bartenfeld's development of detailed technical knowledge regarding military vessels. During World War II Bartenfeld was a representative on the Great Lakes for the British War Ministry. Following the war much of the Company's trade revolved around refitting military vessels for commercial functions. Contributions to marine architecture include coauthorship with Thomas Buel in 1923 of the Barge Canal Register devoted to vessels on New York State's waterways, authorship in the Mav 1959 issue of the Journal of International Cargo Handling Coordination Association of "Bulk Cargo Handling in Self Unloading Ships," and the publication of his comments on a paper entitled, "The Conversion of T2 Tankers for Great Lakes and Seaway Service" in the 1960 Transactions of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Architectural design achievements include Bartenfeld's Channel System for cargo hold construction and numerous patents held in the United States and abroad. Most patents were for modifications of unloading devices used on bulk cargo vessels.
Scope and Content	The files compiled by Wilford G. Bartenfeld document ship construction activities primarily in the years from 1940 to 1960. Files begin as early as 1896 and extend to 1976, however these dates range far from the core of the collection. Much of the work performed by Bartenfeld and Company involved converting older vessels to new uses on the Great Lakes. This was particularly true of cargo and troop transport vessels of World War II. Post war projects converted many of these vessels to car ferries and freighters suitable for Great Lakes duty rather than ocean voyages. Subject files (12 cubic feet.) on vessel construction and architectural drawings (16 cubic feet) form the body of this collection. A subdivision of the subject files into five subseries contains information under the following categories: A. Vessel Name (1 c.f.), B. Vessel Type or Shipbuilder (3 c.f.), C. Product File for Shipbuilding (4 c.f.), D. Technology File for Shipbuilding (2 c.f.), E. General Alphabetical File (2 c.f.). Photographic images (562 items) have been separated from the collection for cataloging in the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes photographic file. Printed materials have also been separated for inclusion in the main book and periodical collection.
Series Description	Series 1 Subject File, Subseries A: Vessel Names (Boxes 1-11) Subseries contains correspondence and architectural plans regarding ship construction and modification projects completed by Bartenfeld and Company. The files date from 1901-1974. The majority of the materials are from the period 1940-1960. Where dates such as 1901 appear it is an indication that an architectural drawing with information from that year is present. The drawing in hand in such cases is usually a later copy of the original. Some 265 named vessels appear in the files and others are listed under a type name such as Chicago Fire Tug. Extensive files appear for conversion projects on C4 S Al and C4 S A4 troopships. Other extensive files are present for the EMORY L. FORD, CHARLES HUTCHINSON, B.F. JONES, LA SALLE. LST's class 1156, the SAMUEL MITCHELL, Mystic Steamship Co. Colliers, the COL. JAMES SCHOONMAKER, WILLIAM P. SNYDER, JR., SOUTH PARK, WILFRED SYKES, and the PAUL H. TOWNSEND. Arrangement is alphabetical. Series 1 Subject File, Subseries B: Vessel Type or Shipbuilder (Boxes 12-14) Subseries contains correspondence, architectural plans and clippings regarding vessel construction and renovation. The files date from the period 1921-1974. Most of the materials date from 1940-1960. The earliest dates generally refer to architectural plans used in later renovation work on vessels. These files are composed of material on vessel types such as Dutch River Lighters and Ice Breakers. Mixed with these items are files on companies such as the Great Lakes Towing Company. The largest concentration of files appears on projects regarding military vessels and for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Arrangement is alphabetical by vessel type or company name. Series 1 Subject File, Subseries C: Product File for Shipbuilding (Boxes 15-18) Subseries contains correspondence, clippings, architectural drawings, and sales literature describing products used for shipbuilding. Subject matter varies from turbines to gyroscopes in covering numerous products used in ship construction. The accompanying news clippings often detail the use of particular products. The files date from the period 1909-1975. Most files fall within the years 1940-1960. Many of the items with the pre-1940 dates are architectural drawings, used to document the application of a product to a specific vessel project. Files of particular note include those for the Harnischfeger Crane Co. of Germany. Utilization of crane and hoist technologies for dock facilities and self unloading vessels are documented. Files on ore dock facilities also merit examination. Dimensional drawings of the docks at Ashtabula, OH, Cleveland, OH, Conneaut, OH, Gary, IN, Huron, OH, Lorain, OH and Toledo, OH are present. Arrangement is alphabetical by product manufacturer name. Series 1 Subject File, Subseries D: Technology File for Shipbuilding (Boxes 19-20) Subseries contains correspondence, clippings, architectural plans and advertising materials regarding the technological aspects of shipbuilding. The subject matter covers a host of mechanical devices and procedures. Boilers and hatches receive somewhat greater coverage than other subjects. The files date from the period 1925-1973. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject. Series 1 Subject File, Subseries E: General Alphabetical File (Boxes 21‑22) Subseries contains correspondence, notes and architectural drawings regarding vessel construction subjects. The files date from the period 1909‑1976. Most files date from the years 1940‑1960. Noteworthy files are those on George R. Hoffman, Monroe, MI; patents held by the Bartenfeld Company from 1956‑1976 and unloading units. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject. Series 2: Architectural Drawings (Drawers 1‑5) Series contains 369 drawings from Bartenfeld's vessel design projects. The drawings date from 1896‑1970. Some drawings predate the founding, of Barterfeld's company, and were acquired by him from other sources. Extensively covered are conversions of military transport vessels to post‑war cargo carriers and unloading machinery based on Bartenfeld patents. Series 3: Slide Show (Box 23) A slide show designed by Bartenfeld to depict the different aspects of channel-based cargo hold construction. Contains script, lantern slides, and negatives.