Coolerator Company records
Scope and Contents
The collection contains product advertisements with descriptions, National Electrical Manufacturers Association Standards, specifications and parts drawings, correspondence with James E. Frykdahl, Head of Coolerator's Engineering Department, and a copy of the firm's public auction.
Dates
- 1921-1954
Creator
- Coolerator Company (Duluth, Minn.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Kathryn A. Martin Library, Archives and Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
The Coolerator Company began in 1908 as the Duluth Show Case Company. The Duluth Showcase Company, a manufacturer of store fixtures, was incorporated and the name changed to Duluth Refrigerator Company in 1928, and to the Coolerator Company in 1934. It was a subsidiary of the Marshall Wells Building Corporation. In 1940, the plant was converted to war work.
In 1945, the Coolerator Company again began to manufacture refrigerators and freezers. In 1946, the first electrical refrigerators were made. In 1948, the Gibson Refrigerator Company purchased the Coolerator Company. By 1950, the Coolerator Company was involved in the production of electric ranges and air conditioners in addition to freezers and refrigerators. In 1951, International Telephone and Telegraph, IT&T, purchased the Coolerator Company.
In 1954, the McGraw Electric Company purchased Coolerator's machinery and equipment with an option to buy the land. The Coolerator Company ceased operation in June 1954 when the Company's remaining property was sold at auction.
Extent
6.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection contains product advertisements with descriptions, National Electrical Manufacturers Association Standards, specifications and parts drawings, correspondence with James E. Frykdahl, Head of Coolerator's Engineering Department, and a copy of the firm's public auction.
Physical Location
This collection is located at the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives. For more information about this collection or to make an appointment, contact us at libarchives@d.umn.edu or 218-726-8526.
General
This collection is part of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, which are housed in the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives at the Kathryn A. Martin Library.
- Advertisements Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Business Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Businesses Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Local sources
- Drawings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manufacturing industries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Marshall-Wells Company (Duluth, Minn.)
- Refrigerators Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Coolerator Company records
- Author
- Finding Aid Authors: B. Bruemmer, P. Maus.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Collecting Area Details
Contact The University of Minnesota Duluth Archives and Special Collections Collecting Area
Kathryn A. Martin Library
University of Minnesota Duluth
416 Library Drive
Duluth MN 55812-3001
(218) 726-8526
libarchives@d.umn.edu
