HST 591: History of Economics & Business
Company histories
If your company still exists, check the corporate web site for any ABOUT or HISTORY pages. Some additional information may be on the INVESTOR RELATIONS pages. Some companies do maintain corporate archives, however, once a company ceases to exist, the archives are often "lost". Please contact Wes Edens (wes.edens@asu.edu) for assistance if you think you need access to a company archive.
If your company has changed ownership over time, the Background Sources below can provide more context -- social situations, business dealings and rivalries, industry conditions, economics, etc.
Background sources
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International directory of company histories.
Publication date: 1988-Shows the interconnectedness of companies with name and ownership changes with social context included. We have 1988-2009 in paper and the rest are online. -
International Directory of Company Histories (online)
Shows the interconnectedness of companies with name and ownership changes with social context included. Best searched by company name.
Company histories are under the toolbar Companies -- Company Histories then by company name. -
National Cyclopaedia of American Biography:
Being the History of the United States as Illustrated in the Lives of the Founders, Builders, and Defenders of the Republic, and of the Men and Women Who Are Doing the Work and Moulding the Thought of the Present Time.
Much of this set is full text in the Hathi Trust or you can request the paper copies.
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Mergent Archives
Historical corporate and industry documents, including annual reports, equity research, and municipal and government manuals not available in current Mergent platforms.
Background sources by industry
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The Automobile Industry, 1896-1920 by George S. May (Editor)
ISBN: 0816020841Publication date: 1990-06-01This landmark reference chronicles the story of many major U.S. industries from their beginnings to the present day and offers a wealth of information on each industry, including key figures, corporations, inventions, technologies, historical background, marketing concepts, regulations, and legislation. Here readers will find all the people, events, and accomplishments that enriched this remarkable era. -
The Automobile Industry, 1920-1980 by George S. May (Editor)
ISBN: 0816020833Publication date: 1989-10-01Part of a series which explores the history of American business, this volume continues the story of the American automobile industry from its pioneering days to the present. Prominent companies and figures such as Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler and the Dodge brothers are examined in detail. -
Banking and Finance, 1913-1989 by Larry Schweikart (Editor)
ISBN: 0816021945Publication date: 1990-11-01 -
Banking and Finance to 1913 by Larry Schweikart (Editor)
ISBN: 0816021937Publication date: 1990-04-01 -
The Iron and Steel Industry in the 20th Century by Bruce E. Seely (Editor); William H. Becker (Editor)
ISBN: 0816021953Publication date: 1993-12-01This volume, part of an encyclopaedic series covering the history of American business, is specifically concerned with the development of iron and steel in the 20th century, starting from World War I and going on to the modern uses of alloys and stainless steels. -
The Iron and Steel Industry in the Nineteenth Century by Paul F. Paskoff (Editor)
ISBN: 0816018901Publication date: 1988-12-01 -
Railroads in the Age of Regulation, 1900-1980 by Keith L. Bryant (Editor)
ISBN: 0816013713Publication date: 1988-04-01 -
Railroads of the 19th Century by Robert L. Frey (Editor)
ISBN: 0816020124Publication date: 1988-10-01This landmark reference chronicles the story of many major U.S. industries from their beginnings to the present day and offers a wealth of information on each industry, including key figures, corporations, inventions, technologies, historical background, marketing concepts, regulations, and legislation. This volume traces the origins of the American railroad industry during the 1820s and its great growth throughout the nineteenth century.