578 - Prince Shotoku brought Kongo family members from Baekje, Korea to Japan to build Buddhist Shitennoji Temple; founded Kongo Gumi Co., Ltd. (Kabushiki Gaisha Kongo Gumi), specialized in Buddhist temple construction; world's oldest continuously operating family business (stable industry, flexible succession planning); 2003 - revenues more than $90 million; 2004 - 80% of $67.6 million revenues from temple construction; 2005 - over 100 employees, annual revenue of $70 million; Masakazu Kongo (last president), 40th Kongo to lead firm; January 2006 - debt of $343 million, no longer able to pay debt service; into liquidation due to excess debt to invest in real estate, declining contributions to temples; assets acquired by Takamatsu Corporation (large Japanese construction company); operates as subsidiary.

1624 - Edmund Gunter introduced surveyor's chain (measurement of length).

April 8, 1766 - A London watchmaker received first patent for a fire escape, a wicker basket on a pulley and a chain.

March 10, 1791 - John Stone of Concord, MA received a patent for "Driving Piles for Bridges, etc."; pile driver; June 26, 1847 - James Nasmyth, of Patricroft, England, received a U. S. patent for a "Pile Driver" ("Steam Pile Driver").

August 2, 1791 - Samuel Briggs and his son, Samuel Briggs, Jr., of Philadelphia, PA, became first father-son pair to receive  joint U.S. patent, for a "Machine for Making Nails".

March 23, 1795 - Josiah G. Pierson, of New York, NY, received a patent for a "Machine for Cutting Nails".

February 1, 1820 - Canvass White, of Oneida, NY, an engineer building the Erie Canal, received a patent for "Waterproof Cement"; cement that hardened under water (water-proof mortar joints); 1818 - canal contractors accidentally found a natural cement rock, type of limestone that could be pulverized into a powder and when mixed with sand, would harden when put in water; White improved the process by calcining the local stone to make a quick-lime mortar.

October 21, 1824 - Joseph Aspdin (Yorkshire, England), a stone mason, received British patent for Portland cement (manufactured counterpart to natural or Roman cement); made by burning finely pulverized lime and clay at high temperatures in kilns to produce a hydraulic cement - hardened with addition of water; named "portland cement" to distinguish it from Roman cement and as marketing tool: resembled highly prized building stone quarried on Isle of Portland off British coast.

June 14, 1834 - Isaac Fischer, Jr., of Springfield, VT, received two patents for "Coating Paper"; sandpaper.

February 24, 1839 - William S. Otis, of Philadelphia, PA, received a patent for a "Crane-Excavator for Excavating and Removing Earth" ("for the construction of railroads, canals or other purposes where excavation may be necessary"); steam shovel.

March 27, 1849 - Joseph J. Couch, of North Bridgewater, MA,  received a patent for a "Drilling Machine" ("Machinery for Drilling Rocks"); steam-powered percussion rock drill driven by steam power, acted independently of gravity.

August 22, 1854 - Halcyon Skinner and William Greenhalgh, of West Farms, NY, received a patent for an "Improved Carpenter's Gage" ""various operations in carpentry hitherto requiring the employment of several distinct and costly instruments may al be accomplished by the use of one of our improved gages").

February 10, 1863 - Alanson Crane, of Fortress Monroe, VA, received a patent for "Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers" for buildings; water pipe under the foundation of the outside wall supplied vertical pipe leading up inside of wall to one or more perforated pipes extending horizontally throughout the building; included stop clock with locking cover that could be operated outside wall by authorized person in event of fire when building was unoccupied; water could flood floors, quickly extinguish a fire.

1866 - Henry A. Sherwin bought partnership in Truman, Dunham & Company, sellers of paint ingredients; February 3, 1870 - Sherwin, Williams & Co. (Edward Williams) replaced dissolved partnership; first year sales = $422,000; 1878 - ready-made paint debuted; 1884 - company incorporated; 1896 - first advertised nationally in Ladies Home Journal; 1905 - cover the earth logo introduced; 1909 - sales = $10 million; became one of the world's leading companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers.

July 16, 1867 - Joseph Monier, a gardener (not engineer) in Paris,  received a patent for cement flower pots reinforced with iron-wire mesh embedded in concrete; August 13, 1873 - extended patent to construction of bridges, footpaths; 1884 - sold patents to Gustav A. Wayss, Frankfurt building contractor.

July 16, 1867 - D.R. Averill, of Newberg, OH, received a patent for an "Improved Paint-Compound"; first prepared, or "ready-mixed" paint in the U.S.; previously, home owners mixed their own paint from a base, oil, turpentine and pigments.

1868 - John Augustus McNear purchased property in San Rafael, CA from the estate of Timoteo Murphy (granted 22,000 acres of land at San Rafael, the ranchos of Las Gallinas, San Pedro, and Santa Margarita in 1844); most valuable clay in state for manufacture of brick; 1898 - with Erskine B. McNear (son) built large brick manufacturing plant along point San Pedro, San Pablo Bay; named E.B. McNear Brick Company; 1961 - became the L.P. McNear Brick Company, run by Lawrence P. McNear, Sr.; 2005 - Jeff McNear, president, fourth generation owner; California's oldest manufacturer of brick.

July 14, 1868 - Alvin J. Fellows of New Haven, CT, received a patent for an "Improvement in Tape Measures" (a "new and useful Improvement in Spring Measuring Tapes").

May 31, 1870 - Professor Edward J. de Smedt, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Improvement in Asphalt Roads and Pavements"; sheet asphalt pavement;  July 29, 1870 - laid first sheet asphalt pavement on William Street n front of the City Hall in Newark, NJ (became the inspector of asphalt and cements for the District of Columbia; 1904 - only 141 miles were surfaced; 1916 - commonplace; natural asphalt deposits exist but almost all asphalt used commercially made from petroleum.

October 18, 1870 - Benjamin C. Tilghman, of Philadelphia, PA, received patent for "Cutting and Engraving Stone, Metal, Glass, etc."; sandblastiing; compressed air forced sand as an abrasive material through nozzle of sandblasting gun; November 26, 1872 - received patent for "Improvement in Cutting Stone and Other Hard Substances".

September 26, 1871 - David Oliver Saylor, of Allentown, PA,  received patent for "Improvement in the Manufacture of Cements"; mixture of magnesium clay with limestone clay; portland cement; 1852 - Englishman William Aspdin had received patent for "Portland cement," and coined name; 1868 - first recorded shipment of portland cement to the US when European manufacturers began shipping cement as ballast in tramp steamers at very low freight rates.

March 26, 1872 - Thomas J. Martin, of Dowagiac, MI, received a patent  for a "Fire Extinguisher" ("Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing, and Warming, Ventilating, and Washing Buildings").

September 17, 1872 - Phillip W. Pratt, of Abington, MA, received a patent for "Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers"; sprinkler system for extinguishing fires.

August 11, 1874 - Henry S. Parmalee, of New Haven, CT, received a patent for "Fire-Extinguishers" ("a device for attachment to distributing-pipes in buildings for extinguishing fires, the construction being such that the heat which may be generated in the apartment will automatically open the valve and allow the discharge of water"); sprinkler head.

1877 - Amzi Lorenzo Barber obtained franchise to procure asphalt from great pitch lake on Island of Trinidad; 1884 - nationwide monopoly on Trinidad deposit; 1888 - his Trinidad Asphalt Company controlled all leases on deposit; controlled world's chief source of asphalt for some 20 years (became known as "Asphalt King"); June 1899 - incorporated the Asphalt Company of America.

July 16, 1878 - Thaddeus Hyatt, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Composition Floors, Roofs, Pavements, etc."; reinforced concrete reinforced concrete combined with iron as a building material (economy of construction, securityagainst fire in making of roofs, floors, walking surface).

April 8, 1879 - Black American inventor Joseph R. Winters, of , Chambersburg, PA, received a patent for a "Fire-Escape Ladder".

1880 - George Wimpey established George Wimpey and Company, stone working business in Hammersmith, UK; became contractor, responsible for major building projects, new road and tramway contracts throughout London; 1919 - acquired by G W Mitchell; expanded road contracting business, led Wimpey into house building. The period between the two world wars saw Wimpey established as a household name in the fields of building and civil engineering; 1950s - built 18,000 local authority dwellings a year; 1970s - became UK's largest private house builder (sold 106,440 homes in decade); 1996 - acquired McLean Homes from Tarmac, became one of world's largest private housebuilders; exited construction, quarry business; July 3, 2007 - merged with Taylor Woodrow plc, formed Taylor Wimpey plc.

May 1, 1884 - Construction began in Chicago on first skyscraper (ten-story steel-skeleton Home Insurance Company of New York); designed by Major William Le Baron Jenney; frame carried entire weight of building, marble used on walls of building, with four columns of polished granite supporting a a marble balcony; Fall 1885 - work finished.

1885 - Howard Sprague Wright, cabinetmaker, draftsman and framing superintendent from Nova Scotia, founded construction company in Port Townsend, WA; moved company to Everett, WA, then Seattle; became premier general contractor; 1920s - son and son-in-law joined company; 1950s - third generation joined family business; early 1960s - selected primary builder for Century 21 World's Fair in Seattle (Space Needle).

August 10, 1886 - Elihu Thomson, of Lynn, MA, received a patent for an "Apparatus for Electric Welding" ("for forming joints between metal wires, bars, and the like by the agency of an electric current").

1888 - Augustine Sackett invented, developed plasterboard (modern version of gypsum board); May 22, 1894 - received a patent for an "Inside-Wall Covering" ("to provide boards or plates which may be used as a substitute for lath and plaster as a material for forming the inner walls of houses or rooms"); layered wall covering of paper and plaster (gypsum drywall), changed how houses were built; faster to install than conventional plaster, produced more fire-resistant structures than traditional building techniques.

1888 - Charles Lindgren, James Boyd, Frank Sharples founded Boyd, Sharples & Lindgren in Los Angeles as brick masons, contractors; July 1889 - out of business; Lindgren helped to reconstruct Bakersfield, CA after fire; 1900 - formed partnership with Berkeley engineer Lewis Hicks expert in steel-reinforced concrete construction; formed Lindgren Hicks; 1908 - partnership ended; formed C. J. Lindgren Co.; hired Alfred Bingham Swinerton as estimator; incorporated in State of California; 1911 - shareholder, member of Lindgren's board of directors; 1913 - named vice-president (Lindgren died); built French Pavilion, Exposition Auditorium for Pan Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco Public Library, Southern Pacific Building, Camp Fremont (San Mateo), Pacific Telephone and Telegraph building, Francis Drake Hotel; 1923 - name changed to Lindgren & Swinerton, Inc.; 1929 - 92nd company out of some 28,000 to apply for licenses (required by new law passed by California legislature); retains license number 92 to present day; failed bids for Boulder Dam, Golden Gate Bridge; 1942 - became general partnership called Swinerton & Walberg; May 1963 - William Swinerton (son) named president; 1976 - became 100 percent employee-owned; 1996 - Swinerton group organized under umbrella company Swinerton Inc.; 2000 - revenues over $1 billion.

May 22, 1888 - Architect Leroy S. Buffington, of Minneapolis, MN, received a patent for "Iron Building Construction" ("in a manner that will practically obviate undue expansion and contraction during the extremes of heat and cold...novel construction and arrangement of the stairs and elevator-shafts whereby there is attained the necessary strength and stability, together with compactness and utilization of the space to the best advantage...improved plan of floors, and means of bracing the iron beams in fire-proof floors"); system for building skyscrapers using metal skeleton frame (made building tall structures feasible).

May 4, 1892 - Thomas. L. Wilson in Spray, NC discovered, by accident, process for commercial production of acetylene; experiment to produce metallic calcium was unsuccessful,  dumped slaglike waste product in a nearby stream, water reacted with the slag and liberated acetylene gas; founded Wilson Aluminum Company to produce acetylene on a commercial scale.

January 16, 1894 - Theodore Witte, of Chilliwhack, BC, received a patent for a "Puttying-Tool"; improved application "of putty to window sashes and similar things".

1895 - Russell Hinton began his career as a desk polisher in San Francisco; 1978 - Bob Mengarelli, former sales representative for Russell Hinton Company, became sole owner, President; grew into full service, premier painting, decorating firm; 1985 - added drywall division (drywall, metal framing, rocking, taping for interior tenant improvements).

June 1, 1897 - Crystal Chemical Works opened first rock wool factory in U.S. in Alexandria, IN; local limestone rock melted in  specially designed water-jacketed cupola, blown by steam pressure to form fine wool-like threads; insect-proof, fireproof, useful insulating material, desirable packing for walls, covering for steam boilers, etc.

1900 - Edmund O. Wattis, William H. Wattis, and Warren L. Wattis founded Utah Construction Company; name changed to Utah Construction and Mining, eventually to Utah International;  1976 - merged with General Electric.

March 4, 1902 - Ernest L. Ransome, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Concrete Construction" ("construction of buildings of reinforced concrete").

May 6, 1902 - Henry C. Turner, civil engineer, founded Turner Construction Company at 11 Broadway in New York with capital of $25,000; 1929 - volume of $44 million; 1941 - J. A. (Archie) Turner (youngest brother) assumed control; January 1947 - Henry Chandler Turner, Jr. (eldest son) elected President; 1951 - volume exceeded $100 million; 1965 - Howard Sinclair Turner (Archie's son) assumed Presidency; 1969 - went public; 1970 - Howard Sinclair Turner named chairman; 1977 - sales exceeded $1 billion; 1984 - Turner Corporation formed; 1999 - acquired by HOCHTIEF AG; 2001 - sales of $6.3 billion.

1907 - Einar Kornerup founded masonry business in Denmark; evolved into broadly based contracting company; developed from personally owned business to joint-stock company led by professional management with family holding majority of shares.

January 22, 1907 - Thomas Edison received a patent for an "Apparatus for Grinding and Separating Fine Materials" ("especially designed for use in the manufacture of Portland cement").

1908 - Danish immigrant Joseph Nielsen founded J. Nielsen & Co., small, one-man shop, in Round Hill, VA; 1924 - acquired W.M. Bucher & Son, prominent builder in Shenandoah Valley; 1951 - incorporated, renamed Nielsen Construction Co.; 1961 - Samuel Shrum succeeded as company president; 1996 - formed parent company, form the parent company of Nielsen Builders;  2008 - 230 people, more than $80 million of project revenue.

January 12, 1909 - Thomas A. Edison received two patents for "Waterproofing-Paint for Portland-Cement Buildings" ("so that the paint will be very permanent") and for "Waterproofing-Paint for Portland-Cement Structures".

June 1, 1909 - Thomas A. Edison received a patent for "Shaft-Coupling" ("for use with heavy shafting where the power transmitted is of great magnitude, as for example in the driving of rolls used in the crushing of Portland cement clinker").

May 23, 1911 - Thomas Edison received a patent for a "Device for Feeding Pulverulent Material" ("apparatus for continuously and uniformly feeding very finely, pulverulent material in any industrial art where an approximately uniform feed is necessary... fine ground cement rock and limestone that is use in the manufacture of Portland cement").

1915 - The British Plaster Board Ltd. founded; 1917 - incorporated as private company; 1932 - went public; 1953 - acquired C Davidson & Sons Limited (owned Abertay Paper Sacks), became one of largest producers in world of paper bags; 1954 - acquired Westroc Industries Limited, major move into Canadian, North American markets; 1965 - name of parent company changed to BPB Industries Ltd.; 1968 - acquired British Gypsum Limited, became market leader in building, industrial products; 1987 - acquired Rigips brand (major international expansion in Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands), became one of leaders in building plasters, specialist and industrial plasters, plasterboard liner, packaging boards; 2000 - became number one in Europe for EPS Insulation material; 2005 - acquired by Saint-Gobain, organized within Saint-Gobain's Construction Products Sector.

1921 - Frank Taylor (16) borrowed £100 to build 2 houses in Blackpool, UK (made 100% profit on venture); Jack Woodrow, uncle, lent his name to the business, formed 'Taylor Woodrow'; 1937 - Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd formed; 1954 - over 250 projects around world; 2004 - Building Magazine declared Taylor Woodrow ‘Major Housebuilder Of The Year’; completed company’s transformation into leading housebuilder in UK building industry; July 3, 2007 - merged with George Wimpey Plc; formed Taylor Wimpey plc.

1923 - O.G. Bradbury, trained carpenter and millwright, began O.G. Bradbury, Contractor, in Albuqerque, NM; Highland Park Bandstand (1923) in Albuquerque first commercial/public job; 1946 - Robert Stamm (son-in-law) joined company as a laborer; 1958 - became partner, company incorporated, name changed to Bradbury & Stamm Construction Company, Inc.

1928 - Del Webb established contracting business in Arizona; built entire cities for military; 1945 - Webb, partner bought New York Yankees (owned team for 20 years); January 1, 1960 - Sun City, innovative community designed exclusively for retired people, opened; built Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas for underworld figure Bugsy Siegel; July 31, 2001 - merged with of Pulte Homes, Inc.; formed nation's largest homebuilding company ( $14.7 billion).

October 11, 1938 - Games Slayter, of Newark, OH (vice-president, Research and Development of newly formed Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation), received a patent for a "Method and Apparatus for Making Glass Wool" (flexible glass wool -  Fiberglas) and a patent for "Textile Material"; Slayter and John H. Thomas received patent for "Glass Wool and Method and Apparatus for Making Same" and another patent for "Glass Fabric"; sought to make a finer glass fiber material (instead of natural or other synthetic fibers); assigned patents to Owens-Illinois Glass Co.

November 1, 1938 - Owens-Illinois and Corning Glass Works announced formation of Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation as an independent company to develop glass-fiber products; reported sales of $2,555,000, and 632 employees; December 31, 1971 - sales surpassed the $half billion; August 15, 1980 - the Pink Panther, cartoon character, became corporate mascot to promote the sales of PINK Fiberglas insulation; January 2, 1996 - name changed to Owens Corning; 1999 - sales exceeded $5 billion.

1947 - Chung Ju Yung founded Hyundai Group as an engineering and construction company.

September 7, 1948 - First use of synthetic rubber in asphaltic concrete occurred in Akron, OH.

March 2, 1987 - Government officials reported that median price for new home topped $100,000 for first time.

March 2008 - Industry faltered:

(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/03/08/business/08charts-gobig.jpg)

May 2008 - Hispanics in construction

(source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Moody's Economy.com)

(American Standard Inc.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (1999). The History of American Standard. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 175 p.). American Standard, Inc.--History; Heating equipment industry--United States--History; Air conditioning equipment industry--United States--History; Plumbing equipment industry--United States--History.

(American Terra Cotta Corporation), George A. Berry III, with Sharon S. Darling (2003). Common Clay: A History of American Terra Cotta Corporation, 1881-1966. (Crystal Lake, IL: TCR Corp., 312 p.). American Terra Cotta Corporation--History; Terra-cotta industry--Middle West; Architectural terra-cotta--Middle West; Decoration and ornament, Architectural--Middle West; Building, Terra-cotta--Middle West; Prairie school (Architecture)--Middle West.

(Argus Construction), Lynn Donohue, with Pamela Hunt (2000). Brick by Brick: A Woman's Journey. (New Bedford, MA: Spinner Publications, 269 p.). Donohue, Lynn, 1957- ; Argus Construction Corporation--History; Businesswomen--Massachusetts--New Bedford--Biography; Women-owned business enterprises--Massachusetts--New Bedford--Case studies.

(Atlas Portland Cement Company), Gregg Andrews (1996). City of Dust: A Cement Company in the Land of Tom Sawyer. (Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 360 p.). Portland cement industry--Missouri--Ilasco--History; Working class--Missouri--Ilasco--History; Ilasco (Mo.)--History; Ilasco (Mo.)--Social conditions.

(Associated General Contractors), Booth Mooney (1965). Builders for Progress; The Story of the Associated General Contractors of America. (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 194 p.). Associated General Contractors of America; Construction industry--United States--History; Contractors--United States.

(Austin Bridge Company), Shannon Miller (1974). The First 50 Years, 1918-1968; Austin Bridge Company and Associated Companies. (Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub. Co., 204 p.). Austin Bridge Company; Construction industry--Texas.

(Austin Company), Martin Greif (1978). The New Industrial Landscape: The Story of the Austin Company. (Clinton, NJ: Main Street Press, 192 p.). Austin Company--History.

(Baulderstone Hornibrook), Bob Mierisch (2000). On the Level: A Story about Striving for Openness To Build Corporate Strength. (Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press, 183 p.). Mierisch, Bob; Baulderstone Hornibrook--History; Businessmen--Australia--Biography; Industrialists--Australia--Biography; Construction industry--Australia--History; Construction industry--Public relations--Australia--Case studies; Business ethics--Australia--Case studies.

(Beck Companies), Bill Sloan (1987). The Pursuit of Excellence: The Story of the Beck Companies. (Dallas, TX: HCB Contractors, 122 p.). HCB Contractors--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Contractors--United States--History.

(Bovis Ltd.), Peter Cooper (2000). Building Relationships: The History of Bovis, 1885-2000. (London, UK: Cassell & Co., 240 p.). Bovis Ltd.--History; Construction industry--History; Construction industry--Great Britain--History.

(BPB Industries), John Routley (1959). A Saga of British Industry: The Story of the British Plaster Board Group. (Wallesley, Cheshire: British Plaster Board, Ltd, 172 p.). BPB Industries (British Plaster Board); Construction industry--Great Britain.

(BPB Industries), David Jenkins (1973). The History of BPB Industries. (Wallesley, Cheshire, UK: BPB Industries, 147 p.). BPB Industries (British Plaster Board); Construction industry--Great Britain.

(Brasfield & Gorrie), Leah Rawls Atkins (2002). The Building of Brasfield & Gorrie. (Birmingham, AL: Brasfield & Gorrie, 346 p.). Brasfield & Gorrie; Construction industry--Alabama.

(Butterley Brick Limited), Roy Christian (1990). Butterley Brick: 200 Years in the Making. (Lonson, UK: Henry Melland, 256 p.). Butterley Brick Limited; Bricks; Brickmaking; Bricks Derbyshire (England).

(Cianbro Corp), Ann McGowan (1998). The First 50 Year History of Cianbro, the Constructors: 1949-1999. (Pittsfield, MA: Cianbro Corp., 142 p.). Cianbro Corporation--History--20th century; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century.

(Consolidated Rock Products), Scott J. Wilcott (2001). Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares: The Story of Consolidated Rock Products, Conrock, Calmat 1929-1990. (Los Angeles, CA: S. J. Wilcott, 112 p.). Consolidated Rock Products Co.--History; Conrock (Company)--History; Calmat (Company)--History; Mineral industries--United States.

(J. A. Construction), Beth Laney Smith, Karen Trogdon Kluever (1989). Jones Construction Centennial: Looking Back, Moving Forward, 1890-1990. (Charlotte, NC: Laney-Smith, distributed by Jones Group, 194 p.). J.A. Construction--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Darling and Hodgson), Rosemary Hayward and Nancy Stratten (1984). A Foundation for the Future: The Darling and Hodgson Story, 1934-1984. (Johannesburg, SA: J. Ball Publishers, 306 p.). Darling and Hodgson (Johannesburg, South Africa)--History; Construction industry--South Africa--History.

(Dillingham Corporation), Paul T. Yardley (1981). Millstones and Milestones: The Career of B.F. Dillingham, 1844-1918. (Honolulu, HI: Published for the B.F. Dillingham Co. by University Press of Hawaii, 330 p.). Dillingham, Benjamin Franklin, 1844-1918; Businesspeople--Hawaii--Biography; Hawaii--History.

(Dominion Construction Company), Shirley F. Bentall (1986). The Charles Bentall Story: A Man of Industry and Integrity. (Vancouver, BC: Bentall Group, 198 p.). Bentall, Charles, 1882-1974; Dominion Construction Company -- History; Industrialists -- Canada -- Biography; Vancouver (B.C.) -- Biography.

(Eastern), Faye Mingo (1995). A Winning Combination: The History of Eastern Woodworkers, Eastern Contracting, and Eastern Manufacturing. (Hantsport, NS: Lancelot Press, 128 p.). Mingo, Harold; Mingo, Dudley; Mingo, Ernest; Eastern (Firm)--History; Construction industry--Nova Scotia--History; Businessmen--Nova Scotia--Biography; Nova Scotia--Biography.

(Eichler Homes), Jerry Ditto and Lanning Stern (1995). Eichler Homes: Design for Living. (San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 119p.). Eichler, Joseph L., b. 1900; Industrialists--California--Biography; Construction industry--California--History--20th century; Prefabricated houses--United States--History.

(Eichler Homes), Paul Adamson, Marty Arbunich (2002). Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream. (Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, p.). Eichler, Joseph L., b. 1900; Industrialists--California--Biography; Construction industry--California--History--20th century; Architecture, Domestic--United States--History--20th century; Architecture, Modern--United States--History--20th century; Middle class--Housing--United States--History--20th century; Real estate development--Social aspects--United States--History--20th century.

(John Fleming & Company), Richard Perren (1977). John Fleming & Company, limited, 1877-1977. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Aberdeen University Press, 96 p.). John Fleming & Company; Construction industry--Great Britain; Housing--Great Britain--History--20th century.

(Fletcher Holdings), Selwyn Parker (1994). Made in New Zealand: The Story of Jim Fletcher. (Auckland, NZ: Hodder & Stoughton, 250 p.). Fletcher, Jim, 1914- ; Fletcher Holdings (Firm)--History; Businesspeople--New Zealand--Biography; Industrialists--New Zealand--Biography.

(Foley Brothers), Foley Brothers (1945). Seventy Years, The Foley Saga. (Los Angeles, CA: Printed by Anderson & Ritchie, the Ward Ritchie press, 194 p.). Construction industry--History; Railroads--United States--Construction; Railroads--Canada--Construction.

(Fougerolle), Dominique Barjot (1992). Fougerolle: Deux Siècles de Savoir-Faire. (Caen, FR: Editions du Lys, 286 p.). Fougerolle (Firm)--History; Construction industry--France--History; Public works--France--History. I

(Gene B. Glick Co.), Gene Glick (1997). Born to Build: The Story of the Gene B. Glick Company. (Camel, IN: Guild Press of Indiana, 261 p.). Glick, Gene, 1921- ; Gene B. Glick Co.--History; Businessmen--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History; Real estate management--United States--History.

(Harbert Corporation), Leah Rawls Atkins (1999). John M. Harbert III: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer. (Birmingham, AL: Tarva House, 233 p.). Harbert, John M.; Harbert Corporation--History; Businessmen--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History.

(James Hardie Industries), Gideon Haigh (2006). Asbestos House: The Secret History of James Hardie Industries. (Carlton North, Vic, AU: Scribe, 448 p.). 448 p. James Hardie Industries--History; Asbestos industry--Health aspects--Australia; Building materials industry--Australia--History; Asbestos--Toxicology--Australia; Asbestos abatement--Australia. Not breaking the law is not the same as morally acceptable behavior. James Hardie's indifference to the lethal effects of asbestos.

(Hobart Brothers Company), Peter C. Hobart, Michael W. Williams (2004). The Industrial Hobarts: One Family's Story Through the American Century. (Virginia Beach, VA: Donning, 254 p.). Hobart family; Hobart Brothers Company--History; Welding equipment industry--United States--History; Electric generators--United States--History; Aerospace engineering--United States--Equipment and supplies--History; Welding--United States--Automation--History; Welding--Study and teaching--History.

(Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff), researched and written by Kathi Ann Brown (1989). Diversity by Design: Celebrating 75th Years of Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff, 1914-1989 (New York, NY: Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff, 137 p.). Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff; Bridge construction industry--United States--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Hubbard Construction), Ormund Powers (1982). One Man, One Mule, One Shovel. (Winter Park, FL: Anna Pub., 314 p.). Hubbard Construction Company--History--20th century; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century.

(Hunting Gate Group), W.J. Reader (1983). To Have and to Hold: An Account of Frederick Bandet's Life in Business (Hitchin, Hertfordshire: Hunting Gate Group, 277 p.).

(Impresa Rosso), A Cura di Valerio Castronovo, Roberto Gabetti e Aimaro Isola (1995). L’Impresa Rosso: Note Sul Settore Edilizio a Torino Negli Ultimi Cinquant’Anni. (Torino, IT: Pluriverso, 201 p.). Impresa Rosso--History; Construction industry--Italy--Turin--History; Apartment houses--Italy--Turin.

(Indiana Builders Association), A Wolliam Carson (1994). High Pitches and Other Tall Tales: A Mirror into the Soul of Housing and Politics. (Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Builders Association, 186 p.). Carson, A. William; Indiana Builders Association--History; Industrialists--Indiana--Biography; Construction industry--Indiana--History; Lobbyists--Indiana--Biography; Construction industry--Indiana.

(Irby Construction Co.), Carroll Brinson (1980). The Stuart C. Irby Story. (Jackson, MI: Oakdale Press, 187 p.). Irby, Stuart C., 1888-1979; Stuart C. Irby Co.--History; Irby Construction Co.--History; Electric industries--Mississippi--Biography; Construction industry--Mississippi--Biography.

(Jennings Industries), Don Garden (1992). Builders to the Nation: The A.V. Jennings Story. (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 417 p.). Jennings, A.V. (Albert Victor) Sir, 1896- ; Jennings Industries--History; Construction industry--Australia--History; Industrialists--Australia--Biography.

(Karl Koch Erecting Company - founded 1906), Karl Koch III with Richard Firstman (2002). Men of Steel: The Story of the Family That Built the World Trade Center. (New York, NY: Crown, 402 p.). Koch family; World Trade Center (New York, N.Y.)--Design and construction; Karl Koch Erecting Company; Construction industry--United States--Biography; New York (N.Y.)--Buildings, structures, etc.

(Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.), Hollis J. Limprecht. (1981). The Kiewit Story: Remarkable Man, Remarkable Company. (Omaha, NE: Omaha World-Herald Co., 294 p.). Kiewit, Peter, 1900-1979; Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.--History.

(Lehigh Portland cement Co.), Jesse Rainsford Sprague (1928). James Read, Building Material Merchant. (Allentown, PA: Lehigh Portland cement Co., 179 p.). Building materials.

(London Brick Company), Robert Cook (1997). Bucks Bricks: A History of Bletchley and Calvert Brickworks and the London Brick Company. (Whittlebury, UK: Baron, 127 p.). London Brick Company -- History; Brickworks -- England -- Bletchley -- History; Brickworks -- England -- Calvert -- History.

(Lustron), Thomas T. Fetters (2002). The Lustron Home: The History of a Postwar Prefabricated Housing Experiment. (Fefferson, NC: McFarland, 186 p.). Lustron Corporation--History; Prefabricated houses--United States--History.

(Lustron), Douglas Knerr (2004). Suburban Steel: The Magnificent Failure of the Lustron Corporation, 1945-1951. (Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 248 p.). associate professor of social sciences (Roosevelt University). Lustron Corporation--History; Prefabricated houses--United States--History; Housing--United States--History--20th century; Business failures--United States. 

(P. MacCallum), John R. Hume and Michael Moss (1983). A Bed of Nails: The History of P. MacCallum & Sons Ltd of Greenock, 1781-1981, A Study in Survival. (Greenock: Lang & Fulton, 148 p.). P. MacCallum & Sons Ltd.--History; Nail industry--Great Britain--History; Iron industry and trade--Great Britain--History; Steel industry and trade--Great Britain--History; Shipbuilding industry--Great Britain--History.

(Mason Companies), Ann Arnold Lemert (1979). First You Take a Pick & Shovel: The Story of the Mason Companies (Lexington, KY: J. Bradford Press, 256 p.).

(Alfred McAlpine plc), Tony Gray (1987). The Road to Success, Alfred McAlpine 1935-1985. (Wiltshire, UK: Park Lane Press, 208 p.). McAlpine, Alfred; Construction industry--Great Britain.

(Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.), James Saxon Childers (1925). Robert McAlpine. A Biography. (Oxford, UK: University Press, 189 p.). McAlpine, Sir Robert; construction industry--Great Britain.

(McCree Inc.), W.A. McCree, Jr. (1986). The Hammer and the Pencil: The Story of McCree, Inc., Architects & Constructors, 1926-1986. (Orlando, FL: McCree, Inc., 294 p.). McCree, W. A. (William Allen), 1888-1953; McCree, Inc.--History; Construction industry--Florida--Orlando--Biography.

(M. A. Mortenson Company), Carol Pine (2004). Building a Legacy: M.A. Mortenson Company: 50 years, 1954-2004. (Minneapolis, MN: M. A. Mortenson Co., 288 p.). Mortenson, M. A. (Mauritz A.), 1905- ; M. A. Mortenson Company--History; Construction industry--Minnesota--History; Construction industry--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--Minnesota--Biography; Businesspeople--United States--Biography.

(National Gypsum Company), Dean Richmond (1960). Design for Growth: The Story of National Gypsum Company in Commemoration of Its 35th Anniversary. (Buffalo, NY: Baker, Jones, Hausauer, 142 p.). National Gypsum Company; Gypsum industry--United States.

(National Gypsum Company), Marc Bockmon (1990). Turning Points: The National Gypsum Story. (Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub. Co., 145 p.). National Gypsum Company--History; Gypsum industry--United States--History.

(Opus Group of Companies), Compiled and Edited for Gerald A. Rauenhorst, Opus Founder, by William Swanson (2003) A Better Way: Faith, Family, and the First Fifty Years of the Opus Group of Companies. (Minnetonka, MN: Opus Group of Companies, 262 p.). Rauenhorst, Gerald A. (Gerald Anthony), 1927- ; Opus Corporation--History; Opus Group of Companies--History; Construction industry--United States--Biography; Construction industry--Minnesota--History; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--Minnesota--Biography.

(Pacific Bridge Company), R. Bruce Way (1996). The Life and Careers of William Henry Gorrill, 1841-1874. (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 233 p.). Gorrill, William Henry, 1841-1874.; Pacific Bridge Company--History; Lawyers--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Bridge construction industry--United States--History--19th century.

(Parsons Brinckerhoff), Benson Bobrick (1985). Parsons Brinckerhoff: The First Hundred Years. (New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 276 p.). Parsons Brinckerhoff. 

(PCL Construction Group), Shirley R. Graham (2005). The PCL Story: Our First 100 Years. (Edmonton, AB: PCL Construction Group, 276 p.). PCL Construction Group--History; Construction industry--Canada--History.

(Phoenix Bridge Company), Thomas R. Winpenny (1996). Without Fitting, Filing, or Chipping: An Illustrated History of the Phoenix Bridge Company. (Easton, PA: Canal History and Technology Press, 154 p.). Phoenix Bridge Company; Bridges--United States--Design and construction--History--19th century; Bridges, Prefabricated--History--19th century.

(Pitt-Des Moines), Jim Foster with Rich Lundgren (1992). Towering Over America: An Illustrated History of Pitt-Des Moines, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA: Pitt-Des Moines, Inc., 172 p.). Pitt-Des Moines, Inc.--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Steel industry and trade--United States--History; Building, Iron and steel--United States--History.

(Portland Cement), Eric Rosenthal (1971). The Story of Portland Cement in South Africa. (Johannesburg, S. Africa: Portland Cement Institute, 126 p.). Portland cement--South Africa--History; Cement industries--South Africa--History; Civil engineering--South Africa--History.

(Pulte Homes), Joe Schuler (2006). Building a Legacy: The Bill Pulte Story. (Bloomfield Hills, MI: Pulte Homes, 147 p.). Pulte, Bill; Pulte Homes.

(RPM Inc.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (2002). The Heritage and Values of RPM, Inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 144 p.). RPM, Inc.--History; Coatings industry--United States--History.

(J. F. Shea Co.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen, Richard F. Hubbard (2004). The History of J.F. Shea Co. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 184 p.). J.F. Shea Co.--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Six Companies Inc.), Donald E. Wolf; foreword by Richard Lowitt (1996). Big Dams and Other Dreams: The Six Companies Story. (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 336 p.). Six Companies--History; Construction industry--West (U.S.)--History--20th century; Hoover Dam (Ariz. and Nev.)--History. 

(Wilbur Smith Associates), John A. Montgomery (1985). History of Wilbur Smith and Associates, 1952-1984. (Columbia, SC: W. Smith and Associates, 247 p.). Smith, Wilbur Stevenson, 1911- ; Wilbur Smith and Associates--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Industrialists--United States--Biography.

(St. Lawrence Cement), Miriam D. Silverman (2006).  Stopping the Plant: The St. Lawrence Cement Controversy and the Battle for Quality of Life in the Hudson Valley. (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 176 p.). St. Lawrence Cement (Firm)--Public opinion; Cement plants--Environmental aspects--Hudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.); Hudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.)--Environmental conditions. Controversy surrounding proposed building of coal-fired cement factory in Hudson Valley  town of Greenport, New York, in 1999. 

(Tarmac Ltd.), J. B. F. Earle (1971). A Century of Road Materials: The History of the Roadstone Division of Tarmac Ltd. (Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 182 p.). Tarmac Ltd. Roadstone Division; Road construction industry--Great Britain; Quarries and quarrying--Great Britain.

(Taylor Woodrow Ltd, Alan Jenkins (1980). Built on Teamwork. (London, UK: Heinemann, 245 p.). Taylor Woodrow Ltd. 

(Taylor Woodrow Ltd.), John Carmichael (1997). Together We Build: Fifty Years of Taylor Woodrow in Ghana, 1947-1997. (London, UK: Taylor Woodrow Construction Limited, 166 p.). Taysec Construction Limited--History; Taylor Woodrow Ltd.--History; Construction industry--Ghana--History--20th century; Construction industry--Ghana--History; Ghana--History; Ghana--Economic conditions.

(TD Industries), Ashley Cheshire (1987). A Partnership of the Spirit: The Story of Jack Lowe and TDIndustries. (Dallas, TX: TDIndustries, 182 p.). Lowe, Jack, 1939-1980; TDIndustries--History; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Conglomerate corporations--United States--History.

(J. A. Terteling), David Loth (1982). J.A. Terteling & Sons, Earth Movers. (Boise, ID: J.A. Terteling, 282 p.). J.A. Terteling & Sons--History; Construction industry--Northwest, Pacific--History; Earthwork--Northwest, Pacific--History.

--- (1983). Built to Last: The Business History of J.A. Terteling & Sons. (Boise, ID: J.A. Terteling, 143 p.). J.A. Terteling & Sons--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Thompson-Starrett Co. - built Woolworth building in 1910), Louis J. Horowitz and Boyden Sparkes (1937). The Towers of New York; The Memoirs of a Master Builder. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 277 p.). Thompson-Starrett co., inc., New York; Building--New York (N.Y.).

(Thiess Holdings Limited), Joan Priest (1981). The Thiess Story. (Ascot, Qld.: Boolarong Publications, 256 p.). Thiess, Leslie, Sir, 1909- ; Thiess Holdings Limited--History; Construction industry--Australia--History; Construction industry--Australia--Biography.

(Turner Construction Company), Donald E. Wolf (2002). Turner's First Century: A History of Turner Construction Company. (Lyme, CT: Greenwich Publishing Group, Inc., 448 p.). Turner Construction Company--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Universal Atlas Cement Company), Earl J. Hadley (1945). The Magic Powder; History of the Universal Atlas Cement Company and the Cement Industry. (New York, NY: Putnam, 382 p.). Cement--United States; Cement industries--United States.

(Utah International), Sterling D. Sessions and Gene A. Sessions (2005). A History of Utah International: From Construction to Mining. (Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 256 p.). Utah Construction Company--History; Utah Construction & Mining Co.--History; Utah International Inc.--History; Construction industry--United States; Mining industry--United States. Company transformed into the largest and most profitable mining company in the United States

(Vinci), Edite par Dominique Barjot; préface de Michel Tournier (2003). La Trace des Bâtisseurs: Histoire du Groupe Vinci. (Rueil-Malmaison, FR: Vinci, 623 p.,). Vinci (Group); Construction industry--France--History.

(Jim Walter), Alvin Moscow (1995). Building a Business: the Jim Walter Story. (Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, 338 p.). Walter, Jim; Industrialists--Florida--Biography; Construction industry--Florida--History--20th century; Real estate development--Florida--History--20th century; Entrepreneurship--Florida.

(Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company), Part I / by Sarah Miller Birney and Dion Scott Birney; Part II, by Arthur, Lex, and Charlie Birney (1993). A Brief History of the Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company, 1892-1992. (Washington, DC: Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Co., 82 p. [2nd ed.]). Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company--History; Brick trade--Washington (D.C.)--History; Brickworks--United States--History; Real estate developers--Washington Region--History; Real estate developers--United States--History. 

(Del Webb Corporation), Margaret Finnerty, Tara Blanc (1999). Del Webb: A Man, a Company. ( Phoenix, AZ: Heritage Publishers, 277 p. [2nd rev .ed.]). Del Webb; Del Webb Corporation; Housing--United States--History--20th century; Homebuilding.

(Whiting-Mead Company), Perry Whiting (1930). Autobiography of Perry Whiting, Pioneer Building Material Merchant of Los Angeles. (Los Angeles, CA: Printed by Smith-Barnes Corporation, 334 p.). Whiting, Perry, 1868-. 

(Winstone Limited), Frank A. Simpson (1965). The First Century. (Auckland, NZ: Winstone, 195 p.). Winstone Limited.

(Woods Construction, Inc.), O.L. Pfaffmann and John Bodary as told to Judy Goldwasser (2001). Building on Success: Woods Construction, The First 50 Years. (Fraser, MI: Woods Construction, 239 p.). Woods Construction, Inc.; Construction industry--Michigan--History.

(J. W. York Co.), Linda Harris Edmisten. (1987). J.W. Willie York: His First Seventy-Five Years in Raleigh: An Historical Biography. (Raleigh, NC: L. H. Edmisten, 160 p.). York, James Wesley, 1912- ; Industrialists--United States--Biography; Construction industry--North Carolina--Raleigh--History.

(York International), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (1997). The Legend of York International. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Syndicate, 186 p.). York International (Firm)--History; Heating and ventilation industry--United States; Air conditioning equipment industry--United States; International business enterprises--United States.

Jeff Byles (2005). Rubble: Unearthing the History of Demolition. (New York, NY: Harmony Books, 368 p.). Wrecking--History; Construction industry--History. Episodes in the world of demolition.

Roy Coad (1979). Laing: The Biography of Sir John W. Laing, C.B.E. (1879-1978). (London,UK: Hodder and Stoughton, 238 p.). Laing, John William, Sir, 1879-1978; Businesspeople--Great Britain--Biography; Construction industry--Great Britain--History.

John Coley (2000). Charles Luney: The Building of a Lifetime. (Christchurch, NZ: Hazard Press, 176 p.). Luney, Charles; Contractors--New Zeland Biography; Construction industry--New Zealand--History.

Douglas Frantz (1993). From the Ground Up: The Business of Building in the Age of Money. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 288 p. [orig. pub. 1991]). Rincon Center (San Francisco, Calif.); Real estate development--California--San Francisco--Case studies; Construction industry--California--San Francisco--Case studies.

John W. French and Fred F. French (1993). A Vigorous Life: The Story of Fred F. French, Builder of Skyscrapers. (New York, NY: Vantage Press, 254 p.). French, Fred F. (Fred Fillmore), 1883-1936; Industrialists--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century; Skyscrapers--United States--History.

Carol M. Front, Joan Minton Christopher, and Martha Capwell Fox (2005). The Lehigh Valley Cement Industry. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 128 p.). Cement industries--Pennsylvania--Lehigh River Valley; Portland cement industry--Pennsylvania--Lehigh River Valley. Raw material for the Lehigh district’s famous high-quality portland cement; quarries, cement mills, dozens of companies that sprang up to supply, support the industry.

William R. Haycraft (1999). Yellow Steel: The Story of the Earthmoving Equipment Industry. (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 465 p.). Construction equipment industry--United States--History; Mining machinery industry--United States--History.

Barry B. LePatner, with Timothy Jacobson and Robert E. Wright (2007). Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How To Fix America’s Trillion-Dollar Construction Industry. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 229 p.). Construction Attorney. Construction industry--United States--History; Construction industry--United States--Management. Construction projects spiral out of control with delays, cost overruns in America’s sole remaining "mom and pop" industry (consumes $1.23 trillion, wastes at least $120 billion each year); issues that underlie  industry’s woes.

Marc Linder (1994). Projecting Capitalism: A History of the Internationalization of the Construction Industry. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 270 p.). Construction industry--History; Engineering firms--History; International business enterprises--History; Railroads, Colonial--History; Capitalism--History; Technology transfer--History; International economic relations--History.

Amos J. Loveday, Jr. (1983). The Rise and Decline of the American Cut Nail Industry: A Study of the Interrelationships of Technology, Business Organization, and Management Techniques. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 160 p.). Nail industry--United States--History.

W.J. Reader (1980). MacAdam: The McAdam Family and the Turnpike Roads, 1798-1861. (London, UK: Heinemann, 241 p.). McAdam, John Loudon, 1756-1836; McAdam family; Highway engineers--Great Britain; Road construction industry--Great Britain--Biography; Roads--Great Britain--History--19th century.

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Business History Links

American Terra Cotta                  http://www.terracottabuildings.com                                               This site is a companion to a book about the history of the American Terra Cotta Corporation (1881-1966), which primarily produced terra cotta tiles and embellishments for building exteriors and interiors. The site features photos of buildings in Chicago, Minneapolis, and other cities in the Midwest. Also includes images of items produced for specific architects (such as Louis H. Sullivan) and Teco vases, and an illustrated description of how architectural terra cotta was made.

Historical Construction Equipment Association  http://www.hcea.net

Museum for the Preservation of Elevating History http://www.theelevatormuseum.org/                                               The ultimate purpose of The Museum is to develop an educational tool that will provide students and researchers, as well as youngsters entering the industry, with a broad picture of how the practice, then the art and discipline, of lifting evolved through the ages, beginning with the laborious irrigation process in the fertile deltas of the Middle and Far East to the swift and safe multi-dimensional movement of passengers within the first half of the 20th century. The Mission of the online museum of the Institute for the Preservation of Elevator History is to develop a flexible framework that will allow the individuals, companies and organizations, concerned with the preservation of elevator/escalator (and associated short-range automated transportation), to easily contribute suggestions, photos and graphics that will flesh out the structure and clarify flow of the historical content.

National Building Museum                          Http://Www.Nbm.Org/                                                                    The only institution in the United States dedicated to American achievements in architecture, construction, engineering and design.

Otis Elevator Company                                            www.otis150.com                                                                          Otis - represents 150 years of experience in both safety and quality; We have created this website to celebrate our company’s history. Here you will find interesting – and sometimes curious – facts, company pictures, introductions to our employees and retirees, and articles about Otis’ history-making achievements.