CHNC News: Would You Work Here?

Many people know that community newspapers provide a wealth of historic information such as birth and wedding announcements, obituaries, general family news, legal notices and social news and gossip to name a few.  Some might even consider historic newspapers the Facebook of the past.  Historic community newspapers are an invaluable tool for local historical research.  But what about other types of newspapers? Are there other publications that could add to Colorado’s historical narrative?

At CHNC we think there are!  We are currently adding and exploring the addition of company newsletters.  These newsletters offer a unique view of an organization’s role in the growth and development of industry on a state and even national level. They offer a glimpse into company projects and initiatives; employee life including, hirings, promotions and employee recognitions; and often highlight important genealogical information such as birth and marriage announcements.  With information such as employee benefits and services, newsletters also offer researchers the ability to explore the history of employee and organizational relationships.  We feel that company newsletters are a wonderful resource for exploring the history of an industry and in turn the history of Colorado.

With the help of our partners at the Aurora History Museum and the Stanley Marketplace we have recently added to CHNC the Stanley Capsules, 1960-1963, published by the Stanley Aviation Corporation.  Founded in 1948 by Robert Morris Stanley, a business executive and aeronautical engineer, the Stanley Aviation Corporation is most widely known for the design and production of airplane ejection seats.  Originally based in Buffalo, New York, Stanley was awarded an ejection seat contract in 1954 and opened a new 75,000 sq ft plant in Aurora which was later expanded to 140,000 sq ft.  At this facility, which was one of the largest employers in Aurora, Stanley developed and tested numerous aviation escape and survival systems.  One of Stanley’s ejection seats which he personally invented and patented, has been credited with saving over 150 lives during the Vietnam War.

In late 2016, the Stanley Aviation building was revived with the opening of the Stanley Marketplace, a community of about 50 plus businesses from retail to fitness.  The building received major renovations but the history of the building is still alive and embraced.  We at CHNC are very excited about this new addition and we hope you are too.  We are seeking to add more newsletters from companies that have shaped Colorado’s history.  If you have a company that is important to your community history please contact me at, ljeremias@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.