BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Industrial Archives & Library (IAL) in Bethlehem announced the donation of a significant collection of records, photographs, and drawings documenting American industrial history.
NSH USA Corporation (formerly Simmons Machine Tool Corp.) donated approximately 320 cubic feet of documents to the IAL, including detailed engineering drawings from Niles Tool Works, a company with roots dating back to 1833.
The donated materials span the late 19th century through World War II and are primarily focused on Niles machinery, which played a crucial role in the development of American industry. The drawings and photographs in this donation trace the development of Niles machine tools, including lathes, drills, planers, and vertical boring mills – many of which were instrumental in the wartime efforts of the early 20th century.
Factory floor at the Niles facility in Ohio in the early 20th century.
The Industrial Archives & Library
“We are thrilled to receive this major donation,” said Stephen Donches, President & CEO of the IAL. “The NSH USA donation represents a major addition to the collections at IAL while also dovetailing with our existing strengths in steel and transportation. The Niles machines helped shape products in the steel industry, from reprofiling railroad wheels to producing rifling for guns used by the U.S. Navy.”
The materials will join IAL’s extensive collection, which already includes significant records relating to industries such as steel, slate quarrying, coal mining, and transportation. The archives will be made available for education and research by historians, scholars, and the public.