Processing, Conserving, and Digitizing the Photographic Archives of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 1912-1951

FAIN: PW-50583-10

University of Akron, Main Campus (Akron, OH 44325-0001)
S. Victor Fleischer (Project Director: July 2009 to August 2012)

The cataloging, digitizing, and rehousing of 29,200 still images that document the history of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company from 1912 to 1951.

In mid 2008, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company donated an extensive company archive of historic images to The University of Akron Archival Services. The collection consists of 83,485 separate folders containing approximately 250,000 images including rare glass plate, nitrate, and acetate negatives, as well as photographic prints spanning the period from 1912 to 1984. The Collection visually chronicles the rich and diverse history of the largest and most influential rubber company in the world. The significance of the collection lies in its multi-dimensional documentation of 20th century history. Due to Goodyear's involvement in a number of areas, the company's influence has touched many aspects of American's industrial, cultural, and social lives. Consequently, the images document a variety of themes important in American history that provide research value to scholars and students.