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Kissel Kar Company.Records, 1905-1935, 1961.Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BQ.8 cubic ft. (2 archives boxes) |
ABSTRACT: Contains correspondence and business records (1905-1935) of the Hartford, Wisconsin company and the Kissel family, and the company's various branch agencies, including loan applications, financial papers, correspondence relating to patents, and a manuscript copy of the company's history, published in Antique Automobile magazine (September-October 1961).
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection. (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).
ARRANGEMENT: The papers are arranged alphabetically in subject folders.
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY: Louis Kissel and his two sons, George and William, formed the Kissel Motor Car Company on June 5, 1906 in Hartford, Wisconsin. Cars built by the Kissel family emphasized old world craftsmanship and attained international renown for their advanced design and outstanding performance, which helped the company to prosper. The Kissel Kar Company was part of a group of industries in Hartford owned by the Kissels which included the Hartford Plow Company, the Kissel Manufacturing Company, and the Hartford Electric Company.
During World War I the Kissel firm went into the production of trucks for the Army, and during the later months of the war devoted itself almost entirely to the production of trucks. During the war the Kissel plant employed as many as 1400 workers.
George and William Kissel suffered serious financial losses during the Great Depression, which all but wiped out the Kissel name from the automobile industry. In 1935, they organized Kissel Industries, which primarily made outboard motors for Sears, Roebuck and Co. Upon the death of George Kissel in 1942 the company was sold to the West Bend Aluminum Company.
COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:
Kissel Kar Company. Records, 1905-1935, 1961. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BQ. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
Kissel, William Louis, 1881-1972. Scrapbook. [microform], ca. 1904-1959. (Milwaukee Micro Collection 8)
West Bend Company. Records, 1911-1989. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 121 and Milwaukee Micro Collection 64)
ACQUISITION: Presented by the West Bend Aluminum Company of Hartford, Wisconsin in January 1958.
PROCESSING: Processed by S.L. Hensen on April 6, 1967. Reprocessed by James P. Kusik at the Milwaukee Area Research Center on May 3, 1994.
MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:
| MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION BQ | BOX | FOLDER |
|---|---|---|
| Aut-O-Mat Candy Sales Company, 1931-1932 | 1 | 1 |
| Ayers, Fred W., Correspondence, 1930-1931 | 1 | 2 |
| Balance Sheets, 1917-1920 | 1 | 3 |
| Chicago Kissel Kar Company, 1908-1909 | 1 | 4 |
| Detroit Kissel Kar Company, 1911-1912 | 1 | 5 |
| Hartford Golf Club, 1932-1935 | 1 | 6 |
| Hartford Plow Company, 1905-1910 | 1 | 7 |
| History, E.E. Husting, 1961 | 1 | 8 |
| Kansas City Kissel Kar Company, 1911-1914 | 1 | 9 |
| Kissel Kar Klub, 1976 | 1 | 10 |
| Kissel Model 6-55, undated | 1 | 11 |
| Loan Applications and Miscellaneous Financial Material, 1930-1935 | 2 | 1-2 |
| Maps and Blueprints, 1917-1932 | 2 | 3 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul Papers, 1911-1917 | 2 | 4 |
| Miscellaneous Business Papers, 1911-1930 | 2 | 5 |
| New England Kissel Kar Branch, 1911-1914 | 2 | 6 |
| Patent Material and Correspondence, 1912-1926 | 2 | 8 |
| Southwest Kissel Kar Branch, Dallas, 1911-1918 | 2 | 7 |
| World War I Material and Correspondence, 1917-1920 | 2 | 9 |
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Last edited on Tuesday, May 21, 2002.
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