Collections : [Bridgeport History Center, Bridgeport Public Library]

The thesis of Amy Heller and corresponding research notes explores the complicated history of the United Electrical, Radio and machine Works of America local 203, Bridgeport as the tensions between right and left wing factions erupted in 1944 to 1950.

Judith Muniec was a highly active force in Bridgeport's civic life, born in the city and working for the Bridgeport Post before becoming a part of the Bridgeport Public Library. Both she and her husband Victor were massive proponents of revitalizing the city through the arts, and her subject files reflect the work done to accomplish that goal.

Little information is currently available regarding the Hatfield-Crabbe Manufacturing Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It appears to have manufactured car jacks and lifts. The collection is primarily correspondence, which reflects sales, inquiries, and some development of products.

This collection contains mostly correspondence written from 1894 through 1901 by Henry Sanford, an executive of the mail-shipping firm Adams Express Company and a heavy investor in railroads, other major industries, and banks. His communiques were sent to brokers, purveyors of everyday goods, publications, friends, and relatives. Other documents concern land purchases and leases. They are joined by a small set of photographs.

The papers of Diana Lesser consist of Bridgeport Jewish Community Council and Tercentenary Committee meeting minutes, correspondence, research notes, and draft chapters, along with other book materials intended to be used for a history of Jewish life in Bridgeport. The book never came to fruition, but the drafts contain important documentation of the community.

Mary Darlington Taylor was a local writer with a wide array of historical interests. This collection is expected to grow, based on material found elsewhere in collections. As such, a full abstract and finding aid cannot be provided at this time.

Largely photocopies of newspaper articles on the Black Panthers in Bridgeport in the early 1970s, including Kelly's involvement, and the Bridgeport Fire and Police Departments. Other documents cover the Young Lords and the L'Ambiance Plaza construction disaster. A South End resource guide and two short films about firefighting in Bridgeport and on 9/11 are also included.

Featuring campaign material for mayoral, state, and national campaigns, this collection offers a snapshot of pressing issues for Bridgeporters in the mid-1980s. The material related to the mayoral primary and final campaign is of particular note thanks to the presence of Charles Tisdale's material including endorsements, material for Spanish speaking voters, and more.

Edward A. Nevins spent most of his career at the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He worked in the drafting department, eventually holding the title of chief draftsman. Present in this collection are blueprints and technical drawings for various machine parts, starting in the 1900s and ending in the 1950s.

The collection contains a series of legal and financial papers relating to the Burroughs family, particularly the papers of Stephen, Isaac, and Abijah Burroughs as well as Catherine A. Pettengill, benefactress of the Bridgeport Public Library.