578 - Prince Shotoku brought Kongo family members from Baekje, Korea to Japan to build Buddhist Shitennoji Temple; founded Kongo Gumi Co., Ltd. (Kabushiki Gaisha Kongo Gumi), specialized in Buddhist temple construction; world's oldest continuously operating family business (stable industry, flexible succession planning); 2003 - revenues more than $90 million; 2004 - 80% of $67.6 million revenues from temple construction; 2005 - over 100 employees, annual revenue of $70 million; Masakazu Kongo (last president), 40th Kongo to lead firm; January 2006 - debt of $343 million, no longer able to pay debt service; into liquidation due to excess debt to invest in real estate, declining contributions to temples; assets acquired by Takamatsu Corporation (large Japanese construction company); operates as subsidiary.

Prince Shotoku - Kongo Gumi Co., Ltd. (http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/aalondon2003/hawthorn/im1-14.jpg)

1624 - Edmund Gunter introduced surveyor's chain (measurement of length).

April 8, 1766 - A London watchmaker received first patent for a fire escape, a wicker basket on a pulley and a chain.

March 10, 1791 - John Stone of Concord, MA received a patent for "Driving Piles for Bridges, etc."; pile driver; June 26, 1847 - James Nasmyth, of Patricroft, England, received a U. S. patent for a "Pile Driver" ("Steam Pile Driver").

August 2, 1791 - Samuel Briggs and his son, Samuel Briggs, Jr., of Philadelphia, PA, became first father-son pair to receive  joint U.S. patent, for a "Machine for Making Nails".

March 23, 1795 - Josiah G. Pierson, of New York, NY, received a patent for a "Machine for Cutting Nails".

February 1, 1820 - Canvass White, of Oneida, NY, an engineer building the Erie Canal, received a patent for "Waterproof Cement"; cement that hardened under water (water-proof mortar joints); 1818 - canal contractors accidentally found a natural cement rock, type of limestone that could be pulverized into a powder and when mixed with sand, would harden when put in water; White improved the process by calcining the local stone to make a quick-lime mortar.

October 21, 1824 - Joseph Aspdin (Yorkshire, England), a stone mason, received British patent for Portland cement (manufactured counterpart to natural or Roman cement); made by burning finely pulverized lime and clay at high temperatures in kilns to produce a hydraulic cement - hardened with addition of water; named "portland cement" to distinguish it from Roman cement and as marketing tool: resembled highly prized building stone quarried on Isle of Portland off British coast.

June 14, 1834 - Isaac Fischer, Jr., of Springfield, VT, received two patents for "Coating Paper"; sandpaper.

February 24, 1839 - William S. Otis, of Philadelphia, PA, received a patent for a "Crane-Excavator for Excavating and Removing Earth" ("for the construction of railroads, canals or other purposes where excavation may be necessary"); steam shovel.

March 27, 1849 - Joseph J. Couch, of North Bridgewater, MA,  received a patent for a "Drilling Machine" ("Machinery for Drilling Rocks"); steam-powered percussion rock drill driven by steam power, acted independently of gravity.

Frederick Grinnell - Grinnell Fire Protection Systems Co. (http://www.rpi.edu/dept/NewsComm/sub/fame/image/frederickgrinnell.jpg)

August 22, 1854 - Halcyon Skinner and William Greenhalgh, of West Farms, NY, received a patent for an "Improved Carpenter's Gage" ""various operations in carpentry hitherto requiring the employment of several distinct and costly instruments may al be accomplished by the use of one of our improved gages").

February 10, 1863 - Alanson Crane, of Fortress Monroe, VA, received a patent for "Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers" for buildings; water pipe under the foundation of the outside wall supplied vertical pipe leading up inside of wall to one or more perforated pipes extending horizontally throughout the building; included stop clock with locking cover that could be operated outside wall by authorized person in event of fire when building was unoccupied; water could flood floors, quickly extinguish a fire.

1866 - Henry A. Sherwin invested $2,000, became partner in Truman Dunham & Co., sellers of paint ingredients; February 3, 1870 - business divided, Sherwin took paint, varnish products, formed  Sherwin, Williams & Co. organized with Edward P. Williams, Alanson T. Osborn;  first year sales of $422,000; August 28, 1877 - Sherwin received a patent for "Improvement in Packing or Shipping Cans", re-sealable tin can; 1878 - ready-made paint debuted; 1879 - first Sherwin-Williams agency opened in Chicago; 1884 - incorporated; 1896 - first advertised nationally in Ladies Home Journal; August 14, 1906 - registered "Cover the Earth" trademark first used in 1893 (mixed paints, painters' colors, stains, and oils); 1909 - sales of $10 million; became one of the world's leading companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers; April 20, 1948 - registered "Sherwin-Williams" trademark first used in 1878 (paints, paint enamels, varnishes, lacquers, wood stains, undercoaters, and paste and liquid waxes and polishes for paint).

Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams - Sherwin-Williams (http://www.sherwin-industria.com.ar/images/generales/hist_henry_sherwin.gif)

July 16, 1867 - Joseph Monier, a gardener (not engineer) in Paris,  received a patent for cement flower pots reinforced with iron-wire mesh embedded in concrete; August 13, 1873 - extended patent to construction of bridges, footpaths; 1884 - sold patents to Gustav A. Wayss, Frankfurt building contractor.

July 16, 1867 - D.R. Averill, of Newberg, OH, received a patent for an "Improved Paint-Compound"; first prepared, or "ready-mixed" paint in the U.S.; previously, home owners mixed their own paint from a base, oil, turpentine and pigments.

1868 - John Augustus McNear purchased property in San Rafael, CA from the estate of Timoteo Murphy (granted 22,000 acres of land at San Rafael, the ranchos of Las Gallinas, San Pedro, and Santa Margarita in 1844); most valuable clay in state for manufacture of brick; 1898 - with Erskine B. McNear (son) built large brick manufacturing plant along point San Pedro, San Pablo Bay; named E.B. McNear Brick Company; 1961 - became the L.P. McNear Brick Company, run by Lawrence P. McNear, Sr.; 2005 - Jeff McNear, president, fourth generation owner; California's oldest manufacturer of brick.

July 14, 1868 - Alvin J. Fellows of New Haven, CT, received a patent for an "Improvement in Tape Measures" ("new and useful Improvement in Spring Measuring Tapes").

1870 - Garth Quarry opened in Minffordd ('roadside' in Welsh) within Welsh county of Gwynedd; produced granite setts for transport to developing towns and cities by newly opened Cambrian Railways; 2011 - produces roadstone, railway ballast.

May 31, 1870 - Professor Edward J. de Smedt, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Improvement in Asphalt Roads and Pavements"; sheet asphalt pavement;  July 29, 1870 - laid first sheet asphalt pavement on William Street n front of the City Hall in Newark, NJ (became the inspector of asphalt and cements for the District of Columbia; 1904 - only 141 miles were surfaced; 1916 - commonplace; natural asphalt deposits exist but almost all asphalt used commercially made from petroleum.

October 18, 1870 - Benjamin C. Tilghman, of Philadelphia, PA, received patent for "Cutting and Engraving Stone, Metal, Glass, etc."; sandblastiing; compressed air forced sand as an abrasive material through nozzle of sandblasting gun; November 26, 1872 - received patent for "Improvement in Cutting Stone and Other Hard Substances".

September 26, 1871 - David Oliver Saylor, of Allentown, PA,  received patent for "Improvement in the Manufacture of Cements"; mixture of magnesium clay with limestone clay; portland cement; 1852 - Englishman William Aspdin had received patent for "Portland cement," and coined name; 1868 - first recorded shipment of portland cement to the US when European manufacturers began shipping cement as ballast in tramp steamers at very low freight rates.

March 26, 1872 - Thomas J. Martin, of Dowagiac, MI, received a patent  for a "Fire Extinguisher" ("Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing, and Warming, Ventilating, and Washing Buildings").

September 17, 1872 - Phillip W. Pratt, of Abington, MA, received a patent for "Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers"; sprinkler system for extinguishing fires.

August 11, 1874 - Henry S. Parmalee, of New Haven, CT, received a patent for "Fire-Extinguishers" ("a device for attachment to distributing-pipes in buildings for extinguishing fires, the construction being such that the heat which may be generated in the apartment will automatically open the valve and allow the discharge of water"); sprinkler head.

March 1875 - Francis Harrington Glidden (42), Levi Rackett, Thomas Bolles founded Glidden, Brackett & Co., Cleveland varnish-making business; 1894 -renamed The Glidden Varnish Company; 1917 - acquired by syndicate headed by Adrian B. Joyce (formerly with Sherwin-Williams); incorporated as The Glidden Company; mid-1929 - acquired Durkee & Co., leading manufacturer of salad dressings, meat sauces, pickles, spices, condiments for $1.8 million; food subsidiary renamed Durkee Famous Foods, Inc. April 29, 1952 - Glidden Company registered "Glidden" trademark first used in 1870 (marine, house, roof, aluminum, metal, maintenance industrial, graphic arts, and implement paints, both exterior and interior, and in ready-mixed, paste or powder form, etc.); 1967 - merged with SCM Corporation (formerly Smith-Corona) in $251 million deal, became largest division; 1986 - SCM acquired by Hanson Trust PLC; sold Glidden's American, Canadian operations to Imperial Chemical Industries PLC)for $580 million, created ICI Paints, world's leading paint manufacturer, leader in do-it-yourself paint market; 2008 - second leading manufacturer of decorative paints, coatings in United States.

Francis H. Glidden - Glidden paints (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c8/Francis_Harrington_Glidden.jpg/150px-Francis_Harrington_Glidden.jpg)

1877 - Amzi Lorenzo Barber obtained franchise to procure asphalt from great pitch lake on Island of Trinidad; 1884 - nationwide monopoly on Trinidad deposit; 1888 - his Trinidad Asphalt Company controlled all leases on deposit; controlled world's chief source of asphalt for some 20 years (became known as "Asphalt King"); June 1899 - incorporated the Asphalt Company of America.

July 16, 1878 - Thaddeus Hyatt, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Composition Floors, Roofs, Pavements, etc."; reinforced concrete reinforced concrete combined with iron as a building material (economy of construction, securityagainst fire in making of roofs, floors, walking surface).

April 8, 1879 - Black American inventor Joseph R. Winters, of , Chambersburg, PA, received a patent for a "Fire-Escape Ladder".

1880 - George Wimpey established George Wimpey and Company, stone working business in Hammersmith, UK; became contractor, responsible for major building projects, new road and tramway contracts throughout London; 1919 - acquired by G W Mitchell; expanded road contracting business, led Wimpey into house building. The period between the two world wars saw Wimpey established as a household name in the fields of building and civil engineering; 1950s - built 18,000 local authority dwellings a year; 1970s - became UK's largest private house builder (sold 106,440 homes in decade); 1996 - acquired McLean Homes from Tarmac, became one of world's largest private housebuilders; exited construction, quarry business; July 3, 2007 - merged with Taylor Woodrow plc, formed Taylor Wimpey plc.

May 1, 1884 - Construction began in Chicago on first skyscraper (ten-story steel-skeleton Home Insurance Company of New York); designed by Major William Le Baron Jenney; frame carried entire weight of building, marble used on walls of building, with four columns of polished granite supporting a a marble balcony; Fall 1885 - work finished.

1885 - Howard Sprague Wright, cabinetmaker, draftsman and framing superintendent from Nova Scotia, founded construction company in Port Townsend, WA; moved company to Everett, WA, then Seattle; became premier general contractor; 1920s - son and son-in-law joined company; 1950s - third generation joined family business; early 1960s - selected primary builder for Century 21 World's Fair in Seattle (Space Needle).

August 10, 1886 - Elihu Thomson, of Lynn, MA, received a patent for an "Apparatus for Electric Welding" ("for forming joints between metal wires, bars, and the like by the agency of an electric current").

1887 - Frederick York Wolseley founded Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Limited in Sydney, Australia; 1889 - moved to England; 1896 - first Wolseley motor car rolled off production line in Birmingham (Herbert Austin as works manager, left in 1905 to start Austin Motor Company); 1901 - motor car, machine tool businesses sold to Vickers Son and Maxim Limited (became Rover Group); concentrated efforts on manufacture, marketing of sheep shearing, other agricultural equipment; May 1, 1958 - merged with Geo H Hughes, manufacturer of wheels for prams, later wheels for industrial use; renamed Wolseley-Hughes (Wolseley sales of £1.2 million, Hughes sales of £900,000, about 1000 total employees);  August 1, 1973 - established Wolseley-Hughes Merchants to distribute spare parts for burners, began to distribute domestic system radiators and boilers; 1976 - Jeremy Lancaster (son) took over; began rapid expansion; 1979 - acquired John James Group of Companies Limited (several manufacturing companies, significant distributor of industrial pipe, valves, fittings); 1982 - acquired Ferguson Enterprises (distributor of plumbing supplies with around 50 branches on East Coast of United States); 1984 - sold original engineering companies (Wolseley Webb, Hughes), focused on distribution businesses; 1985 - established Wolseley Centers to distribute building products; April 14, 1986 - renamed Wolseley plc; 1992 - acquired Brossette (France's leading supplier of plumbing supplies), moved into Austria, Hungary, Germany, Czech Republic; struck deal with OAG Gruppe (Austria); became world leader in plumbing, heating supplies; 1998 - acquired 6 companies in US; 2000 - sold boiler, burner businesses; sold most of manufacturing businesses to Cinven for around £215 million; 2001 - fully exited manufacturing industry, now completely focused on distribution activities; 2007 - sales of £16.2 billion, net profit of £877 million, 75,000 employees, 5,000 branches in 27 countries; 2008 - global brand, one of world's largest specialist trade distributors (building materials, lumber products and industrial pipes, valves, fittings); world's number one heating, plumbing distributor to professional market, leading supplier of building materials; doubled in size every 5 to 7 years over company's history.

Frederick York Wolseley -  Wolseley plc (http://www.wolseleycarclubnz.co.nz/images/Frederick_York_Wolseley.jpg)

1888 - Augustine Sackett invented, developed plasterboard (modern version of gypsum board); May 22, 1894 - received a patent for an "Inside-Wall Covering" ("to provide boards or plates which may be used as a substitute for lath and plaster as a material for forming the inner walls of houses or rooms"); layered wall covering of paper and plaster (gypsum drywall), changed how houses were built; faster to install than conventional plaster, produced more fire-resistant structures than traditional building techniques.

Augustine Sackett - plasterboard (http://www.sackettfamily.info/tekdatabase/gthumbs/e380.jpg)

1888 - Charles Lindgren, James Boyd, Frank Sharples founded Boyd, Sharples & Lindgren in Los Angeles as brick masons, contractors; July 1889 - out of business; Lindgren helped to reconstruct Bakersfield, CA after fire; 1900 - formed partnership with Berkeley engineer Lewis Hicks expert in steel-reinforced concrete construction; formed Lindgren Hicks; 1908 - partnership ended; formed C. J. Lindgren Co.; hired Alfred Bingham Swinerton as estimator; incorporated in State of California; 1911 - shareholder, member of Lindgren's board of directors; 1913 - named vice-president (Lindgren died); built French Pavilion, Exposition Auditorium for Pan Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco Public Library, Southern Pacific Building, Camp Fremont (San Mateo), Pacific Telephone and Telegraph building, Francis Drake Hotel; 1923 - name changed to Lindgren & Swinerton, Inc.; 1929 - 92nd company out of some 28,000 to apply for licenses (required by new law passed by California legislature); retains license number 92 to present day; failed bids for Boulder Dam, Golden Gate Bridge; 1942 - became general partnership called Swinerton & Walberg; May 1963 - William Swinerton (son) named president; 1976 - became 100 percent employee-owned; 1996 - Swinerton group organized under umbrella company Swinerton Inc.; 2000 - revenues over $1 billion.

William Swinerton - Swinerton Inc. (http://california.construction.com/images/0410_B_Swinerton.jpg)

May 22, 1888 - Architect Leroy S. Buffington, of Minneapolis, MN, received a patent for "Iron Building Construction" ("in a manner that will practically obviate undue expansion and contraction during the extremes of heat and cold...novel construction and arrangement of the stairs and elevator-shafts whereby there is attained the necessary strength and stability, together with compactness and utilization of the space to the best advantage...improved plan of floors, and means of bracing the iron beams in fire-proof floors"); system for building skyscrapers using metal skeleton frame (made building tall structures feasible).

1889 - Arthur James Arnot, William Blanch Brain invented electric drill in Melbourne, Australia.

May 4, 1892 - Thomas. L. Wilson in Spray, NC discovered, by accident, process for commercial production of acetylene; experiment to produce metallic calcium was unsuccessful,  dumped slaglike waste product in a nearby stream, water reacted with the slag and liberated acetylene gas; founded Wilson Aluminum Company to produce acetylene on a commercial scale.

January 16, 1894 - Theodore Witte, of Chilliwhack, BC, received a patent for a "Puttying-Tool"; improved application "of putty to window sashes and similar things".

1895 - Wilhelm Emil Fein invented hand-held, portable electric drill in Stuttgart, Germany.

1895 - Russell Hinton began career as desk polisher in San Francisco; 1978 - Bob Mengarelli, former sales representative for Russell Hinton Company, became sole owner, President; grew into full service, premier painting, decorating firm; 1985 - added drywall division (drywall, metal framing, rocking, taping for interior tenant improvements).

June 1, 1897 - Crystal Chemical Works opened first rock wool factory in U.S. in Alexandria, IN; local limestone rock melted in  specially designed water-jacketed cupola, blown by steam pressure to form fine wool-like threads; insect-proof, fireproof, useful insulating material, desirable packing for walls, covering for steam boilers, etc.

1900 - Edmund O. Wattis, William H. Wattis, and Warren L. Wattis founded Utah Construction Company; name changed to Utah Construction and Mining, eventually to Utah International;  1976 - merged with General Electric.

March 4, 1902 - Ernest L. Ransome, of New York, NY, received a patent for "Concrete Construction" ("construction of buildings of reinforced concrete").

May 6, 1902 - Henry C. Turner, civil engineer, founded Turner Construction Company at 11 Broadway in New York with capital of $25,000; 1929 - volume of $44 million; 1941 - J. A. (Archie) Turner (youngest brother) assumed control; January 1947 - Henry Chandler Turner, Jr. (eldest son) elected President; 1951 - volume exceeded $100 million; 1965 - Howard Sinclair Turner (Archie's son) assumed Presidency; 1969 - went public; 1970 - Howard Sinclair Turner named chairman; 1977 - sales exceeded $1 billion; 1984 - Turner Corporation formed; 1999 - acquired by HOCHTIEF AG; 2001 - sales of $6.3 billion.

1907 - Einar Kornerup founded masonry business in Denmark; evolved into broadly based contracting company; developed from personally owned business to joint-stock company led by professional management with family holding majority of shares.

January 22, 1907 - Thomas Edison received a patent for an "Apparatus for Grinding and Separating Fine Materials" ("especially designed for use in the manufacture of Portland cement").

1908 - Danish immigrant Joseph Nielsen founded J. Nielsen & Co., small, one-man shop, in Round Hill, VA; 1924 - acquired W.M. Bucher & Son, prominent builder in Shenandoah Valley; 1951 - incorporated, renamed Nielsen Construction Co.; 1961 - Samuel Shrum succeeded as company president; 1996 - formed parent company, form the parent company of Nielsen Builders;  2008 - 230 people, more than $80 million of project revenue.

James Fletcher (sitting, 3rd from left) - Fletcher Construction (http://www.fletchersince1909.com/timeline/images/1910_image_03.jpg)

January 12, 1909 - Thomas A. Edison received two patents for "Waterproofing-Paint for Portland-Cement Buildings" ("so that the paint will be very permanent") and for "Waterproofing-Paint for Portland-Cement Structures".

June 1, 1909 - Thomas A. Edison received a patent for "Shaft-Coupling" ("for use with heavy shafting where the power transmitted is of great magnitude, as for example in the driving of rolls used in the crushing of Portland cement clinker").

May 23, 1911 - Thomas Edison received a patent for a "Device for Feeding Pulverulent Material" ("apparatus for continuously and uniformly feeding very finely, pulverulent material in any industrial art where an approximately uniform feed is necessary... fine ground cement rock and limestone that is use in the manufacture of Portland cement").

1915 - The British Plaster Board Ltd. founded; 1917 - incorporated as private company; 1932 - went public; 1953 - acquired C Davidson & Sons Limited (owned Abertay Paper Sacks), became one of largest producers in world of paper bags; 1954 - acquired Westroc Industries Limited, major move into Canadian, North American markets; 1965 - name of parent company changed to BPB Industries Ltd.; 1968 - acquired British Gypsum Limited, became market leader in building, industrial products; 1987 - acquired Rigips brand (major international expansion in Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands), became one of leaders in building plasters, specialist and industrial plasters, plasterboard liner, packaging boards; 2000 - became number one in Europe for EPS Insulation material; 2005 - acquired by Saint-Gobain, organized within Saint-Gobain's Construction Products Sector.

November 6, 1917 - S. Duncan Black, Alonzo G. Decker received a patent for an "Electrically-Driven Tool"; hand-held drill combined pistol grip, trigger switch; assigned to The Black & Decker Manufacturing Company.

1921 - Frank Taylor (16) borrowed £100 to build 2 houses in Blackpool, UK (made 100% profit on venture); Jack Woodrow, uncle, lent name to  business, formed 'Taylor Woodrow'; 1937 - formed Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd; 1954 - over 250 projects around world; 2004 - Building Magazine declared Taylor Woodrow ‘Major Housebuilder Of The Year’; completed company’s transformation into leading housebuilder in UK building industry; July 3, 2007 - merged with George Wimpey Plc; formed Taylor Wimpey plc.

1923 - O.G. Bradbury, trained carpenter and millwright, began O.G. Bradbury, Contractor, in Albuqerque, NM; Highland Park Bandstand (1923) in Albuquerque first commercial/public job; 1946 - Robert Stamm (son-in-law) joined company as a laborer; 1958 - became partner, company incorporated, name changed to Bradbury & Stamm Construction Company, Inc.

1928 - Del Webb established contracting business in Arizona; built entire cities for military; 1945 - Webb, partner bought New York Yankees (owned team for 20 years); January 1, 1960 - Sun City, innovative community designed exclusively for retired people, opened; built Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas for underworld figure Bugsy Siegel; July 31, 2001 - merged with of Pulte Homes, Inc.; formed nation's largest homebuilding company ( $14.7 billion).

July 7, 1936 - Henry F. Phillips, of Portland, OR, received a patent for a "Screw" ('...improvements in any type of screw formed with a tool-engaging recess in one of its ends'); received second patent for a "Means for Uniting a Screw with a Driver" ('...composite structure of a screw and a tool or driver...when brought together in the ordinary manner of presenting a screw driver to a screw, will cause the two to become securely united').

October 11, 1938 - Games Slayter, of Newark, OH (vice-president, Research and Development of newly formed Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation), received a patent for a "Method and Apparatus for Making Glass Wool" (flexible glass wool -  Fiberglas) and a patent for "Textile Material"; Slayter and John H. Thomas received patent for "Glass Wool and Method and Apparatus for Making Same" and another patent for "Glass Fabric"; sought to make a finer glass fiber material (instead of natural or other synthetic fibers); assigned patents to Owens-Illinois Glass Co.

November 1, 1938 - Owens-Illinois and Corning Glass Works announced formation of Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation as an independent company to develop glass-fiber products; reported sales of $2,555,000, and 632 employees; December 31, 1971 - sales surpassed the $half billion; August 15, 1980 - the Pink Panther, cartoon character, became corporate mascot to promote the sales of PINK Fiberglas insulation; January 2, 1996 - name changed to Owens Corning; 1999 - sales exceeded $5 billion.

1947 - Chung Ju Yung founded Hyundai Group as engineering, construction company.

September 7, 1948 - First use of synthetic rubber in asphaltic concrete occurred in Akron, OH.

1961 - Black and Decker introduced first cordless drill (developed by Robert H. Riley, Jr. who focused on battery technology for drills that would allow workman to complete installations without additional source of electricity; October 19, 1965 - Riley, of Towson, MD and Daniel M. Elligson, of Baltimore, MD, received a patent for a "Heavy-Duty Industrial-Type Battery Powered Electric Drill" - cordless electric drill; assigned to Black & Decker Manufacturing Company).

March 2, 1987 - Government officials reported that median price for new home topped $100,000 for first time.

March 2008 - Industry faltered - annual rate of change in spending over 24-month periods:

(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/03/08/business/08charts-gobig.jpg)

May 2008 - Hispanics in construction

(source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Moody's Economy.com; http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/05/13/business/0509-biz-webHISPANICS2.gif)

October 24, 2008 - Chinese government made efforts to support real estate prices; central bank told commercial banks to reduce mortgage rates, down payment amounts for first mortgage applicants, stamp tax on real estate purchases (for first-time home buyers of apartments less than 1,000 sq. ft.)

(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/24/business/24chinabank-graf01.jpg)

November 18, 2008 - National Association of Home Builders reported its  monthly NAHB/Wells Fargo housing market index (calculated since January 1985) plunged five points to record low 9 (peaked at 72 during height of housing bubble)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pMscxxELHEg/SSMEHF2aJzI/AAAAAAAADyM/7p1nS-CnQRE/s1600/NAHBNovember2008.jpg)

September 2010 - 1) rapid decline in nonresidential construction spending for almost every category; 2) private residential construction spending peaked in 2006 (as Americans spent $643 billion on building homes and apartments, 55% of total construction spending, unprecedented since government began collecting data in 1960s); down more than 60% in early 2010 to $243 billion; 3) publicly financed construction (roads, schools, sewers) largest of three categories. Figures below - in real dollars, unadjusted for inflation.

(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/11/05/business/ 20101106_CHARTS_graphic/20101106_CHARTS_graphic-popup.jpg)

(American Standard Inc.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (1999). The History of American Standard. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 175 p.). American Standard, Inc.--History; Heating equipment industry--United States--History; Air conditioning equipment industry--United States--History; Plumbing equipment industry--United States--History.

(American Terra Cotta Corporation), George A. Berry III, with Sharon S. Darling (2003). Common Clay: A History of American Terra Cotta Corporation, 1881-1966. (Crystal Lake, IL: TCR Corp., 312 p.). American Terra Cotta Corporation--History; Terra-cotta industry--Middle West; Architectural terra-cotta--Middle West; Decoration and ornament, Architectural--Middle West; Building, Terra-cotta--Middle West; Prairie school (Architecture)--Middle West.

(Argus Construction), Lynn Donohue, with Pamela Hunt (2000). Brick by Brick: A Woman's Journey. (New Bedford, MA: Spinner Publications, 269 p.). Donohue, Lynn, 1957- ; Argus Construction Corporation--History; Businesswomen--Massachusetts--New Bedford--Biography; Women-owned business enterprises--Massachusetts--New Bedford--Case studies.

(Atlas Portland Cement Company), Gregg Andrews (1996). City of Dust: A Cement Company in the Land of Tom Sawyer. (Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 360 p.). Portland cement industry--Missouri--Ilasco--History; Working class--Missouri--Ilasco--History; Ilasco (Mo.)--History; Ilasco (Mo.)--Social conditions.

(Associated General Contractors), Booth Mooney (1965). Builders for Progress; The Story of the Associated General Contractors of America. (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 194 p.). Associated General Contractors of America; Construction industry--United States--History; Contractors--United States.

(Austin Bridge Company), Shannon Miller (1974). The First 50 Years, 1918-1968; Austin Bridge Company and Associated Companies. (Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub. Co., 204 p.). Austin Bridge Company; Construction industry--Texas.

(Austin Company), Martin Greif (1978). The New Industrial Landscape: The Story of the Austin Company. (Clinton, NJ: Main Street Press, 192 p.). Austin Company--History.

(Baulderstone Hornibrook), Bob Mierisch (2000). On the Level: A Story about Striving for Openness To Build Corporate Strength. (Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press, 183 p.). Mierisch, Bob; Baulderstone Hornibrook--History; Businessmen--Australia--Biography; Industrialists--Australia--Biography; Construction industry--Australia--History; Construction industry--Public relations--Australia--Case studies; Business ethics--Australia--Case studies.

(Beck Companies), Bill Sloan (1987). The Pursuit of Excellence: The Story of the Beck Companies. (Dallas, TX: HCB Contractors, 122 p.). HCB Contractors--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Contractors--United States--History.

(Bovis Ltd.), Peter Cooper (2000). Building Relationships: The History of Bovis, 1885-2000. (London, UK: Cassell & Co., 240 p.). Bovis Ltd.--History; Construction industry--History; Construction industry--Great Britain--History.

(BPB Industries), John Routley (1959). A Saga of British Industry: The Story of the British Plaster Board Group. (Wallesley, Cheshire: British Plaster Board, Ltd, 172 p.). BPB Industries (British Plaster Board); Construction industry--Great Britain.

(BPB Industries), David Jenkins (1973). The History of BPB Industries. (Wallesley, Cheshire, UK: BPB Industries, 147 p.). BPB Industries (British Plaster Board); Construction industry--Great Britain.

(Brasfield & Gorrie), Leah Rawls Atkins (2002). The Building of Brasfield & Gorrie. (Birmingham, AL: Brasfield & Gorrie, 346 p.). Brasfield & Gorrie; Construction industry--Alabama.

(Butterley Brick Limited), Roy Christian (1990). Butterley Brick: 200 Years in the Making. (Lonson, UK: Henry Melland, 256 p.). Butterley Brick Limited; Bricks; Brickmaking; Bricks Derbyshire (England).

(Cianbro Corp), Ann McGowan (1998). The First 50 Year History of Cianbro, the Constructors: 1949-1999. (Pittsfield, MA: Cianbro Corp., 142 p.). Cianbro Corporation--History--20th century; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century.

(Consolidated Rock Products), Scott J. Wilcott (2001). Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares: The Story of Consolidated Rock Products, Conrock, Calmat 1929-1990. (Los Angeles, CA: S. J. Wilcott, 112 p.). Consolidated Rock Products Co.--History; Conrock (Company)--History; Calmat (Company)--History; Mineral industries--United States.

(J. A. Construction), Beth Laney Smith, Karen Trogdon Kluever (1989). Jones Construction Centennial: Looking Back, Moving Forward, 1890-1990. (Charlotte, NC: Laney-Smith, distributed by Jones Group, 194 p.). J.A. Construction--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Darling and Hodgson), Rosemary Hayward and Nancy Stratten (1984). A Foundation for the Future: The Darling and Hodgson Story, 1934-1984. (Johannesburg, SA: J. Ball Publishers, 306 p.). Darling and Hodgson (Johannesburg, South Africa)--History; Construction industry--South Africa--History.

(Dillingham Corporation), Paul T. Yardley (1981). Millstones and Milestones: The Career of B.F. Dillingham, 1844-1918. (Honolulu, HI: Published for the B.F. Dillingham Co. by University Press of Hawaii, 330 p.). Dillingham, Benjamin Franklin, 1844-1918; Businesspeople--Hawaii--Biography; Hawaii--History.

(Dominion Construction Company), Shirley F. Bentall (1986). The Charles Bentall Story: A Man of Industry and Integrity. (Vancouver, BC: Bentall Group, 198 p.). Bentall, Charles, 1882-1974; Dominion Construction Company -- History; Industrialists -- Canada -- Biography; Vancouver (B.C.) -- Biography.

(Eastern), Faye Mingo (1995). A Winning Combination: The History of Eastern Woodworkers, Eastern Contracting, and Eastern Manufacturing. (Hantsport, NS: Lancelot Press, 128 p.). Mingo, Harold; Mingo, Dudley; Mingo, Ernest; Eastern (Firm)--History; Construction industry--Nova Scotia--History; Businessmen--Nova Scotia--Biography; Nova Scotia--Biography.

(Eichler Homes), Jerry Ditto and Lanning Stern (1995). Eichler Homes: Design for Living. (San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 119p.). Eichler, Joseph L., b. 1900; Industrialists--California--Biography; Construction industry--California--History--20th century; Prefabricated houses--United States--History.

(Eichler Homes), Paul Adamson, Marty Arbunich (2002). Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream. (Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, p.). Eichler, Joseph L., b. 1900; Industrialists--California--Biography; Construction industry--California--History--20th century; Architecture, Domestic--United States--History--20th century; Architecture, Modern--United States--History--20th century; Middle class--Housing--United States--History--20th century; Real estate development--Social aspects--United States--History--20th century.

(John Fleming & Company), Richard Perren (1977). John Fleming & Company, limited, 1877-1977. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Aberdeen University Press, 96 p.). John Fleming & Company; Construction industry--Great Britain; Housing--Great Britain--History--20th century.

(Fletcher Holdings), Selwyn Parker (1994). Made in New Zealand: The Story of Jim Fletcher. (Auckland, NZ: Hodder & Stoughton, 250 p.). Fletcher, Jim, 1914- ; Fletcher Holdings (Firm)--History; Businesspeople--New Zealand--Biography; Industrialists--New Zealand--Biography.

(Foley Brothers), Foley Brothers (1945). Seventy Years, The Foley Saga. (Los Angeles, CA: Printed by Anderson & Ritchie, the Ward Ritchie press, 194 p.). Construction industry--History; Railroads--United States--Construction; Railroads--Canada--Construction.

(Fougerolle), Dominique Barjot (1992). Fougerolle: Deux Siècles de Savoir-Faire. (Caen, FR: Editions du Lys, 286 p.). Fougerolle (Firm)--History; Construction industry--France--History; Public works--France--History. I

(Gene B. Glick Co.), Gene Glick (1997). Born to Build: The Story of the Gene B. Glick Company. (Camel, IN: Guild Press of Indiana, 261 p.). Glick, Gene, 1921- ; Gene B. Glick Co.--History; Businessmen--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History; Real estate management--United States--History.

(Harbert Corporation), Leah Rawls Atkins (1999). John M. Harbert III: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer. (Birmingham, AL: Tarva House, 233 p.). Harbert, John M.; Harbert Corporation--History; Businessmen--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History.

(James Hardie Industries), Gideon Haigh (2006). Asbestos House: The Secret History of James Hardie Industries. (Carlton North, Vic, AU: Scribe, 448 p.). 448 p. James Hardie Industries--History; Asbestos industry--Health aspects--Australia; Building materials industry--Australia--History; Asbestos--Toxicology--Australia; Asbestos abatement--Australia. Not breaking the law is not the same as morally acceptable behavior. James Hardie's indifference to lethal effects of asbestos.

(Hobart Brothers Company), Peter C. Hobart, Michael W. Williams (2004). The Industrial Hobarts: One Family's Story Through the American Century. (Virginia Beach, VA: Donning, 254 p.). Hobart family; Hobart Brothers Company--History; Welding equipment industry--United States--History; Electric generators--United States--History; Aerospace engineering--United States--Equipment and supplies--History; Welding--United States--Automation--History; Welding--Study and teaching--History.

(Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff), researched and written by Kathi Ann Brown (1989). Diversity by Design: Celebrating 75th Years of Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff, 1914-1989 (New York, NY: Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff, 137 p.). Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff; Bridge construction industry--United States--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Hubbard Construction), Ormund Powers (1982). One Man, One Mule, One Shovel. (Winter Park, FL: Anna Pub., 314 p.). Hubbard Construction Company--History--20th century; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century.

(Hunting Gate Group), W.J. Reader (1983). To Have and to Hold: An Account of Frederick Bandet's Life in Business (Hitchin, Hertfordshire: Hunting Gate Group, 277 p.).

(Impresa Rosso), A Cura di Valerio Castronovo, Roberto Gabetti e Aimaro Isola (1995). L’Impresa Rosso: Note Sul Settore Edilizio a Torino Negli Ultimi Cinquant’Anni. (Torino, IT: Pluriverso, 201 p.). Impresa Rosso--History; Construction industry--Italy--Turin--History; Apartment houses--Italy--Turin.

(Indiana Builders Association), A Wolliam Carson (1994). High Pitches and Other Tall Tales: A Mirror into the Soul of Housing and Politics. (Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Builders Association, 186 p.). Carson, A. William; Indiana Builders Association--History; Industrialists--Indiana--Biography; Construction industry--Indiana--History; Lobbyists--Indiana--Biography; Construction industry--Indiana.

(Irby Construction Co.), Carroll Brinson (1980). The Stuart C. Irby Story. (Jackson, MI: Oakdale Press, 187 p.). Irby, Stuart C., 1888-1979; Stuart C. Irby Co.--History; Irby Construction Co.--History; Electric industries--Mississippi--Biography; Construction industry--Mississippi--Biography.

(Jennings Industries), Don Garden (1992). Builders to the Nation: The A.V. Jennings Story. (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 417 p.). Jennings, A.V. (Albert Victor) Sir, 1896- ; Jennings Industries--History; Construction industry--Australia--History; Industrialists--Australia--Biography.

(Karl Koch Erecting Company - founded 1906), Karl Koch III with Richard Firstman (2002). Men of Steel: The Story of the Family That Built the World Trade Center. (New York, NY: Crown, 402 p.). Koch family; World Trade Center (New York, N.Y.)--Design and construction; Karl Koch Erecting Company; Construction industry--United States--Biography; New York (N.Y.)--Buildings, structures, etc.

(Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.), Hollis J. Limprecht. (1981). The Kiewit Story: Remarkable Man, Remarkable Company. (Omaha, NE: Omaha World-Herald Co., 294 p.). Kiewit, Peter, 1900-1979; Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.--History.

(Lehigh Portland cement Co.), Jesse Rainsford Sprague (1928). James Read, Building Material Merchant. (Allentown, PA: Lehigh Portland cement Co., 179 p.). Building materials.

(London Brick Company), Robert Cook (1997). Bucks Bricks: A History of Bletchley and Calvert Brickworks and the London Brick Company. (Whittlebury, UK: Baron, 127 p.). London Brick Company -- History; Brickworks -- England -- Bletchley -- History; Brickworks -- England -- Calvert -- History.

(Lustron), Thomas T. Fetters (2002). The Lustron Home: The History of a Postwar Prefabricated Housing Experiment. (Fefferson, NC: McFarland, 186 p.). Lustron Corporation--History; Prefabricated houses--United States--History.

(Lustron), Douglas Knerr (2004). Suburban Steel: The Magnificent Failure of the Lustron Corporation, 1945-1951. (Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 248 p.). associate professor of social sciences (Roosevelt University). Lustron Corporation--History; Prefabricated houses--United States--History; Housing--United States--History--20th century; Business failures--United States. 

(P. MacCallum), John R. Hume and Michael Moss (1983). A Bed of Nails: The History of P. MacCallum & Sons Ltd of Greenock, 1781-1981, A Study in Survival. (Greenock: Lang & Fulton, 148 p.). P. MacCallum & Sons Ltd.--History; Nail industry--Great Britain--History; Iron industry and trade--Great Britain--History; Steel industry and trade--Great Britain--History; Shipbuilding industry--Great Britain--History.

(Manson Construction Co.), Patricia Latourette Lucas (2000). Bridging the Generations: The History of Manson Construction Co. (Seattle, WA: Documentary Media, 304 p). Manson Construction Co. -- history. Family-owned marine-construction company; dredged compromised waterfront structures built to accommodate cargo, passenger ships, ferryboats on rivers and inlets of Pacific Coast.

(Mason Companies), Ann Arnold Lemert (1979). First You Take a Pick & Shovel: The Story of the Mason Companies (Lexington, KY: J. Bradford Press, 256 p.).

(Alfred McAlpine plc), Tony Gray (1987). The Road to Success, Alfred McAlpine 1935-1985. (Wiltshire, UK: Park Lane Press, 208 p.). McAlpine, Alfred; Construction industry--Great Britain.

(Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.), James Saxon Childers (1925). Robert McAlpine. A Biography. (Oxford, UK: University Press, 189 p.). McAlpine, Sir Robert; construction industry--Great Britain.

(McCree Inc.), W.A. McCree, Jr. (1986). The Hammer and the Pencil: The Story of McCree, Inc., Architects & Constructors, 1926-1986. (Orlando, FL: McCree, Inc., 294 p.). McCree, W. A. (William Allen), 1888-1953; McCree, Inc.--History; Construction industry--Florida--Orlando--Biography.

(M. A. Mortenson Company), Carol Pine (2004). Building a Legacy: M.A. Mortenson Company: 50 years, 1954-2004. (Minneapolis, MN: M. A. Mortenson Co., 288 p.). Mortenson, M. A. (Mauritz A.), 1905- ; M. A. Mortenson Company--History; Construction industry--Minnesota--History; Construction industry--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--Minnesota--Biography; Businesspeople--United States--Biography.

(National Gypsum Company), Dean Richmond (1960). Design for Growth: The Story of National Gypsum Company in Commemoration of Its 35th Anniversary. (Buffalo, NY: Baker, Jones, Hausauer, 142 p.). National Gypsum Company; Gypsum industry--United States.

(National Gypsum Company), Marc Bockmon (1990). Turning Points: The National Gypsum Story. (Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub. Co., 145 p.). National Gypsum Company--History; Gypsum industry--United States--History.

(Opus Group of Companies), Compiled and Edited for Gerald A. Rauenhorst, Opus Founder, by William Swanson (2003) A Better Way: Faith, Family, and the First Fifty Years of the Opus Group of Companies. (Minnetonka, MN: Opus Group of Companies, 262 p.). Rauenhorst, Gerald A. (Gerald Anthony), 1927- ; Opus Corporation--History; Opus Group of Companies--History; Construction industry--United States--Biography; Construction industry--Minnesota--History; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--Minnesota--Biography.

(Pacific Bridge Company), R. Bruce Way (1996). The Life and Careers of William Henry Gorrill, 1841-1874. (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 233 p.). Gorrill, William Henry, 1841-1874.; Pacific Bridge Company--History; Lawyers--United States--Biography; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Bridge construction industry--United States--History--19th century.

(Parsons Brinckerhoff), Benson Bobrick (1985). Parsons Brinckerhoff: The First Hundred Years. (New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 276 p.). Parsons Brinckerhoff. 

(PCL Construction Group), Shirley R. Graham (2005). The PCL Story: Our First 100 Years. (Edmonton, AB: PCL Construction Group, 276 p.). PCL Construction Group--History; Construction industry--Canada--History.

(Phoenix Bridge Company), Thomas R. Winpenny (1996). Without Fitting, Filing, or Chipping: An Illustrated History of the Phoenix Bridge Company. (Easton, PA: Canal History and Technology Press, 154 p.). Phoenix Bridge Company; Bridges--United States--Design and construction--History--19th century; Bridges, Prefabricated--History--19th century.

(Pitt-Des Moines), Jim Foster with Rich Lundgren (1992). Towering Over America: An Illustrated History of Pitt-Des Moines, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA: Pitt-Des Moines, Inc., 172 p.). Pitt-Des Moines, Inc.--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Steel industry and trade--United States--History; Building, Iron and steel--United States--History.

(Portland Cement), Eric Rosenthal (1971). The Story of Portland Cement in South Africa. (Johannesburg, S. Africa: Portland Cement Institute, 126 p.). Portland cement--South Africa--History; Cement industries--South Africa--History; Civil engineering--South Africa--History.

(Pulte Homes), Joe Schuler (2006). Building a Legacy: The Bill Pulte Story. (Bloomfield Hills, MI: Pulte Homes, 147 p.). Pulte, Bill; Pulte Homes.

(RPM Inc.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (2002). The Heritage and Values of RPM, Inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 144 p.). RPM, Inc.--History; Coatings indstry--United States--History.

(Sellen Construction Company), Patricia Latourette Lucas (1996). Growing with Seattle: The Story of Sellen Construction Company. (Seattle, WA: Sellen Construction, 175 p.). Sellen Construction Company --History; Seattle (Wash.) --Buildings, structures, etc. -- History.

(J. F. Shea Co.), Jeffrey L. Rodengen, Richard F. Hubbard (2004). The History of J.F. Shea Co. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, 184 p.). J.F. Shea Co.--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Six Companies Inc.), Donald E. Wolf; foreword by Richard Lowitt (1996). Big Dams and Other Dreams: The Six Companies Story. (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 336 p.). Six Companies--History; Construction industry--West (U.S.)--History--20th century; Hoover Dam (Ariz. and Nev.)--History. 

(Wilbur Smith Associates), John A. Montgomery (1985). History of Wilbur Smith and Associates, 1952-1984. (Columbia, SC: W. Smith and Associates, 247 p.). Smith, Wilbur Stevenson, 1911- ; Wilbur Smith and Associates--History; Construction industry--United States--History; Industrialists--United States--Biography.

(St. Lawrence Cement), Miriam D. Silverman (2006).  Stopping the Plant: The St. Lawrence Cement Controversy and the Battle for Quality of Life in the Hudson Valley. (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 176 p.). St. Lawrence Cement (Firm)--Public opinion; Cement plants--Environmental aspects--Hudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.); Hudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.)--Environmental conditions. Controversy surrounding proposed building of coal-fired cement factory in Hudson Valley town of Greenport, NY, in 1999. 

(Tarmac Ltd.), J. B. F. Earle (1971). A Century of Road Materials: The History of the Roadstone Division of Tarmac Ltd. (Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 182 p.). Tarmac Ltd. Roadstone Division; Road construction industry--Great Britain; Quarries and quarrying--Great Britain.

(Taylor Woodrow Ltd, Alan Jenkins (1980). Built on Teamwork. (London, UK: Heinemann, 245 p.). Taylor Woodrow Ltd. 

(Taylor Woodrow Ltd.), John Carmichael (1997). Together We Build: Fifty Years of Taylor Woodrow in Ghana, 1947-1997. (London, UK: Taylor Woodrow Construction Limited, 166 p.). Taysec Construction Limited--History; Taylor Woodrow Ltd.--History; Construction industry--Ghana--History--20th century; Construction industry--Ghana--History; Ghana--History; Ghana--Economic conditions.

(TD Industries), Ashley Cheshire (1987). A Partnership of the Spirit: The Story of Jack Lowe and TDIndustries. (Dallas, TX: TDIndustries, 182 p.). Lowe, Jack, 1939-1980; TDIndustries--History; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; Conglomerate corporations--United States--History.

(J. A. Terteling), David Loth (1982). J.A. Terteling & Sons, Earth Movers. (Boise, ID: J.A. Terteling, 282 p.). J.A. Terteling & Sons--History; Construction industry--Northwest, Pacific--History; Earthwork--Northwest, Pacific--History.

--- (1983). Built to Last: The Business History of J.A. Terteling & Sons. (Boise, ID: J.A. Terteling, 143 p.). J.A. Terteling & Sons--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

(Thompson-Starrett Co. - built Woolworth building in 1910), Louis J. Horowitz and Boyden Sparkes (1937). The Towers of New York; The Memoirs of a Master Builder. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 277 p.). Thompson-Starrett co., inc., New York; Building--New York (N.Y.).

(Thiess Holdings Limited), Joan Priest (1981). The Thiess Story. (Ascot, Qld.: Boolarong Publications, 256 p.). Thiess, Leslie, Sir, 1909- ; Thiess Holdings Limited--History; Construction industry--Australia--History; Construction industry--Australia--Biography.

(Turner Construction Company), Donald E. Wolf (2002). Turner's First Century: A History of Turner Construction Company. (Lyme, CT: Greenwich Publishing Group, Inc., 448 p.). Turner Construction Company--History; Construction industry--United States--History.

Henry C. Turner - Turner Construction (http://mediasvc.ancestry.com/image/9a5654ad-97e1-4d9c-8428-8743e417966e.jpg?Client=MCCManager&NamespaceID=1093&MaxSide=160)

(Universal Atlas Cement Company), Earl J. Hadley (1945). The Magic Powder; History of the Universal Atlas Cement Company and the Cement Industry. (New York, NY: Putnam, 382 p.). Cement--United States; Cement industries--United States.

(Utah International), Sterling D. Sessions and Gene A. Sessions (2005). A History of Utah International: From Construction to Mining. (Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 256 p.). Utah Construction Company--History; Utah Construction & Mining Co.--History; Utah International Inc.--History; Construction industry--United States; Mining industry--United States. Company transformed into largest, most profitable mining company in United States.

Wattis brothers - founded Utah International in 1900 (http://library.weber.edu/ asc/ucc/founders/images/E1--Ogd-Watt.jpg)

(Vinci), Edite par Dominique Barjot; préface de Michel Tournier (2003). La Trace des Bâtisseurs: Histoire du Groupe Vinci. (Rueil-Malmaison, FR: Vinci, 623 p.,). Vinci (Group); Construction industry--France--History.

(Jim Walter), Alvin Moscow (1995). Building a Business: the Jim Walter Story. (Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, 338 p.). Walter, Jim; Industrialists--Florida--Biography; Construction industry--Florida--History--20th century; Real estate development--Florida--History--20th century; Entrepreneurship--Florida.

(Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company), Part I / by Sarah Miller Birney and Dion Scott Birney; Part II, by Arthur, Lex, and Charlie Birney (1993). A Brief History of the Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company, 1892-1992. (Washington, DC: Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Co., 82 p. [2nd ed.]). Washington Brick and Terra Cotta Company--History; Brick trade--Washington (D.C.)--History; Brickworks--United States--History; Real estate developers--Washington Region--History; Real estate developers--United States--History. 

(Del Webb Corporation), Margaret Finnerty, Tara Blanc (1999). Del Webb: A Man, a Company. ( Phoenix, AZ: Heritage Publishers, 277 p. [2nd rev .ed.]). Del Webb; Del Webb Corporation; Housing--United States--History--20th century; Homebuilding.

(Whiting-Mead Company), Perry Whiting (1930). Autobiography of Perry Whiting, Pioneer Building Material Merchant of Los Angeles. (Los Angeles, CA: Printed by Smith-Barnes Corporation, 334 p.). Whiting, Perry, 1868-. 

(Winstone Limited), Frank A. Simpson (1965). The First Century. (Auckland, NZ: Winstone, 195 p.). Winstone Limited.

(Woods Construction, Inc.), O.L. Pfaffmann and John Bodary as told to Judy Goldwasser (2001). Building on Success: Woods Construction, The First 50 Years. (Fraser, MI: Woods Construction, 239 p.). Woods Construction, Inc.; Construction industry--Michigan--History.

(J. W. York Co.), Linda Harris Edmisten. (1987). J.W. Willie York: His First Seventy-Five Years in Raleigh: An Historical Biography. (Raleigh, NC: L. H. Edmisten, 160 p.). York, James Wesley, 1912- ; Industrialists--United States--Biography; Construction industry--North Carolina--Raleigh--History.

(York International), Jeffrey L. Rodengen (1997). The Legend of York International. (Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Syndicate, 186 p.). York International (Firm)--History; Heating and ventilation industry--United States; Air conditioning equipment industry--United States; International business enterprises--United States.

Jeff Byles (2005). Rubble: Unearthing the History of Demolition. (New York, NY: Harmony Books, 368 p.). Wrecking--History; Construction industry--History. Episodes in world of demolition.

Roy Coad (1979). Laing: The Biography of Sir John W. Laing, C.B.E. (1879-1978). (London,UK: Hodder and Stoughton, 238 p.). Laing, John William, Sir, 1879-1978; Businesspeople--Great Britain--Biography; Construction industry--Great Britain--History.

John Coley (2000). Charles Luney: The Building of a Lifetime. (Christchurch, NZ: Hazard Press, 176 p.). Luney, Charles; Contractors--New Zeland Biography; Construction industry--New Zealand--History.

Scott Cook (2011). Handmade Brick for Texas : A Mexican Border Industry, Its Workers, and Its Business. (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 255 p.). Professor Emeritus in the Department of Anthropology (University of Connecticut). Brickmaking -- Mexico, North; Brick trade -- Texas. Binational handmade brick industry, its competitive situation in Texas market; one of pioneering non-agricultural manufacturing industries in lower Rio Grande/Rio Bravo corridor, precursor of binational, cross-border maquiladora industry that came to identify U.S.-Mexico border economy in aftermath of Border Industrialization Program [BIP] launched in 1965.

Douglas Frantz (1993). From the Ground Up: The Business of Building in the Age of Money. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 288 p. [orig. pub. 1991]). Rincon Center (San Francisco, Calif.); Real estate development--California--San Francisco--Case studies; Construction industry--California--San Francisco--Case studies.

John W. French and Fred F. French (1993). A Vigorous Life: The Story of Fred F. French, Builder of Skyscrapers. (New York, NY: Vantage Press, 254 p.). French, Fred F. (Fred Fillmore), 1883-1936; Industrialists--United States--Biography; Construction industry--United States--History--20th century; Skyscrapers--United States--History.

Carol M. Front, Joan Minton Christopher, and Martha Capwell Fox (2005). The Lehigh Valley Cement Industry. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 128 p.). Cement industries--Pennsylvania--Lehigh River Valley; Portland cement industry--Pennsylvania--Lehigh River Valley. Raw material for Lehigh district’s famous high-quality portland cement; quarries, cement mills, dozens of companies that sprang up to supply, support the industry.

William R. Haycraft (1999). Yellow Steel: The Story of the Earthmoving Equipment Industry. (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 465 p.). Construction equipment industry--United States--History; Mining machinery industry--United States--History.

Barry B. LePatner, with Timothy Jacobson and Robert E. Wright (2007). Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How To Fix America’s Trillion-Dollar Construction Industry. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 229 p.). Construction Attorney. Construction industry--United States--History; Construction industry--United States--Management. Construction projects spiral out of control with delays, cost overruns in America’s sole remaining "mom and pop" industry (consumes $1.23 trillion, wastes at least $120 billion each year); issues that underlie  industry’s woes.

Marc Linder (1994). Projecting Capitalism: A History of the Internationalization of the Construction Industry. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 270 p.). Construction industry--History; Engineering firms--History; International business enterprises--History; Railroads, Colonial--History; Capitalism--History; Technology transfer--History; International economic relations--History.

Amos J. Loveday, Jr. (1983). The Rise and Decline of the American Cut Nail Industry: A Study of the Interrelationships of Technology, Business Organization, and Management Techniques. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 160 p.). Nail industry--United States--History.

W.J. Reader (1980). MacAdam: The McAdam Family and the Turnpike Roads, 1798-1861. (London, UK: Heinemann, 241 p.). McAdam, John Loudon, 1756-1836; McAdam family; Highway engineers--Great Britain; Road construction industry--Great Britain--Biography; Roads--Great Britain--History--19th century.

________________________________________________________

Business History Links

American Terra Cotta                                                        http://www.terracottabuildings.com                                     

This site is a companion to a book about the history of the American Terra Cotta Corporation (1881-1966), which primarily produced terra cotta tiles and embellishments for building exteriors and interiors. The site features photos of buildings in Chicago, Minneapolis, and other cities in the Midwest. Also includes images of items produced for specific architects (such as Louis H. Sullivan) and Teco vases, and an illustrated description of how architectural terra cotta was made.

Historical Construction Equipment Association                           http://www.hcea.net

Museum for the Preservation of Elevating History                    http://www.theelevatormuseum.org/                                  

The ultimate purpose of The Museum is to develop an educational tool that will provide students and researchers, as well as youngsters entering the industry, with a broad picture of how the practice, then the art and discipline, of lifting evolved through the ages, beginning with the laborious irrigation process in the fertile deltas of the Middle and Far East to the swift and safe multi-dimensional movement of passengers within the first half of the 20th century. The Mission of the online museum of the Institute for the Preservation of Elevator History is to develop a flexible framework that will allow the individuals, companies and organizations, concerned with the preservation of elevator/escalator (and associated short-range automated transportation), to easily contribute suggestions, photos and graphics that will flesh out the structure and clarify flow of the historical content.

National Building Museum                                                       Http://Www.Nbm.Org/                                                      

The only institution in the United States dedicated to American achievements in architecture, construction, engineering and design.

Otis Elevator Company                                                        www.otis150.com                                                         

Otis - represents 150 years of experience in both safety and quality; We have created this website to celebrate our company’s history. Here you will find interesting – and sometimes curious – facts, company pictures, introductions to our employees and retirees, and articles about Otis’ history-making achievements.

Stonehill Industrial History Center                                                http://www.stonehill.edu/archives/sihc/                      

Commonly referred to as the Shovel Collection, the Stonehill Industrial History Center (SIHC) is far more than its 755 shovels. The SIHC holds thousands of artifacts and manuscripts which document the development of American industry and Ames' connections to a diverse array of topics in American History. The Center features two major collections. The core collection, The Arnold B. Tofias Industrial Archives , contains 19th and 20th century artifacts and records focusing on North Easton’s Ames family’s shovel-making enterprise and its far-reaching business, political, and social influence. The second main collection, The Ames Family Collection, documents how success with shovel-making was leveraged into many enterprises throughout the country as well as the community, political, and social activities of a prominent Brahman family.