Preserving the History of Newcomen

This website is an independent archival resource dedicated to preserving and making accessible historical materials associated with The Newcomen Society of the United States, including company histories, publications, photographs, and other materials documenting the Society’s long history and its contributions to the study of American business and industrial history.

This website is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or operated by The Newcomen Society of the United States. It is an independent effort to preserve and share historical materials for researchers, historians, former members, and anyone interested in the history of American business and industry.

The Newcomen Society

For more than 80 years, The Newcomen Society of the United States developed an important reputation for its support of free enterprise, its recognition of outstanding American companies—large and small—and its support of the study and preservation of business history.

Over the course of its history, nearly 2,500 companies and numerous scholars received Newcomen Awards and Grants. Through its meetings, publications, awards, and programs, the Society documented the stories of American businesses and the people who built them.

One of the most significant parts of this legacy is the collection of company histories presented at Newcomen gatherings. Many of these histories were subsequently printed by the Society and distributed to members and libraries throughout the United States. These publications provide a valuable record of American corporate, industrial, technological, and economic history.

The End of the National Organization

As the Society entered its later years, the business and organizational landscape had changed considerably. Free enterprise had expanded into many countries that had operated under planned economies decades earlier, while numerous new organizations had emerged to recognize companies and promote business achievement.

At the same time, The Newcomen Society faced declining membership and a decrease in the number of award presentations. Although several state chapters continued to operate successfully, the Trustees ultimately concluded that economic circumstances made it necessary to discontinue The Society as a national organization.

The decision was intended to allow individual state chapters the opportunity to continue without the ongoing expense associated with maintaining a national headquarters.

Preserving the Collection

As part of the Society’s winding down, The National Museum of Industrial History (NMIH) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania offered to serve as a repository for the collection of Newcomen company histories.

The preservation of these materials is important because they represent more than corporate histories. Collectively, they document the development of American industry, commerce, technology, transportation, manufacturing, utilities, finance, and entrepreneurship across generations.

This website seeks to complement those preservation efforts by providing an independent place where information about Newcomen and its historical publications can be discovered, explored, and remembered.

An Archival Resource

The materials presented on this website are intended for historical, educational, and research purposes. Every effort is made to preserve the materials as faithfully as possible and to provide accurate information about their origins and historical context.

The archive is a tribute to the individuals, companies, scholars, authors, and members who contributed to the work of The Newcomen Society over the many decades of its existence.

While the national organization may have concluded its operations, the historical record it created remains valuable. The stories preserved in its publications continue to provide insight into the people and organizations that helped shape American business and industry.

The Newcomen Society’s work may have ended as a national organization, but its historical legacy deserves to be preserved.