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Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B- 993 Baltimore Private Stateme nt of Sig n ificance 1927 Th e Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company factory , located in Southeast Baltimore, is the oldest and on ly remaining independent barrel maker in the United States . At one time, barrels were this country's pr inciple method of packaging and every large city boasted severa l coope ra ges . Since the turn of the cent ur y , how- ever , n ew methods of packaging goods--combined with i ncreasin g governm ent r eg ulations against environmental poll ution -- have s harp - ly curtai l ed th e production of barrels.

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Page 1: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B- 993 Baltimore Private

Statement of Significance

1927

Th e Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company factory , located in

Southeast Baltimore, is the oldest and only remaining independent

barrel maker in the United States . At one time, barrels were

this country's principle method of packaging and every large city

boasted severa l coope rages . Since the turn of the century , how­

ever , new methods of packaging goods--combined with i ncreasing

government r egulations against environmental pollution-- have sharp ­

ly curtai l ed the production of barrels.

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MARYLAND HI STORICAL TRUST MAGI #0409 9 33814

INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

B NAME H1sToR1c Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company

ANO/OR COMMON

fJLOCATION STREET & NUMBER

261 S . Haven Street CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Bal timore _VICINITY OF

STATE Maryl and

COUNTY

D cLASSIFICA TION

CA TEGORY OWNERSHIP STAT US PRESENT USE _ DISTRICT _ PUBLIC X...OCCUPIED -AGRICULTURE _ MUSEUM

.XBUILOING(S) ~RIVA TE _UNOCCUPIED .XCOMMERCIAL _ PARK

_STRUCTURE _ BOTH _ WORK IN PROGRESS _EDUCATIONAL _ PRIVATE RESIDENCE

_SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS

r-.. _ OBJECT _IN PROCESS JC... YES· RESTRICTED _ GOVERNMENT _ SCIENTIFIC

_BEING CONSIDERED _ YES: UNRESTRICTED AJNDUSTRIAL _ TRANSPORTATION

_NO _MILITARY _ OTHER

DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME SIN Enterpr i ses

Suntory Limited , Maplegrove Wood Prod . Telephone #: 301-276-4888 STREET & NUMBER

261 S . Haven Street CITY. TOWN

Baltimore _ v1c1N1TY0F Maryland STATEt ..zip code 21 24

llLOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE.

REGISTRY OF oeEDs.ETc. Bal t imore County Courthouse STREET & NUMBER

Calver t & Faye t te St reets CITY. TOWN

Ba l timore 0REPRESENTA TION IN EXISTING SURVEYS

TITLE

DATE

Liber #:RHB-2990 Folio #: 426

STATE

Maryland 21202

_ FEDERAL -STATE -COUNTY _ LOCAL

DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS

CITY. TOWN STATE

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B DESCRIPTION

_EXCELLENT

-lGOOD

)/.FAIR

CONDIT ION

_DETERIORATED

_ RUINS

_UNEXPOSED

CHECK ONE

_UNALTERED

XALTEREO

CHECK ONE

XoRIGINAL SITE

_MOVED DATE __ _

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT ANO ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

The central portion of this complex dates to 1927 when a fire destroyed the earlier works . The building is a high one-story reinforced concrete structure with a flat roof and parapet wall . Industrial casement windows and brick fill in the bays . A two-story brick office building of approximately the same age is attached on the north , presenting a gable end to Macon Street.

A two-story stucco structure which now ' s~f~e~ as the machine shop one building on the site w.~ .. ich predates · the fire . Another early structure is the set of brick kilns north of th e main buil­ding which are used today to dry lumber for the barrels.

The in~erior of the main shop contains the entire contents of the former c . 1900 barrel works. The machinery is set up as an assembly line where workers each performed a single task on a workpiece which moved from station to station. Specialized machinery cut staves and shaped the barrels. This plant was one of the largest on the east coast.

·'· . •1, • ,,

t t' •

•• •.• '\ ... 4'i

r I • l • • - '

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

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II SIGNIFICANCE

~RIOO

_ .-REHISTORIC

_1400-1499

_1500-1599

_1600-1699

_1700-1799

~1800- 1899 ~1900 -

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE·· CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

___.ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING

___.ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -CONSERVATION

___.AGRICULTURE -ECONOMICS

-ARCHITECTURE -EDUCATION

___ART _ENGINEERING

_COMMERCE -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT

_COMMUNICATIONS )(_1 NOUSTRY

_ INVENTION

_LANO SCAPE ARCHITECTURE

_LAW

_ LITERATURE

_MILITARY

_ MUSIC

_PHILOSOPHY

_POLITI CS/GOVERNMENT

SPECIFIC OATES BUILDER/ ARCHITECT

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

_ RELIGION

_ SCIENCE

_SCULPTURE

_SQCIAVHUMANITARIAN

_ THEATER

_ TRANSPORTATION

_OTHER (SPECIFY)

The Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company factory , located in Southeast Baltimore , is the oldest and only remaining independent barrel maker in the United States. At one time , barrels were this country's princip l e method of packaging and every large city boasted several cooperages. Since the turn of the century, however, new methods of packaging goods--combined with increasing government regulations against environmental pollution--have sharply curtailed the production of barrels.

~ Historical Significance

Shortly after the War of 1812 , William Shaefer and his brother began a small barrel company on South Eutaw Street to supply the packaging needs for Baltimore's many independent sugar refineries . The company rapidly expanded and soon moved to a new site on Central Avenue near the canal . This location, near the city's lumberyards, provided a direct link to the harbor and greatly facilitated the transport of both raw lumber and finished barrels to the company ' s customers.

In 1834 , Dr. Gordon Kimbal l Tyler bought a controlling interest in the shop and installed his nephew , Moses P . Kimball, as manager . The cooperage then became known as "Kimbal l -Shaefer and Company." After Shaefer ' s death in 1845 the name was again changed to " Kimball­Tyler Company" which it retains today .

When rail transportation from Baltimore opened the American West in the mid 1800's Moses Kimball and his partner, James E . Tyler, expanded their operation to include a sawmill and lumberyard in Harrisville, West Virginia . Here raw lumber was cut and dressed befQre being shipped by rai l to Bal timore to be made into barrels .

Business expanded rapidly throughout the late 19th century despite the decline of Baltimore's sugar industry . To offset this decline, Kimbal l-Tyler began manufactoring a variet y of barrels

cont ' d

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

Page 5: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

IJMAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Internationa l Publishing Company Half centur y ' s progress of t he city

p . 179

CONTINUE ON SE~AW\TE SHEET If NECESS~Y

II!JGEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY _______ _

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDA RIES

STATE COUNTY

STATE COUNTY

mFORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE

Linda Daur Dennis Zembala ORGANIZ.ATION DATE

Balt imore Indus t rial Mu seum STREET & NUMBER

217 N. Charles Street CITY OR TOWN

Baltimor e

October 198 0 TELEPHONE

301-396- 1931 STl\TE

Maryland 21 20 1

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 Supplement .

The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringe­ment of individual property rights.

RETURN TO : Maryland Hi storical Trust The Shaw House , 21 State Circle Annapol i s , Mary l and 21401 (301 ) 267-1438

PS· 1101

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Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company Hist. Sig . , page 2

including those used by local disti llers of Maryland rye whiskey . "Tight barrels " as t hese are known, or t hose which hold liquid as opposed to " slack barrels " which ho l d bul k items , became the principle product of the company .

Following the 1904 "Great Baltimore" fire , the Company moved to its present location at 261 South Haven Street . This location was especially advantageous since both the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania railroads had lines nearby. The Company later added spurs to the l i nes so that the tracks now ran directly into the factory. Vacant land east of Haven Street allowed the company to expand its fu r naces used to char whiskey barrels . Charring is essential since it improves the flavo r and aging process of the liquor . At the height of production , this barrel and keg shop manufacto r ed approximately 2 , 500 barrels per day and supplied firms such as Coca-Cola & Red Sea Oil . In 1927 , a large fire sparked by the steam engines used to operate the saws burned most of the central port ion of t he building . It was rebuilt shortly after .

Independent barrel makers suffered dramatically as packaging demands switched to paper and plastic during the 20th century . Lumber became expensive and few companies continued to use barrels to transport goods . Al t hough Kimball-Tyler continued to operate as an independent cooperage , production greatly diminished. In 1975, rather than make the costly renovations dictated by the Environmenta l Protection Agency to control pollution resulting from the charring process, Kimbal l -Tyler ceased manufacture of complete barrels. The company now produces only t he stays and headings for barrels and ships them unassembled to its customers . Approximately 65 men work at the shop .

In November of 1979 , Suntory Limited , a Japanese f irm, bought the Kimball-Tyler Company . Mr . Tyler, a descendant of the founder, acts as general manager and the firm r etains its original name .

Page 7: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

Kimberly- Tyler Barrel Company Bibl. page 2

Historical Publ ishing Co . Industries of MD. p . 314

Eng l ehart , Geo . Baltimore City--The Book of i ts Board of Trade p . 154- 155

Page 8: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

1. SITE 1.0. NO B

2 INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION

MANUFACTURING

9 3 NAER INVENTORY

3. PRIORITY

5. DATE

4. DANGER OF DEMOLITION? (SPECIFY THREAT)

7. OWNER/ADMIN

U.S. Department of the Interior Herita e Conservation and Recreation Service

D YES 0 UNKNOWN

Sin Enterprises Suntory Limited, Maple Grove Wood Prod. 8. NAME(S) OF STRUCTURE

KIMBALL-TYLER BARREL COMPANY

COUNTY NAME CITY/VICINITY 10. STATE

COUNTY Baltimore

261 S . Haven Street

NORTHING

0 4 3 4 6 0 NORTHING

15. CONDITION 70 0 EXCELLENT 71 0 GOOD

16. INVENTORIED BY

Linda Daur, Dennis Zembala

CONG. DIST.

9. OWNER'S ADDRESS

261 S. Haven Street

12. EXISTING SURVEYS

O NR

COUNTY NAME

Q NHL

Q CONF

13. SPECIAL FEATURES (DESCRIBE BELOW}

0 INTERIOR rnTACT

SCALE £] 1 :24 LJ 1 :62.5

0 0THER

SCALE 0 1.24 0 1:62.5

0 OTHER

730 DETERIORATED 74 Q RUINS 75 0 UNEXPOSED

AFFILIATION

Baltimore Industrial Museum 17 DESCRIPTION ANO BACKGROUND HISTORY. INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION DATE(SI. HISTORICAL DATE(S). PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS.

MATERIALS, EXTANT EQUIPMENT. AND IMPORTANT BUILDERS. ENGINEERS. ETC.

Q HABS

Q STATE

CITY/VICINITY

Baltimore Q HAER-1

Q COUNTY

Q HAER

0 LOCAL

0 EXTERIOR INTACT

QUAD NAME Baltimore East

QUAD NAME

76[){ALTEREO L.0 DESTROYED

DATE

CONG. DIST.

Q NPS

O OTHER

O CL8

0 ENVIRONS INT ACT

850 0EMOLISHEO

October 1980

The Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company factory , located in Southeast Baltimore, is the oldest and only remaining 'independent barre l maker in the United States. At one time , barrels were this country ' s principal method of packaging and every large city boasted several cooperages . Since the turn of the 9entury, however, new methods of packaging goods-­combined with increased government regulations against environmental pollution-- have sharply curtailed the business .

18 ORIGINAL USE

Barrel factory I PRESENT USE

. Barrel factory 19 REFERENCES-HISTORICAL REFERENCES. PERSONAL CONTACTS. ANO/OR OTHER

Historical Publishing Company Industries of Maryland p. 314

Englehart , Geo . Baltimore City - The Book of Its Board of Trade p. 154-155

20 URBAN AREA 50.000 POP. OR MORE? RJ YES 0 NO

24 LOCATED IN AN HISl ' DISTRICT?

D YES

fHR-8·260 1/79 HCiS REvlON

21

(ZNO

22. PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY

NAME

0 YES, LIMITED

O NO

0 YES. UNLIMITED

Q UNKNOWN

(CAPTIVE USE

DISTRICT 1.0 . NO

(CONT OVER)

(CONT OVER)

23. EOITOR

INDEXER

GPO 0 1 • 91t

Page 9: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

2~ p,. ~ ·uS ANDSKETCH M.t.POFLOCATION

Significance

REFERENCc$ cCONTINUE0)

ABSTRACT

Page 10: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

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Page 11: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have
Page 12: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

Kl~~-1~<. NL£< i/$11~€.(L ~" ~'1t,7'1/"M<tt: ~ I N, -"'1~~-'4/t:> "6-9'J''3 /",t/prP, ,pe,,v,v1~ ;l.4.,.,4~~

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Page 13: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have
Page 14: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

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Page 15: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have
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Page 17: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have
Page 18: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

B-993 Kimball-Tyler Barrel Co. Baltimore, MD Photo: Dennis Zenbal a Ne g . Loe . : 1MD Historic Trust 11/80 ~~C~t·AJ e $~4'f'

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Page 20: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have

B-993 Kimball -Tyler Barrel Co. Baltimore , MD Photo : Dennis Zembal a Neg . Loc .

1: MD Histori~ ~rust

11/ 80 t...~Wlk>e"' ..:;;-fi>.,,."~t.. ~ h.ef1\.. _

Page 21: Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 1927 Baltimore ... City/B-993.pdf · Kimball-Tyler Barrel Company B-993 Baltimore ... government r egulations against environmental pollution--have
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