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Roofing History
John Kenney writes “Manufacturers dealing with leak claims are nothing new in the roofing industry. Here is an original 1910 reply letter from Union Roofing & Mfg. Co. to their client Clara City Mercantile Company. To resolve this ongoing issue, they are sending two gallons of their roof paint “free of charge” to address the problem, stating that the roof itself cannot possibly leak unless it has been punctured. I bet the lawyers got involved not long after this letter was sent. #RoofingHistory"
John Kenney writes, “Roofing a house in Oswego, Illinois circa 1933"
John Kenney writes, “Built Up Roof Install. Circa 1952. Notice the inspector/observer with the clipboard on the roof"
John Kenney writes, “Slate roof and chimney work on a Liverpool England in 1928. This was p[art of the Liverpool Improved Housing Initiative that ran through the late 1930s."
Here is rare 1916 Certain-Teed Roofing magazine ad from the Saturday Evening Post. It’s in Excellent condition. In 1917 General Roofing Manufacturing Company change its name to Certain-Teed Products Corporation
John Kenney from Cotney Consulting Group writes on Instagram, “An original 1909 photo of FC Carothers Roofing from Latrobe PA. This is a great view back into our roofing industry heritage.”
John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group writes, “Original photo of employees of Texas Roofing. This was an Asphalt and Roofing Division of Texaco located in Port Neches Texas. Circa 1907.”
John Kenney shared this original photo of Nichols' Roofing Company circa the 1920s saying, "There is a nice hand painted mural above the building showing off their stake bed truck. I like the ladder holder adaptation on the truck; though I am not sure why it was put on the driver's side; I am sure they had their reasons at the time.”
We have no information on the image so any guess the age? Our guess is Condo/Apartment complex. Too early for the popularity of staple guns? Standard size 3-tabs? Organic shingles? Remember 15 year shingles? The leather baseball hat is a puzzle!
Lisa Spriggs from M & J Construction in Moorhead Minnesota writes, "My dad (founder of M & J) and my husband, Mark shingling a church steeple”
Hillary McPartlon from McPartlon Roofing Santa Fe, New Mexico writes, "Second Generation brothers, Brian and Kevin McPartlon, founded McPartlon Roofing in Santa Fe, NM. Their father, Thomas was a roofer in Scotia, NY. Now Brian’s daughter, Hillary McPartlon, is CEO of McPartlon Roofing in Santa Fe/Taos, NM".
Thanks Kelly Wheeler from CentiMark for sharing "Edward B. Dunlap started D&B Laboratories as a part-time industrial cleaning products business in the basement of his home in Pittsburgh, PA, and then started Northern Chemical Company with $1,000 and one associate in 1968. The upstart building maintenance products and services business produced first-year sales of $98,500. In 1987, the company was branded as CentiMark Corporation - a billion dollar commercial roofing and flooring company with 3,500 associates in 95 locations in North America."
Cardinal Roofing writes, "my uncle Ken Ruel with sons Brad and Brian in the 80's"
Praying for a new roof! At least that is our caption. What’s yours?
“A tile roof is being laid down on a house in the village of Kalabaka in Greece that had been reconstructed from the shambles caused by bombing. Photo from 1946."
Re-sharing this post from Ryan Murphy Construction’s Instagram page. Very interesting info on the post. "Quite the evolution. Left is old growth and a rough cut, middle is somewhat old growth then surfaced, and the right is a fast growth SPF (Spruce, Pine, Fir) and surfaced on all sides…"
The hats have change over the years. Photo circa 1937.
A postcard from the 1900’s. What are they all doing crowded around there?
How we used to get our leads!
A post card from 1907. The message is the same 114 years later. Use a professional contractor for repairs, AND stay safe out there!
Truckload of shakes. Photo courtesy of AskARoofer.com
Old brochure for stained shingles. Love the way they wrote this, “prompt service will be rendered.” Photo courtesy of Ask A Roofer
Roofing August 30, 1916. Some things change, some things stay the same.
An engraved hardhat fit for royalty. Photo courtesy of AskaRoofer.com - official launch coming soon.
Roofing Manufacturers in the olden days.
Vintage ad courtesy of Ask A Roofer. Look for our new website announcement here on RCS!
Hauling Shingles. Photo courtesy of AskARoofer
Ode to Days Gone By
The back of the postcard says, “Roofing is our job.”
Ode to Roofing Days Gone By...
Direct Mail way back when!
What hatches and roofs used to look like.
Found this old postcard. Couldn’t tell the year but postage was $.01.
Our Ode To Days Gone By.
When selling roofing was simpler.
Shingle delivery.
Photo courtesy of AskARoofer!
Found another old ad!
Photo courtesy of AskARoofer.com (coming soon).
Love reading the copy in these old ads. Photo courtesy of AskARoofer. (Coming soon).
Our Ode to Days Gone By.
Our Ode to Days Gone By.
Old Saturday Evening Post ad from Revere in 1945. “Peel off the shadow of the war years."
Frye Roofing Inc. from West Virginia shared this on Instagram, "As companies and the industrial world make adjustments to produce items which combat this COVID-19 crisis, we think back to this picture we’ve posted in the past. We were unable to get certain metals due to the need to produce tanks, rifles, ammunition, ships, airplanes, etc. for WWII."
Photo courtesy of AskARoofer - Coming Soon!
Making slate roofing. Photo courtesy of AskARoofer - Coming Soon!
Beautiful old shingle ad. Photo courtesy of AskARoofer.com - Coming Soon.
In this 1983 photo of a roofer installing slate we see some ways never change.
Found this old Polaroid. The story is a mystery.
I say she is Inventions mother and her name is Necessity.
Have a better explanation?
1954 U.S. Army photo captioned “Knee-Deep in Work. Pusan, Korea: Wearing heavy rubber boots as he stacks unfinished tiles in water, a ROK soldier does his bit in the race to supply reconstruction materials for fire-wrecked Pusan”
In this December 1980 photo "A karate demolition team getting on top of the job in Worksop, Notts (UK), where they used only hands, heads and feet to tear the roofs off 17 terraced houses at the weekend.”
Sea of Skylights. 1960 photo of the Kastrup airport in Copenhagen.
So… Did it Leak?
As written on Postcard - Roof of the Bee Hive Building, State St., New London, Conn. Showing Seven Copper Trimmed “Bradley Patented Truss Bar Sky Lights.” No Putty or Solder Used on These Lights. The roofing and erection of these lights was done by The Union Sheet Metal Works 111 Oneco Avenue, New London, Conn. February 1938.
Summertime uniforms of the 80’s.
July 1989 “Workers with AAA Roofing of Slidell put shingles on the roof of the old library. From left: Daniel Peterson, Steven Barber and William Fryer.”
We have no history on this image but we feel pretty confident that they are getting the job done!
In this 1983 photo Bill Edmunds from Wright Roofing sizes a piece of slate for the Morse Building downtown. Wright was able to purchase used slate for the roof repair project, but the slate was slightly oversized and needed to be trimmed.”
We just wanted to make sure you all saw this great piece of history courtesy of the NRCA
nrcanews on instagram writes, "The Gravel Roofers Protective Association was founded in 1886 to protect the roofing industry and the public from numerous disturbing trends. Its commitment to professionalism manifests itself today in NRCA.”
Roofing School in the olden days.
Who wants to tear off this roof?
Taken December 31, 1925 London England bird sanctuary.
In this 1992 photograph Jerry Minichiello volunteering his time, is installing ridge vent in Reserve, Louisiana
(Hurricane Andrew?)
In this 1964 photograph the only caption is “Bermuda Roofs”.
Any clue about this kind of application?
In this October 1972 image 18 year old Carman Seewald is photographed at work.
Her roofing crew co-workers call her “Jim”.
“Tar Painting a Temple Roof”
No idea where this image came from or how old but we love these vintage images to compare the old with the new.
“Welcome to my nightmare!”
Vintage shot of the old Leicester market in England.
Teaching the grandkids the art of rolled roofing!
“July 30, 1986 - On a recent hot afternoon, Jon Gimpl, who works for Winding Roofing Co., used a mop to spread hot tar on the roof of the Spic and Span Dry-cleaning & Laundry Plant”
Remember hot mopping in the summer? Anybody know if Jon is still roofing?
Wish we knew the story behind this.
Navigating a path on a roof through a war zone
“Wish you were here”? This is an actual vintage postcard. Who would you send this to?
Have you ever noticed that besides the scenery this is the view you see the most?
The roof of a roofing plant.
Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Company May 1953.
Location unknown but the photographer was from Portland, Oregon.
Don’t you wish you were this happy tearing off a roof?
Roofing from a different point of view.
Vintage Sales Card for Beef Stock!?!
Translated "Dangerous trades repair the slate roof of a tower”
There’s a connection we would have never made.
Beef stock - Slate Roof Repair.
Have you ever been on a roof that made you want to cry?
Lady Hot Roofers.
Mrs. Jane Logan and Mrs. Barbara Hanning in this January 13, 1972 photo taken in Akron, Ohio.
So what’s the name of this style of roof?
Bill and Nick from the Detroit Cornice & Slate Company repair some ice damage on the roof.
St. James Armenian Church, Southfield Michigan, May, 1986
“One way to hold on to a job these days” was the caption of this photo taken September 1, 197 of the Chrysler Styling and Projects Planning Building, Highland Park, Michigan.
We looked it up and here is the history of this interesting structure - http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/highland-park.html
It’s nice to know that the Republicans were protected. Aren’t vintage ads great!. From the Saturday Evening Post from June 15, 1912
These two men are splitting and edge trimming shale to make slate roofing. Another great piece of roofing history from AskARoofer - Thanks for sharing!
"Busier Than The Proverbial Paperhanger"
That was the headline from a May, 1950 Associated Press Photo.
"Mr. Walter tries to keep a roof on his house in the midst of a
45-mile per hour windstorm in Kankakee, Illinois."
Where good roofers come from.
Is is a prerequisite that church roofs are dangerous! Is it to entice roofers to pray?
Grace Lutheran Church, May 1971, don't know where.
In this 1925 shot John Coolidge Jr. fixes his roof.
Think about it, he is roofing and the President’s son. That makes roofing Presidential!
In this 1970 photo 87 year old Mrs. May Martin re-roofs her own home.
“She confides, however, that’s she’s not working alone. she has taught a nine-year-old neighbor how to wield a hammer and the youngster is helping out”
October 21, 1986. School principal, in Aurora Ohio examines
“100 x 100 foot section of the roof peeled off the building as if it had been removed by a can opener”
- no injuries. Tuesday afternoon storm.
In this photo taken August 11, 1926 workers are repairing the roof of this monument where President James A. Garfield’s casket is displayed.
Too bad we don’t keep good history on roofs like this for weirdo’s like us that find it fascinating.
Read more about the monument HERE
http://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/garfield.php
"Found this under the second layer of shingles probably dates back to the 50s or 60s. Special instructions for shingling a low pitched roof”
Thanks @SafeguardRoofing - Long Island for sharing.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
"Brave London Sailors Fix Roof.”
Anything else about this photo is unknown but we can imagine the stories.
In this 1959 photo we learn a new word with this London girls school Building.
This roof is a Hyperbolic Paraboloid.
Postcard from Henry A Woeckener -
Tin, Slate Galvanize Roofing and Dealer in copper tube Lighting Rods
3210 Peach St, R.F.D. 3, Erie, PA
Vintage ad from 1952
Artisans roofing a house, Tangier, Morocco - date unknown.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
We never get tired of seeing flags on a roof.
This August 1974 was image taken in Owatonna Minnesota.
Thank you George Svatos for reminding us that Patriotism is important
Woody was here - and he was busy!
Vintage ad from 1957
April 1985 - Milwaukee Auditorium
“Workmen began replacing the Area roof Thursday. The 6-year-old roof began leaning soon after installation”
Who wants to try and find that leak!
This is an antique photo with a handwritten note on the back
"Ruby’s House Ukerewe Island, Africa. One man throws the grass up, another ties it on and the other pound it to make it solid.”
This March of 1990 shot Has John and Rick racing to strip the roof of a church in Cleveland Ohio.
Ah, 30 years ago when the men had no shirts, the world had no color and we had no safety gear.
In this 1954 photo we see such effort “Up and down the ladders swarm the busy nuns, laying tiles on the roof of the sacristy building, only one so far nearing completion. They expect the entire job to take two years.” Wish we had more information. I bet they did a great job. GOD was on their side.
In this 1968 photo Monroe, Albert and Rudolph tear off old slate roof in New Orleans.
Too bad this part of the job never got easier in time but there are great lessons in those layers.
Vintage shot of this church was found on a 1959 postcard. Originally built in 1015.
Much like the pyramids, although we know know when the roof was installed, how did they do it?
(Possibly the Matthias Church in Budapest).
Look at this piece of history sent in by Chris Doppler.
"We are a 4th generation company and this is my great grandfather in the driver's seat!"
From 1920 - Fred Doppler & Sons, Griffith, Indiana
My Grandfather, Dad, and Me.
"Three generations of roofers. Since 1945." A terrific example of a trade passed on from father to son! Thank you so much Kyle Gillmeister from Mark Gillmeister Roofing in Temple, Texas for sharing.
The family business - almost a 100 years of roofing!
C.O. Beck & Sons Roofing, a 4th generation family owned and operated business since 1920, specializing in EPDM and standing seam metal roofing, based out of Waterville, Maine. Thanks for sharing.
Roofing Trade Passed on to the Next Generation.
"Scot Howard current President of Commercial Roofers, Inc. This is his dad and grandfather with the staff in the picture, from the 1950’s.”
Thanks to Michelle from Howard Roofing and Siding, Las Vegas Nevada for sharing this image with us.
Ode to Days Gone By...
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By. These were included in the rolled roofing back in the early 1900’s.
From 1922
Found this post card from the early 1900’s, we assume a roofer would write his information in the blank spot and mail. Can you even imagine, what the prices would have been back then!
We found this 1956 photo of flashing and steeple repair on the Gesu Church in Milwaukee so we thought we would look up the building. We then found this cool story of a 2012 restoration on this project by Millen Roofing. Please read, it was quite a project! http://archive.jsonline.com/business/gesu-church-restoration-rises-to-heavenly-heights-aa5hihj-156749385.html/
What Would We Do Without Our Roofing Pioneers? In 1978 Karl-Ernst Kerhof of Alfsteadt, Germany slices off sides and flattens tread face into strips which he secures with glue and rust-proof nails. Kerhof has already roofed several houses contends tires won’t rot and will outlast the homes they cover.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
February 1954 - "A soldier does his bit in the race to supply reconstruction materials after the costly Pusan Korea fire. The tiles, being manufactured in a makeshift factory set up on the outskits of the the city will be used as roofing for houses now under construction”. - U.S. Army photo.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
There’s a tear in my roof! This roof has a really cool history. It’s the US Pavilion at the 1974 world’s fair. Read about it here. http://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/303
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
We need more memorials!
Thanks to Black Square Roofing for find this one!
Here is something you don’t see anymore…. How roofers throw a party! Here are our top picks from last week. http://eepurl.com/cgpMJn
The roof of a roofing plant. Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Company May 1953. Location unknown but the photographer was from Portland, Oregon.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
In our remembrance of Memorial Day and all that it represents, we are featuring this patriotic symbol. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FLAG INSTALLED BY SHERRIFF-GOSLIN ROOFING COMPANY (2ND CENTURY ART-LOC SHINGLES FEATURING SCOTCHGARD PROTECTOR/ #SBS MODIFIED ASPHALT)” Submitted by Eric S. Cassel, Project Manager SHERRIFF-GOSLIN ROOFING COMPANY
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Vintage ad from 1957
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Ode To Days Gone By
October 21, 1986 School principal, in Aurora Ohio examines “100 x 100 foot section of the roof peeled off the building "as if it had been removed by a can opener" - no injuries. Tuesday afternoon storm.
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Tile roof built in 1700’s Germany - No felt No leaks. Thank you to that wonderful contractor that sent me this photo!
This cracked me up! Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County "Roof Tile Early 1800’s” Roofing in a Museum? Even on vacation you can’t get away from Roofing!
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Ode To Christmas Days Gone By
We love the history of roofing. Watch this great video on Malarkey. Who knew? Click Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmqSXIwbOk&feature=youtu.be
Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By
NO THANK YOU! I don't want this job! 1960 Noorkoping, Sweden - At the time this photo was a prize-winning image in a photography contest in the United States. The photographer was Lennart Jansson. The description suggests that they are cleaning and scrubbing the roof. What a task!
Saw this in a friends office the other day. Probably only 8 inches tall. Kinda cool, huh.
Don't come crying to us later Mr. Homeowner.
“Our Monthly Ode to The Days Gone By”
“Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By”
Flashback Friday - In this August 1989 photo Bob of Bob Bell Roofing put a flag on the roof of his business in protest of the Supreme court ruling that flag desecration was a protected form of speech. Looks like this was from a newspaper article in Inverness Florida. Does anyone know if it’s still there?
“Our Monthly Ode to The Days Gone By”
“Our Monthly Ode To Days Gone By”
Another great piece of roofing history from AskARoofer - thanks for sharing!
"Roofing Supplier in the Olden Days"
“Building an Adobe Roof”
Here even the helper is well dressed. The roofing here is most likely a large diagonal shaped tile, possibly by J. M. See this and more at AskARoofer.com
A prehistoric Green Roof. Eskimos in Alaska lived in houses made of whale jawbone and ribs and wooden posts. The doughnut-like ring on the roof is a whale vertebra used as a ventilator. This photo is from January 30, 1940. Cool isn’t it?
“Our Monthly Ode The Days Gone By”
This would make a great ad for a roofing contractor. Instead of a fake set-up, this is real! This was in a newspaper January 6, 1933 "Rainstorm in L.A. Mrs. Cherry peeling potatoes under difficulties”. - No kidding!
"January 24, 1966 - Detroit” Looking back almost 50 years not much has changed. Material still gets delivered at the curb. Bundles still stacked the same. Guys still work in the snow. There are some things you can just depend on.
Here is an old photo of a shingle mill and the work crew sitting on the freshly bundled shingles, taken a break. Thanks AskARoofer for sharing another historical photo with us!
Sharing an old slate and tile roofers union stamp. Circa 1902. - compliments of AskARoofer
"Here is a great pose of mill workers and their shingles just sawn. Notice the one man showing off two missing fingers, which i see many times in pictures like this. it's almost a badge of honor." A big thanks to AskARoofer for sharing these great photos of roofing history.
Just another day cutting some logs- the photo reads "Ready to make into shingles calif."
AskARoofer shared this photo with us. "Here is a real old photo I have in my office of a kettle man tending a kettle with wood wagon wheels. What year do you think it is?"
Another great photo from AskARoofer "A load of shingles about to leave for the job site". What do you think the year is?
"This is an old crew of lumberjacks taking a break"... Thank you AskARoofer for sharing these photo's with us.
1957 photo from Underwriters Laboratories. Engineer Theodore T Wilhelmy observes the effect of wind-driven flames on a section of roof covered with asbestos shingles. Don't you love these old photos? Do you think they still do the testing the same way?
Wonder if that roof is leaking?
Old Hex shingles - I loved them, they look so great on a Victorian.
Thanks again to Bob at AskARoofer.com for another rich history lesson about the Roofing industry! - Montross Metal Shingles History of Roofing: "..... It is a stamped sidewall and roofing panels with a couple of different designs. For the walls, a Gothic and Diamond Tile design, and for the roofs panels, the Eastlake and Octagon Shingle...."
Good testimonial for the waterproofing underneath! Thanks SureCoat Systems for finding this gem! Ducks on a Roof – Vintage photo we found “Dayton 8/6/49 – A flock of ducks shown on the Sears Roebuck Building which keeps the fungus from water used in the air conditioning system.” What?
Thanks again to Bob at AskARoofer.com for another rich history lesson about the Roofing industry! "Better known as The Flintkote Company, was founded in 1901 then incorporated in 1917. It was primarily a manufacture of asphalt shingles but many other roofing materials were produced in the Boston Massachusetts plant."
Auvergne 1949 Photo: Brassai
vintage photograph - workman on a tea break, sitting on the roof of a delapitated building.
1 Righty and 2 Lefty's
Wonder if that roof is leaking?
Thanks again to Bob at AskARoofer.com for another rich history lesson about the Roofing industry! "Better known as The Flintkote Company, was founded in 1901 then incorporated in 1917. It was primarily a manufacture of asphalt shingles but many other roofing materials were produced in the Boston Massachusetts plant."
We thought you would like to see the way business used to be done. The only thing that's changed is the outfits.
Lafayette, IN Roofers and Roofing Contractors - Roof Repair and Installation | Sherriff-Goslin Company
Two roofers take a break for lunch, balancing on a girder high above the streets, as relaxed as if they were in their own front room. The spire of All Souls Church, Langham Place is seen behind. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). Circa 1940
The slate roofer Karl Johan Björn in Hammarn Västmanland. Born in 1875. by Swedish National Heritage Board, via Flickr
roofers 1953
We found these antique photos offering very rare roof details. Take a look at the double bottom edge and the shingle-weaving, Wow!
“Nun In Hard Hat And Habit Takes On-Job Training, August 20, 1967 Sister Winifred McCarthy helps shingle a roof in Vancouver, BC. Sister Winifred has learned construction, cabinet making, welding and other skills. Besides wearing a hard hat she had to modify her habit so it wouldn’t get caught in machinery.”
"Someone talked her into this!"
June 1, 1943 - The original caption was "In Spanish Tile Fashion, Seabees Use Segments of Flattened Drums For Roofing." They created roofing materials out of barrels? Imagine how difficult it must have been to cut and fashion. Another reminder of the ingenuity we can have when it comes to keeping the rain off our heads!
"Found this great blog post on those rarely seen diamond shaped shingles" go to the AskARoofer blog and read more about the history of roofing!
In this 1936 photo we are trying to figure out just what this young man is doing? Take a guess?
A nod to our Metal Roofing past. The print says 1883, could that be right?
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