Company towns in America, 1880 to 1930
Graduation Date
2006
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Program
Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, Social Science, Teaching American History, 2006
Committee Chair Name
Delores Nason McBroome
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Company, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Social Science, Towns, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Teaching American History
Abstract
Between 1880 and 1937, immigrants and minorities found new opportunity in company towns across the United States. In return, company town owners gained cheap labor. As these towns arose, so did many characteristics prevail in company towns: paternalism, ethnic diversity, resource extraction, labor opportunity, and technology. Each has been explored by historians, and in so doing, many historians have been accused of romanticizing about town life, town owners, community solidarity while other historians criticized town owners for worker exploitation, unsafe working conditions and poor quality housing and rampant paternalism. This historiography examines the many viewpoints of historians who focused on several important topics related to the company town: the reasons for the creation of company towns; the physical environment and the residents of such towns, the way such towns were managed; the benefits and success of company towns; and the factors that contributed to the demise of company towns.
Recommended Citation
Clark, Julie D., "Company towns in America, 1880 to 1930" (2006). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 1748.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/1748
https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/mk61rk24f