While I’m a bigger fan of yard sales than I am of auctions, a few weeks ago I happened upon old magazines at an auction that were published in the 1940s and 1950s by the Atlas Powder Company. Atlas specialized in alcohols, surface active agents, explosives, finishes, and acids and had factories, laboratories, and offices all over the country. The company—using the Atlas name—existed from 1912 until 1971, when it was purchased by Imperial Chemical Industries Limited in the United Kingdom. To my knowledge, the U.S. name was then ICI Americas, Inc. Not as cool as the name “Atlas,” in my humble opinion.
Anyway, for $4 I got my hands on a few old monthly company magazines entitled The Atlas Family at the aforementioned auction and in one of them was a photo of the Atlas spring party, held at the Lakeside Ballroom in Barnesville, Pennsylvania. (Not to be confused with Lakewood, which was all of one-hundred yards away from Lakeside.)
I’m hoping that I don’t get into any trouble for uploading the photo, since it’s not for commercial purposes. If anyone should happen to be looking for old photos of the Lakeside Ballroom or information on the Atlas Powder Company—or in this case, their Reynolds, RXL, and Blasting Supplies divisions—I was hoping to offer this little piece of history for their viewing pleasure.
The photograph was taken by Chick Walton, who is credited as being a “Reynolds’ veteran photographer.” I can’t find much on Mr. Walton, however. I’d love to see other photographs of his if they’re out there somewhere.
The caption is taken directly from the company’s The Atlas Family magazine. It’s dated August 1953, Volume XV, No. 2.
Anyway, for $4 I got my hands on a few old monthly company magazines entitled The Atlas Family at the aforementioned auction and in one of them was a photo of the Atlas spring party, held at the Lakeside Ballroom in Barnesville, Pennsylvania. (Not to be confused with Lakewood, which was all of one-hundred yards away from Lakeside.)
I’m hoping that I don’t get into any trouble for uploading the photo, since it’s not for commercial purposes. If anyone should happen to be looking for old photos of the Lakeside Ballroom or information on the Atlas Powder Company—or in this case, their Reynolds, RXL, and Blasting Supplies divisions—I was hoping to offer this little piece of history for their viewing pleasure.
The photograph was taken by Chick Walton, who is credited as being a “Reynolds’ veteran photographer.” I can’t find much on Mr. Walton, however. I’d love to see other photographs of his if they’re out there somewhere.
The caption is taken directly from the company’s The Atlas Family magazine. It’s dated August 1953, Volume XV, No. 2.
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| Let’s Be Friends: Mistress of Ceremonies Sandra Phillips greets George Boch on the stage of Lakeside Ballroom as Atlas people from Reynolds, R.X.L., and Blasting Supplies hold their spring party—financed by the profits of the various vending machines in the plants and labs. Just what George was doing on the stage, the Reynolds’ correspondent didn’t say, except that “Miss Phillips couldn’t resist him.” Other entertainment included dancing, tumbling, singing and a trained dog act. This excellent photo was taken by Reynolds’ veteran photographer “Chick” Walton. |
