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Herman Gundlach Architectural Drawings Collection

 Collection — drawer: 84-88
Identifier: MS-041

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Includes architectural construction drawings for many of the buildings at Michigan Technological University and the Newberry State Hospital as well other significant structures in Michigan's Copper Country.

Dates

  • 1899-2007

Language of Material

English

Conditions Governing Access

Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

Various copying restrictions apply. Guidelines are available from Michigan Technological University Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections.

Biography

A native of Houghton, Michigan, Herman 'Winks' Gundlach was born in 1913. He received his baccalaureate in civil engineering from Harvard University in 1935. During his student years, he played varsity football and lacrosse for the Crimson and captained the 1934 football team. He was named to various All-Eastern and All-American football teams and played for the College All-Star Squad against the Chicago Bears in the 1935 All-Star Game. Following graduation, he played professional football with the Boston Redskins for a brief period before returning to Houghton to manage his family's construction business. From 1941 to 1946, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was discharged with the rank of Major. Following the war, he returned to Houghton and built Gundlach Construction into one of the largest and most respected general contracting firms in Michigan. From 1946 until he retired in 1988, Gundlach Construction built many, if not most, of the major structures in the Upper Peninsula. Among the buildings constructed by Gundlach are many of the Michigan Tech buildings including Dillman Hall, the home of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Herman was President of Copper Country Concrete Corporation, President of Douglass House Hotel Corporation, Chair and President of Houghton National Bank and served on the boards of several other corporations. Included in Mr. Gundlach's impressive list of honors are: Past President and Honorary Life Member of the Michigan Chapter, Associated General Contractors; Fellow of ASCE; Director and Chair, Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home; Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame; Dial Help Outstanding Service Award; National Organization for Women, Outstanding Service Award; Harvard Sports Hall of Fame; and others too numerous to mention. Herman was a member of the Michigan Tech President's Club, received the Michigan Tech Distinguished Service Award in 1983, and was elected to the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Over the years, he has been a special friend of the civil and environmental engineering students at Michigan Tech. Herman was married to Barbara Kettle Gundlach who passed away in 1983. He has four daughters and four grandchildren. Herman Gundlach passed away in 2005 (excerpted from http://www.cee.mtu.edu/alumni/academy/photos-jpg/14Gundlach.html, accessed June 3, 2010).

Extent

18 Cubic Feet (9 map drawers)

Abstract

Collection, 1899-2007, of the Herman Gundlach, Inc. construction company in Houghton, Michigan. Includes architectural construction drawings for many of the buildings at Michigan Technological University and the Newberry State Hospital as well other significant structures in Michigan's Copper Country.

Acquisition

An initial gift of 108 sets of rolled construction drawings was donated to the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections by Herman Gundlach on December 4, 2002. An additional two cubic feet of rolled drawings was recieved on April 13, 2010 from Gundlach Champion, Inc.

Title
Herman Gundlach Architectural Drawings Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Elizabeth Russell, revised by Rachael Bussert
Date
4/20/2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Repository Details

Part of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections Repository

Contact:
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton 49931 U.S.A. US