Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Call Carl, Inc. Collection

Summary
Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1474
Creators:
Call Carl, Inc.
Dates:
1914-1975
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Cubic foot
1 box, 2 map-folders
Repository:
Content Description
Content Description
Archival material, including advertising and business records from the "Call Carl" chain of Washington, DC, automotive service stations. The collection includes photographs of Washington, DC streets in the years before automobiles; photographs of the building exterior; photographs of the interior, including employees at work in the garages as well as in the offices; photographs of company events; membership cards; advertisements and promotional materials; testimonials; decals; letters; and company newsletters,
Exhaust Fumes.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Fredrick Carl and his four sons, Herman, Edmund, Louis, and Frederick, Jr., established Frederick Carl and Son, Inc. in 1919 to meet the growing demands for automobile repairs for all makes and models. In 1922 it changed its name and incorporated as Call Carl, Inc. with a chain of automotive service stations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Call Carl handled a range of services from the smallest adjustments to the rebuilding of entire automobiles. An emergency road service operated twenty-four hours a day. In 1982, KM, Inc. purchased the Call Carl auto centers which former Call Carl president, Konrad Murrer owned.
Administration
Author
Alison Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by William Herrmann.
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center in 2019 by the Division of Work and Industry, National Museum of American History.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2019.
Separated Materials
A five-year service pin awarded to employees of Call Carl, Inc. is in the Division of Work and Industry. See accession 1982.0664.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Call Carl, Inc. Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Advertisements -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Automobile repair shops Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Decals Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Membership cards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Negatives (photographic) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newsletters -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newspaper clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newsletters -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu