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History of Charles T. Main, Inc.

Charles T. Main (later Chas. T. Main, Inc.), was an engineering firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Charles T. Main (1856-1943), founder of the firm, graduated from MIT in 1876. He was employed as a textile engineer from 1879-1892, and in 1893 began his private engineering practice in partnership with F.W. Dean. In 1907, Main and Dean each set up individual engineering firms. The Charles T. Main firm was incorporated in 1926 under the name Chas. T. Main, Inc.

The Western Office of Charles T. Main, located in Great Falls, Montana, was employed by the Montana Power Company and its affiliated companies on several water development projects, beginning in 1909. Henry A. Herrick was the chief engineer of the Western Office until his death in 1917. John D. Ryan was president of Montana Power Company and later Chairman of the Board of Anaconda Copper Mining Company.

Scope and Content

The collection includes engineering studies, test results, blueprints, correspondence and reports from several of Main's Montana water development projects on the Missouri River (1909-1928), including Great Falls (Great Falls Power Company, 1912-1915), Thompson Falls (Thompson Falls Power Company, 1909-1915), Rainbow Falls (Great Falls Water Power & Townsite Company, 1908-1917), Holter (Montana Power Company, 1910-1918), and Black Eagle (Montana Power Company, 1927-1928). There are also materials on Mesa Power Company's Snake River Development in Idaho (1912-1917); Montana Power Company (1917-1967); Dean & Main (1906); Central Colorado Power Company (1909); Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation (1910-1912); and a few photographs and miscellaneous materials.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Processing Information

Acquisition Information

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Charles T. Main, Inc. at the date of processing.

Access Terms

Black Eagle Development.

Central Colorado Power Company.

Chas. T. Main, Inc. -- Records.

Dams -- Madison River (Mont. and Wyo.)

Dams -- Missouri River.

Dams -- Snake River (Wyo.-Wash.)

Dean & Main (Firm)

Great Falls Dam (Mont.)

Great Falls Development, Inc.

Great Falls Power Company.

Great Falls Water Power & Townsite Company.

Herrick, Henry A.

Holter Development.

Hydraulic engineering -- Colorado.

Hydraulic engineering -- Idaho.

Hydraulic engineering -- Montana.

Madison River (Wyo. and Mont.) -- Power utilization.

Main, Charles T., 1856-1943.

Mesa Power Company.

Missouri River -- Power utilization.

Montana Power Company.

Rainbow Falls Development.

Ryan, John D., 1864-1933.

Snake River (Wyo.-Wash.) -- Power utilization.

Snake River Development.

Stone and Webster Engineering Corporation.

Thompson Falls Development.

Thompson Falls Power Company.

Water resources development -- Colorado.

Water resources development -- Idaho.

Water resources development -- Montana.

Water-power -- Colorado.

Water-power -- Idaho.

Water-power -- Montana.

Container List