Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Company papers

Collection

Identifier: BB.S56

Staff Only

Biographical / Historical note

Sibley, Lindsay and Curr was Rochester, New York's oldest and largest department store. Founded in 1868, it was locally owned until becoming a part of Associated Dry Goods Corporation in 1957.

Scope and Contents

The Papers include ten volumes of accounts, etc., giving an overview of approximately the first seventy-five years of the company. Also included are photographs of the disastrous fire of 1904, several pieces related to the company's finances in the 1950's, and several issues of the employees' paper Tower Talk for 1952-53 containing articles relating to the history of the company. The account books include figures for transfer balances, cash balances, merchandise, salaries, cartage, express and freight, interest, profit and loss, advertising, rent, insurance and taxes, light and heat, and various monthly accounts. Also included are accounts for various persons connected with the firm, including R. A. Sibley, A. M. Lindsay, John Curr, Robert Liddle, Thomas Johnson, A. J. Townson, and Thomas Ryder.

Creator

Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Co. (Organization)

Dates

Creation: 1868-1957

Language of Materials

English

Extent

1 box(es) (1 box, 10 volumes, and 1 package)

Access

The Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Company Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books, Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Received from Mr. William Lee, President of Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, April 1971. Twenty-one of the photographs were transferred to the collection from the Department's local history file. Additional materials were donated in 1981. The treasure ship gamepirate ship was purchased at the Rochester Antiquarian Book Sale in 2012.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Papers, BB.S56, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester