05 / The archive

A living library of
American ingenuity.

Explore the people who helped make America—and the modern world—what they are today.

Standing on their shoulders.

Every comfort has a story.

Sometimes we lose sight of how much we owe to those who came before us—and how much we can do for those here today and tomorrow.

Donald Douglas (1892 – 1981) portrait
01

Donald Douglas (1892 – 1981)

1892–1981

Liz Claiborne  (1929 – 2007) portrait
02

Liz Claiborne (1929 – 2007)

1929–2007

Donna Dubinsky (Born 1955) portrait
03

Donna Dubinsky (Born 1955)

Born 1955

Marvin Bower (1903 – 2003) portrait
04

Marvin Bower (1903 – 2003)

1903–2003

Christian Heurich (1842 – 1945) portrait
05

Christian Heurich (1842 – 1945)

1842–1945

Henry Bloch (1922 – 2019) & Richard Bloch (1926 – 2004) portrait
06

Henry Bloch (1922 – 2019) & Richard Bloch (1926 – 2004)

1922–2019 · 1926–2004

Frank (1857 – 1943) & Edmund Ball (1855 – 1925) portrait
07

Frank (1857 – 1943) & Edmund Ball (1855 – 1925)

1857–1943 · 1855–1925

Condé Nast (1873 – 1942) portrait
08

Condé Nast (1873 – 1942)

1873–1942

Albert Spalding (1850 – 1915) portrait
09

Albert Spalding (1850 – 1915)

1850–1915

Cyrus Field (1819 – 1892) portrait
10

Cyrus Field (1819 – 1892)

1819–1892

John A. Roebling (1806 – 1869) portrait
11

John A. Roebling (1806 – 1869)

1806–1869

Gratitude for the American System, with a Little Side of Happiness portrait
12

Gratitude for the American System, with a Little Side of Happiness

William L. McKnight  (1887 – 1978) portrait
13

William L. McKnight  (1887 – 1978)

1887–1978

Charles Dow (1851 – 1902) portrait
14

Charles Dow (1851 – 1902)

1851–1902

Levi Strauss (1829 – 1902) portrait
15

Levi Strauss (1829 – 1902)

1829–1902

George Westinghouse (1846 – 1914) portrait
16

George Westinghouse (1846 – 1914)

1846–1914

Joyce (JC) Hall (1891 – 1982) portrait
17

Joyce (JC) Hall (1891 – 1982)

JC · 1891–1982

Henry Flagler (1830 -1913) portrait
18

Henry Flagler (1830 -1913)

1830 -1913

Charles Martin Hall (1863 – 1914) portrait
19

Charles Martin Hall (1863 – 1914)

1863–1914

Glenn Curtiss (1878 – 1930) portrait
20

Glenn Curtiss (1878 – 1930)

1878–1930

William Darden  (1918 – 1994) portrait
21

William Darden  (1918 – 1994)

1918–1994

Kemmons Wilson (1913 – 2003) portrait
22

Kemmons Wilson (1913 – 2003)

1913–2003

Asa Candler (1851 – 1929) portrait
23

Asa Candler (1851 – 1929)

1851–1929

John D. Rockefeller (1839 – 1937) portrait
24

John D. Rockefeller (1839 – 1937)

1839–1937

Madame C.J. Walker (1867 – 1919) portrait
25

Madame C.J. Walker (1867 – 1919)

1867–1919

Joseph Glidden (1813 – 1906) portrait
26

Joseph Glidden (1813 – 1906)

1813–1906

Malcolm McLean (1913 – 2001) portrait
27

Malcolm McLean (1913 – 2001)

1913–2001

Ray Kroc (1902 – 1984) portrait
28

Ray Kroc (1902 – 1984)

1902–1984

Marquis Mills Converse (1861 – 1931) portrait
29

Marquis Mills Converse (1861 – 1931)

1861–1931

Juan Trippe (1899 – 1981) portrait
30

Juan Trippe (1899 – 1981)

1899–1981

F.W. Woolworth (1852 – 1919) portrait
31

F.W. Woolworth (1852 – 1919)

1852–1919

Ruth Handler (1916 – 2002) portrait
32

Ruth Handler (1916 – 2002)

1916–2002

Henry J. Kaiser (1882 – 1967) portrait
33

Henry J. Kaiser (1882 – 1967)

1882–1967

Samuel Morse (1791 – 1872) portrait
34

Samuel Morse (1791 – 1872)

1791–1872

Clarence Birdseye (1886 – 1956) portrait
35

Clarence Birdseye (1886 – 1956)

1886–1956

Nolan Bushnell (Born 1943) portrait
36

Nolan Bushnell (Born 1943)

Born 1943

Milton Hershey (1857 – 1945) portrait
37

Milton Hershey (1857 – 1945)

1857–1945

Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989) portrait
38

Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989)

1911–1989

Oliver Evans (1755 – 1819) portrait
39

Oliver Evans (1755 – 1819)

1755–1819

William Levitt (1907 – 1994) portrait
40

William Levitt (1907 – 1994)

1907–1994

Elishia Otis (1811 – 1861) portrait
41

Elishia Otis (1811 – 1861)

1811–1861

Garrett Morgan (1877 – 1963) portrait
42

Garrett Morgan (1877 – 1963)

1877–1963

Willis Carrier (1876 – 1950) portrait
43

Willis Carrier (1876 – 1950)

1876–1950

Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) portrait
44

Henry Ford (1863 – 1947)

1863–1947

Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011) portrait
45

Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011)

1955–2011

Cyrus McCormick (1809 – 1884) portrait
46

Cyrus McCormick (1809 – 1884)

1809–1884