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Steves & Sons Inc. was founded in 1866 as Ed. Steves & Sons Lumber Yard. Edward
Steves arrived in Galveston from Germany in 1850. He was married and was blessed
with three sons; Edward Jr., Albert, and Ernest. Edward Steves moved to the pioneer
town of San Antonio, intent upon supporting his new family.
He purchased a wheat thrasher in 1860, and quickly began to turn a profit renting
the machine to local farmers. Using proceeds from the wheat thrashing machine rental,
Edward Steves entered the lumber business to supply
the rapidly growing city with spruce and pine from the north and east.
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Pictured: Left
Edward Steves, Founder. Right: Steves & Sons circa 1866 |
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By 1890, Steves & Sons controls a market area extending throughout the Southwestern
United States and Northern Mexico. Steves is the largest supplier of building products
to include doors, windows, blinds, and stairs. As competitors continued to rely
upon products from the eastern states, Albert Steves decided to begin manufacturing
a premier line of doors and windows. Doors were manufactured in San Antonio by piecing
together rails and slats to produce a solid wood paneled door. The success of this
venture prompted Albert Steves to rename the Steves & Sons Lumber Yard to Steves
Sash & Door Company. |
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Pictured: Steves
Sash and Door Company circa 1900 |
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In 1916, with World War I quickly approaching, Steves Sash & Door was the largest
millwork plant in the Southwest and Albert Steves was the mayor of San Antonio.
The foundation for a long and outstanding tradition of service to the community
of San Antonio and to the United States of America was laid. Leading up to World
War I, San Antonio enjoyed a huge building boom as military bases were constructed.
Once the United States entered World War I, Steves Sash & Door quickly shifted
production from doors to aircraft propellers in order to serve our military. Not
only did Steves Sash & Doors contribute millwork to the US government, they
also contributed both managing heads of Steves Sash & Door to the military,
confident that the company's efficient operations would not suffer. Following the
war, Steves was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the War Department. |
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Pictured: Right:
The Distinguished Service Award; Left: Aircraft propellers for WWI Aircraft |
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1941 saw the coming of the second World War, as well as many changes to Steves
Sash and Door Company. United States enters World War II in 1941 and once again,
Steves answers the call from the US military. With wooden propellers obsolete, Steves
manufactured cabinetry and foot lockers for Liberty ships to support the war effort.
Albert Steves also saw his three sons each enlist to serve their country.
Refusing to profit from the war and in gratitude for the safe return of his three
sons, Albert Steves, Jr. returned to the government all profits earned during the
war effort. Steves Sash & Door was awarded the Maritime Service "M" award an
unprecedented five times for its dedication to the war effort. Following the war,
to satisfy demand for easy and rapid home construction, Steves began to pre-hang
door units at the factory. This had previously been done on the job site and led
to more efficient home construction. Steves also developed the flush door concept
which allowed production of more than 1,000 units per day. Since the Steves organization
now offered a wide range of products and services, the company name was consolidated
to Steves & Sons, Inc.
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Pictured: Liberty
Ship |
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In 1970, Steves & Sons reached the 1,000,000 milestone for doors produced since
1950. Despite a thriving building industry, economic conditions forced smaller millwork
plants throughout the country to shut down or suffer acquisition from larger operations.
Steves decided that a business model based on multiple plant locations would expand
the product distribution footprint and insulate the company from regional downturns.
A second door plant was opened in Lebanon, Tennessee and a third in Richmond, Virginia.
Improvements in glue technology, machine construction, and the introduction of the
molded hardwood door facing allowed Steves & Sons to produce a larger quantity
of product in less time but with the same commitment to quality. |
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Pictured:
Left: Lebanon, TN; Right: Richmond, VA (circa 1970) |
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Operating under the 5th generation of Steves family ownership, Steves & Sons
services domestic building markets throughout the nation. Continued focus on environmentally
friendly materials, efficient production techniques, and technological innovations
will continue to ensure that Steves & Sons remains the manufacturer of choice.
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