Hooker Chemical Corporation Papers

At the turn of the 19th century, the Elon Hooker and other men in the family established the Hooker Electrochemical Company, based in Niagara Falls. One of the most notable projects of the Hooker Chemical Company included the use of their materials in synthetic rubber and the Manhattan Project during World War II. In the collection, items related to the Hooker Chemical Plant span from 1900 to the 1970s. The collection contains articles about the company,  bulletins and publications, photos, and business correspondence. A compelling aspect of this collection relates to the company’s contribution to atomic bomb during World War II. The company even held an “atomic bomb party” for workers and their families. Although it is now difficult to view the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as something celebratory, these materials provide an incredible snapshot of wartime America and the mindset of citizens at that time.

The company gained nationwide attention and criticism due to its association with the Love Canal Superfund site. The company was largely blamed for the chemical contamination of a Niagara Falls neighborhood when its waste leaked into the water supply. This event was a catalyst for major environmental policy and regulation movements. In the collection, there is a letter from a descendant of the owners of the Hooker Chemical Plant defending the actions of the owners and addressing misinformation about the company’s role. The letter states that the company followed legal regulations for the disposal of chemical waste, but that the town sought ownership of the land and threatened to use eminent domain to take it over. The writer claims that Hooker Chemical sold the land for $1 to include a warning in the deed about the dangers of building on the land and disturbing the barrels of waste. The writer asserts that the company tried hard to dissuade the town from development, but Niagara Falls proceeded to build an elementary school and neighborhood anyway. This development caused leakage of dangerous chemicals into the area's water supply and soil, leading to major health issues for residents. This letter offers an inside perspective from the company that goes against popular consensus on a famous event. Decades after the Love Canal disastor, Huntington-Hooker family members are still working to clear their family name.