Ermal C. Fraze, Dayton Reliable Tool Company Records

The Ermal C. Fraze, Dayton Reliable Tool Records includes important information from Ermal C. Fraze, the invention of the Pull-Tab and Pop-Tops, Dayton Reliable Tool company information, and details about the Fraze Pavilion. This collection is arranged into seven series and two subseries:

Series I, Dayton Reliable Tool (DRT) Company, contains many important papers which pertain to the company, including the history of DRT, Union Labor paperwork, machinery blueprints, and a few newspaper articles.

Series II, Personal Papers, contains papers of the Fraze Family. Within this series there are correspondences, handwritten and typed notes, awards, DRT personal faxes and letters, organization details and banquets, along with newspaper and magazine articles. A few of the folders contain information on the death of Ermal C. Fraze in 1989. These folders hold his death certificate, funeral information, and there are also articles in Newsweek, the New York Times and other major newspapers and magazines reporting on Ermal C. Fraze's death.

Series III, Pull-Tabs and Pop-Tops, pertains to the invention and creation of Pull-Tabs and Pop-Tops. Most of this series contains newspaper and magazine clippings advertising the importance and growth of the inventions. In box 3 folder 15, there are examples of the Pop-Tops and lids created for cans by the Dayton Reliable Tool Company. Also included is a bench schematic pertaining to the Pop-Top.

Series IV, Fraze Pavilion, pertains to the building of the Pavilion, the Pavilion concert seasons from 1991 to 2001, and newspaper clippings detailing the construction and the impact the Pavilion had on the city of Kettering, Ohio. The first part of the series contains information about the ground breaking and grand opening which the Fraze family attended. Included are examples of Fraze Pavilion logos, which were previewed and approved by Terry Fraze. One folder contains the biographies of performers who performed at the Fraze Pavilion. Series V, Publications, contains the many publications dealing with either the companies using the Pull-Tabs and Pop-Tops or machine information Ermal C. Fraze used to manage the Dayton Reliable Tool Company. The Can Maker gives information from 1991 to 2000 to publicize the accomplishments of the company and the Pop-Top.

Series VI, Memorabilia, contains personal items from the Fraze Family and the Dayton Reliable Tool Company. The first part of the series has two flat Rolodex address books and a check paper weight from Ermal C. Fraze and his son Terry Fraze. There is also a Fraze Pavilion apron and two ticket key chains. In the two oversized sections there are Dayton Reliable Tool metal signs and a poster pertaining to Ohio Inventors.

Series VII, Photographs and Scrapbooks, is separated into two subseries. The first subseries contains photographs of Dayton Reliable Tool machinery, early factory photographs, Pull-Tabs and Pop-Tops, an Open House of the factory from 1985 and a few personal photographs from Ermal C. Fraze. There are also a few negatives and slides included. The second subseries is a Fraze Family Scrapbook, separated into two sections.