Book tells story of Kaiser Steel of Fontana
Historian Ric A. Dias, author of the recently published book “Kaiser Steel of Fontana: Together We Build,” has several presentations planned in the Inland Empire about the book and the Kaiser Steel story.
Three that are scheduled are at noon Wednesday at Barnes & Noble at 5183 N. Montclair Plaza Lane in Montclair; 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Assembly Room of the A.K. Smiley Public Library, 125 W. Vine St., in Redlands; and 5 p.m. Friday at the Barnes & Noble at 11090 Foothill Blvd. n Rancho Cucamonga.
In his presentations, Dias will discuss the successes, failures and limits of Henry J. Kaiser’s career.
When Kaiser announced his plans to enter the World War II shipbuilding business and massproduce steel in what was then the small agricultural town of Fontana, experts were shocked, according to a news release. But “Miracle Man Kaiser” built a steel plant in record time and it churned out more than 1 million tons of steel for the war effort.
Dias, who grew up in Northern California, attended graduate school at UC Riverside, where he became familiar with the Kaiser Steel story. He received a doctorate in history in 1995 and has been a professor of history at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Dias has written several articles on Kaiser Steel, as well as a book and articles on California engine maker Hall-Scott. He owns a 1951 Kaiser automobile.
“Kaiser Steel of Fontana: Together We Build” is published by Arcadia Publishing and includes a foreword by Nick Cataldo, president of the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society.
The book costs $21.99 and will be available for purchase at all three presentations.