Kole Jr., James Stephen "Steve" Collection, 1940-2025, undated

James Stephen “Steve” Kole Jr. was born in Texas and became involved in two major industries within the state, rice farming and lignite coal mining. The Kole Farm existed from 1912 until 1971. During these fifty-nine years, it experienced hurricanes, technological innovation, and attempts to bring back a declining industry. When the farm was sold, he transitioned into sales with various companies, all of whom provided equipment and support to Texas’ growing lignite coal industry. This peaked during the 1970s and 1980s, as lignite provided a cheaper energy source than oil or natural gas. This collection contains digital files, miscellaneous materials, photographic prints, publications, reports, slides, and oversize items related to his family and career from 1940-2025, undated.