1916 Autographed Dupont National Sales Convention Dinner Menu

In a dusty folder tucked away inside the library collection of the Ramsay Estate, two pieces of American industrial history quietly waited to be rediscovered: a menu from the DuPont National Sales Convention Dinner, and a handwritten letter, dated September 27, 1952, recounting a story passed down through the generations. Together, they form a rare glimpse into the early 20th-century world of explosives, innovation, and the unshakable determination of the people who built modern industry.

The letter tells the gripping tale of how, in 1914, with war looming in Europe, DuPont was called upon by the British government to supply critical powder for the front lines. The timeline: just three months. "Impossible," said some. But Major Ramsey replied, “We could fly if we had to.”

While the letter’s author attributes the powder plant’s heroic construction to Major Ramsey, history reveals that the real man behind the curtain was William Gouverneur Ramsay, DuPont’s Vice President and Chief Engineer—a man whose legacy remains largely unsung. Ramsay's engineering brilliance and leadership oversaw the building of explosive plants across the country, including the one in Hopewell, Virginia, all during a time when failure meant jeopardizing the Allied war effort.

The dinner menu—lavish and elegant—is likely from a DuPont national gathering honoring such feats and the men behind them. That it was preserved by Ramsay himself only deepens the intrigue. This was no ordinary memento; it was a piece of pride, perhaps a quiet tribute to a life spent shaping a nation’s industrial power.

Now, this story is yours to tell.