History

There is much history connected with the Maryland Chapter of the Associated General Contractors with its beginning with the Chapter’s very first President, Maurice Alvin Long.

In 1918 President Woodrow Wilson made an appeal, growing out of the tremendous job of war-time construction in 1917-1918 for the formation of a national organization through which the federal government could have contact with the construction industry. An aggressive, far-sighted New York City builder, Daniel A. Garber, responded by issuing a nationwide call for a gathering of general contractors to meet in Chicago, November 20-21, 1918. Two hundred men representing more than 100 construction firms responded, for they could see the advantage contractors would derive from a national organization. Fifteen Chapters and branches were established during the first year of AGC’s existence. By 1927, when the Maryland Chapter was awarded its Charter, the National Association had more than 2,100 firms as members.

Since its founding on May 19, 1927, this Chapter has had 41 different men to serve as President, but we have to extend a special honor to the man who had the foresight to apply for a Charter and become the first President of the Baltimore Builders Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

The founder of our Chapter was a 52 year old builder whose name was Maurice Alvin Long. According to an article in the Maryland Biographical Association publication of 1920, Mr. Long had organized and became President of the M.A. Long Company in 1919.

He was born in Middletown, Ohio on October 25, 1875. After being educated in grammar school, he took a correspondence school course in civil engineering and architecture. For the next five years he worked for an architect in Dayton, Ohio and attended night school at the local YMCA. After this initial employment, he worked for two years for Barney & Smith Car Works, a company that built railroad cars. At the age of 24 he became assistant engineer and architect for the B & O Railroad in Cincinnati, Ohio. Five years later, at the age of 29 he was transferred to Baltimore to take charge of the building construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad System. In this position, he took over the construction of the B & O Office Building being constructed at Baltimore and Charles Street. In 1903 and 1904 he designed and constructed what was then the largest warehouse in the world. It was 1,277 feet long and five stories high. Today, with two stories added during the past 98 years, we know it as the Warehouse at Camden Yards. I am sure, except for its location and length, Mr. Long would hardly recognize it as it looks today. During his twenty years with the B & O, Mr. Long constructed building projects totaling in value of more than $100,000,000, and this was in the early 1900’s.

In 1919 he left the B & O, and as stated, organized and became President of M. A. Long Company. This new company was soon awarded the contract to build the huge McCormick Building on Light Street and after that, the $4,000,000 plant of the Columbia Gramophone Company. His enterprise made remarkable progress in construction in the city and state. Mr. Long believed in association membership, being a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Institute of Architects, the American Railway Engineering Association, the Society of Terminal Engineers. He was also a member of the Elk Ridge Hunt Club, the Baltimore Country Club, the Baltimore City Club, the Maryland Club, Merchants Club and Old Colony Club.

The Tercentenary History of Maryland says, “Maurice Alvin Long is a self-made man in the truest sense of the word and the prestige that he has gained in his profession is well deserved for it is the result of intelligently directed efforts, close application to the work at hand and laudable ambition.”

It is not surprising that he was re-elected President of the new Baltimore Builders Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America for ten consecutive years. Forty-nine Presidents have followed him,  Jeff Kracun, Balfour Beatty, is our current President.

In May 1975, the area of membership was no longer limited to just Baltimore City, but extended throughout the State of Maryland and the name of the Corporation was legally changed to reflect Maryland Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

For over 40 years the Maryland AGC has been located at 1301 York Road in Lutherville. Please stop by and say hello when your schedule permits, we would love to see you.