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Though the exact year is unknown, Eureka’s long history begins prior to 1895 in Binghamton, New York, where the company still resides today. Then known as the Eureka Tent & Awning Company, its first wares were canvas products–most notably, Conestoga wagon covers and horse blankets for nineteenth century American frontiersmen–as well as American flags, store awnings, and family camping tents.

The company increased production of its custom canvas products locally throughout the 1930s and during the 1940 and even fabricated and erected the IBM “tent cities” just outside Binghamton. The seven acres of tents housed thousands of IBM salesmen during the company’s annual stockholders meeting, which had since outgrown its previous locale. In the 1940s, with the advent of World War II and the increased demand for hospital ward tents, Eureka expanded operations and began shipping tents worldwide.

Ultimately, upon the post-war return of the GIs and the resultant housing shortage, Eureka turned its attention to the home front during the 1950s by supplying awnings for the multitude of mobile homes that were purchased.

In 1960, Eureka’s new and innovative Draw-Tite tent, with its practical, free standing external frame, was used in a Himalayan Expedition to Nepal by world renowned Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person documented to summit Mt. Everest only six years earlier.

In 1963, Eureka made history during its own Mt. Everest ascent, with more than 60 of its tents sheltering participants from fierce 60+ mph winds and temperatures reaching below -20°F during the first all American Mt. Everest Expedition.

For backpackers and families, Eureka introduced its legendary Timberline tent in the 1970s. Truly the first StormShield design, this completely self-supporting and lightweight backpacking tent became one of the most popular tents the entire industry with sales reaching over 1 million by its ten year anniversary.

Eureka tents have also traveled as part of several historic expeditions, including the American Women’s Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I in 1978 and the first Mt. Everest ascents by a Canadian and American woman in 1986 and 1988.

In recent history, tents specially designed and donated by Eureka sheltered Eric Simonson and his team on two historic research expeditions to Mount Everest, this time in a quest for truth regarding the 1924 attempted summit of early English explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. During the 1999 expedition, the team made history finding the remains of George Mallory, but the complete mystery remained unsolved. Returning in 2001 to search for more clues, the team found amazing historical artifacts which are now on display at the Smithsonian.

You can find out more about popular family camping tents over at familycampingtents.net.

World War II veteran William E. Mahone founded Atlas Floors San Antonio in 1948, fulfilling a war-time dream of owning his own business. Bill and his wife Laura opened a new flooring business with the help of a Reconstruction Finance Corporation loan of $1600 in a rented building in Downtown San Antonio, Texas.

The Mahones borrowed a sum of $1,145.80 in order to relocate in a combination business and home, on Hildebrand Avenue. At that location a second generation literally grew up in the business, living in private quarters behind the flooring showroom. Bill Mahone Jr. (current President of Atlas Floors), his mother (Laura), and his two sisters (Jessica and Annie) were always involved in the family business. In 1972, company founder William passed away leaving Laura and the second generation to continue hands-on operation of the flooring company. Laura and the second generation continued hands on operation of Atlas Floors Texas.

In 1984, Bill Mahone Jr. took out loans from Hermann Sons in order to build a larger showroom and warehouse on their existing lot. The new accommodation doubled the original operations size, offering everything for floors, walls and windows. As San Antonio steadily grew through the years, so did Atlas Floors. Keeping step with a city rapidly expanding toward the North, in the year 2000 Atlas Floors opened a second showroom. Shortly thereafter, Atlas Floors joined the largest cooperative in the flooring industry, Carpet One. The relationship has been a huge success, giving this locally owned flooring company the buying power of over 1,000 stores nationwide.

Today, Atlas Floors Carpet One in San Antonio Texas continues as a family owned business under the stewardship of the now three generations of Mahones: Jessica Mahone-McCarthy, Vice President; Laura Mahone-DuBose, Treasurer; Bill Mahone Jr., President; and Billy Mahone III, Marketing Director.