Kennescope Magazine

This page last updated on June 17, 2022.

Overview

Kennescope was Kennecott Copper Corporation's employee magazine, and was mailed to employees on a monthly basis. It was also made available to anyone interested in the company. It was a project of Kennecott's public relations staff in Salt Lake City.

The oldest issue found so far is February 1954. A possible older issue had a picture on the cover of some old-timers hanging ornaments on a Christmas tree, suggesting that there may be a December 1953 issue.

Kennescope was bimonthly (six issues per year) from the December 1953 issue through the March 1956 issue, when it was changed to a monthly magazine (12 issues per year). At that time the magazine was being shipped to "almost 8,000 homes."

Heber J. Hart (1920-2000) became editor of Kennescope in 1957. He remained as editor until his retirement in 1983, and died in July 2000. Prior to coming to Kennecott, Hart worked for the local Salt Lake Tribune newspaper. During his tenure as editor of Kennescope, he and the magazine won many local, regional and national awards among industrial publication editors for its high quality content.

The predecessor to the Kennescope magazine was "The Porphyry" published by Utah Copper Company.

Timeline

December 11, 1953
"Salt Lake City -- The Kennecott Copper Corp. today awarded a $200 vacation to John C. Larson, an employee of the Garfield refinery, for winning the first prize in a contest to name the firm's new employee magazine. Larson suggested the publication be called 'Kennescope'." (Ogden Standard Examiner, December 11, 1953)

December 18, 1953
"Copper Magazine To Be Called 'The Kennescope' -- Results of the contest for naming the employees' magazine at the Utah Copper Division of the Kennecott Copper Corporation have been determined, according to L. F. Pett, general manager. First prize, a $200 expense paid week-end in Las Vegas, was won by John C. Larson, who submitted the name "Kennescope". Mr Larson is an employee in the casting department at the Garfield refinery. Second prize, a $100 defense bond, was won by Fred Berger who submitted the name "Copperator". Mr Berger is employed in the engineering department at the Department of Mills. Third prize (choice of a $50.00 item) was won by H. O. Rudy, who submitted the name "Kennecopper." Mr. Rudy is a combustion foreman at the Central Power Station in Magna." (Midvale Sentinel, December 18, 1953)

January 8, 1954
"Congratulations -- We should like to extend our sincere and hearty congratulations to all staff members and others who aided in the first publication of Kennecott's new magazine, the Kennescope. It is splendidly edited, planned and most interesting. I am sure it will reach the magnitude that a predecessor, The Porphyry, attained many years ago. I still like to look through some of the copies that my parents had for three decades." (Garfield Leader, January 8, 1954)

March 19, 1954
Courtney H. Brewer was the first editor of Kennescope. (Provo Daily Herald, March 19, 1954)

Covers

An online album of a few Kennescope covers with railroad photos.

###