Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was a wild and rambunctious mill town in 1888, when a young German immigrant – Charles R. Meyer – started his own construction company. His firm’s early jobs included building small houses, stores, and factories, most of which were located within the communities that comprise the Fox Valley.

C.R. Meyer soon developed a reputation for hard work, straight talk, and jobs well done. By 1912, C.R.’s business had expanded and he, together with his sons, Harry and Edward, incorporated the business to become “C. R. Meyer and Sons Company.” Before long the company was serving customers throughout Northeast Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, bidding on and building dams, bridges, paper mills, and hydroelectric plants. At the same time, the company continued to construct churches, schools, healthcare facilities, and stately mansions for the area’s wealthy industrialists – which have, over time, become some of the area’s beloved landmarks.

The depression years brought their challenges, but the management team consolidated and weathered the storm. In 1932, Charles retired from the business. Edward became president, and Harry became vice president. The company expanded its scope to include emergency repair services, equipment rental, and trained professionals for setting of heavy machinery, and engineers for designing and planning projects.

In 1939, Harry assumed the presidency and with the revitalization during World War II, CR Meyer began to expand, building or adding to many area landmarks.

Frederick W. Pinkerton, Harry’s son-in-law, took the helm in 1963. Upon his father’s death in 1985, Frederick M. Pinkerton became president. His endeavor to bring design and construction under one roof, a process now known as design/build, was pioneered. CR Meyer’s professional staff expanded to meet the comprehensive needs of its customers to include erection services, alignment, and structural designing that the Company provided. 1988 saw the 100th anniversary of the Company and CR Meyer continued its steady growth.

The Company moved its corporate offices to its current location at 895 W. 20th Avenue in Oshkosh and added a Rhinelander, Wisconsin office and yard which was established to meet the needs of its northern-most customers. In 1997, following more than a decade as vice president, Phillip J. Martini became president of CR Meyer, and Fred assumed the role of chief executive officer. In 2002, an office was added in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The Oshkosh yard operation and Griese & Ross locations also grew. Today there are offices located in Escanaba, Michigan; Muskegon, Michigan; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Augusta, Georgia; and Chester, Pennsylvania.

In 2004, Frederick M. Pinkerton retired after a lifetime of building and working for CR Meyer. Today the same dedication for hard work, straight talk, and jobs well done continues as CR Meyer serves its customers throughout the United States.