J.C. Phelan Company

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The J.C. Phelan Company

The Phelan steeplejack business dates back to owner Jim Phelan's grandfather, who worked as a steeplejack in Waterford, Ireland, over 100 years ago. Around 1910, Jim's grandfather immigrated to Massachusetts and began working as a steeplejack near Boston.

Jim's father moved from Massachusetts to California in 1949. A few years later, he began working as a steeplejack and rigger in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1965, he began teaching the trade to 13-year-old Jim.

After apprenticing with his father, Jim worked as an ironworker on several projects in Northern California, including the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge. Several years later, he left ironwork to work full-time as a steeplejack and rigger.

::PRESS COVERAGE::
·Jim and his photography were featured in Moving Pictures on Channel 11 News in San Jose.
·Channel 10 News in San Diego featured Jim working on a 200 foot flagpole.
·Jim was featured on CMT channel's Most Shocking: Ways to Make a Buck.
·Our company was featured in the Sacramento Bee inspecting the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.
·Read about Jim's work on the Mark Hopkins Hotel flagpole.
·Our company worked on flagpoles at Arlington National Cemetery.
· And we have been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle.