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Division of Work and Industry Lantern Slide Collection

Creator:
Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence.  Search this
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Civil Engineering Department  Search this
Compiler:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering  Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry  Search this
Extent:
33 Cubic feet (100 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Blueprints
Drawings
Lantern slides
Photographs
Date:
1886-1931
Summary:
A collection of 19th and early 20th century lantern slides collected by the Division of Work and Industry, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Scope and Contents note:
A collection of 19th and early 20th century silver gelatin dry plate lantern slides acquired by the staff of the Division of Work and Industry, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. These materials were collected for research purposes and relate to various engineering and mining subjects. The photographs document engineering activities, equipment, facilities, and projects. Activities include engineering inspection; moving an obelisk; rock drilling and riveting; tunneling; V drive ratio testing; and weighing. Photographs are also of objects including blueprints, boilers, bridges, canals, drawings, Egyptian temples, flywheel governors, and valves.

Images of corporate facilities documented include American Locomotive Company; Fairbanks Morse and Company; Hamiliton; Ingersoll-Rand, Incorporated; and Nordberg Manufacturing Company. In addition, there are images of equipment such as diesels, marine diesel generator set, diesel models, and marine diesel engines.

Images were created by photographers and photographic studios including L. C. Handy Photo, Washington, DC; W. H. Lawrence and B. S. Turpin; Underwood & Underwood; and the Massachusetts Intitute of Technology (MIT) Civil Engineering Department. Locations include various parts of the United States, Cuba, and Africa.

Collection is arranged in five series: series 1, engineering collections; series 2, manufacturing companies; series 3, engineering activities; series 4, equipment; and series 5, projects.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged in five series.

Series 1, Engineering Collections, dates Subseries 1.1, Architecture and Structures, dates Subseries 1.2, Bridges, Cantilever, dates Subseries 1.3, Bridges, Concrete Arch and Beam, dates Subseries 1.4, Bridges, Masonry Aqueducts, dates Subseries 1.5, Bridges, Metal Arc, dates Subseries 1.6, Bridges, Metal Truss, dates Subseries 1.7, Bridges, Movable, dates Subseries 1.8, Bridges, Suspension, dates Subseries 1.9, Canals, dates Subseries 1.10, Hydraulic Engineering, dates Subseries 1.11, Machine Tools, dates Subseries 1.12, Materials Handling, dates Subseries 1.13, Power, dates Subseries 1.14, Railroad Mileage Maps, dates Subseries 1.15, Steam Boilers, dates Subseries 1.16, Steam Turbines, dates Subseries 1.17, Tunneling Machine Tools, dates Series 2, Manufacturing Companies, dates Series 3, Engineering Activities, dates Series 4, Equipment, dates Series 5, Projects, dates

Series 2, Manufacturers, dates
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History

For related material on Canals, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Canals, NMAH.AC.0060

Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0143

Roland A. McCrady Photograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0710

Division of Cultural History Lantern Slides and Stereographs, NMAH.AC.0945

Niagara Falls Power Company Records, NMAH.AC.0949

Modjeski and Masters Company Records, NMAH.AC.0976

George Morison Collection, NMAH.AC.0978

Uriah A. Boyden Papers, NMAH.AC.0982

James Forgie Papers, NMAH.AC.0986

William R. Hutton Papers, NMAH.AC.0987

Snake River Irrigation Project Photograph Album, NMAH.AC.1031

Silas H. Woodard Papers, NMAH.AC.1038

Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad Records, NMAH.AC.1074

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Stereograph Cards, NMAH.AC.1090

New York State Barge Canal Photographs, NMAH.AC.1536

Lackawaxen Canal Survey Profiles, NMAH.AC.1546

Nicaragua Canal Collection, NMAH.AC.1550

For related material on Cantilever Bridges, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Bridges, NMAH.AC.0060

Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0143

Nathan W. Morgan Papers, NMAH.AC.0965

George Morison Collection, NMAH.AC.0978

John A. Roebling Collection, NMAH.AC.0981

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Stereograph Cards, NMAH.AC.1090

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Bridges Reference Collection, NMAH.AC.1577

For related material on Concrete Arch and Beam Bridges, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Bridges, NMAH.AC.0060

For related material on Hydraulic Engineering, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Engineering, NMAH.AC0060

Charles Richardson Pratt Papers, NMAH.AC.0958

Rudolph Hering Collection, NMAH.AC.0989

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Glass Plate Negatives, NMAH.AC.1089

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Stereograph Cards, NMAH.AC.1090

For related material on Machine Tools, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Tools, NMAH.AC.0060

Pratt & Whitney Company Scrapbook, NMAH.AC.0093

Max Holland Numerical Control Collection, NMAH.AC.0537

Southwark Foundry and Machine Company Records, NMAH.AC.1107

For related material on Materials Handling, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Materials Handling, NMAH.AC.0060

James J. Childs Numerical Control Collection, NMAH.AC.0420

World War Two Bomb Damage Photographs, NMAH.AC.1535

Norton Grinding Machine Company Photograph Collection, NMAH.AC.1551

Paul Steam-Heating System Company Records, NMAH.AC.1554

For related material on Metal Arch Bridges, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Bridges, NMAH.A.C0060

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Bridges Reference Collection, NMAH.AC.1577

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Stereograph Cards, NMAH.AC.1090

For related material on Movable Bridges, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Bridges, NMAH.AC.0060

Henry Grattan Tyrrell and Mary Maude Knox Tyrrell Papers, NMAH.AC.0948

Nathan W. Morgan Papers, NMAH.AC.0965

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Bridges Reference Collection, NMAH.AC.1577

For related material on Panama Canal, see the following collections:

John Frances Little Panama Canal Scrapbook, NMAH.AC.0708

A.R. Van Tassell Photograph Album, NMAH.AC.1015

W. A. Fishbaugh Panama Canal Photograph Album, NMAH.AC.1021

W. P. Stine Panama Canal Papers, NMAH.AC.1039

Katherine Kingsford Panama Canal Photograph Album, NMAH.AC.1040

Richard Fisher Collection of Panama Canal Materials, NMAH.AC.1045

Robert Dearborn Panama Canal Glass Negatives, NMAH.AC.1111

Charles Edwards Wood Panama Canal Photograph Album, NMAH.AC.1114

Panama Canal Commission Photonegatives, 1903-circa 1939, NMAH.AC.1116

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Panama Canal Collection, NMAH.AC.1569

For related material on Steam Boilers, see the following collections:

Frick Company Collection, NMAH.AC.293

Erasmus D. Leavitt Collection, NMAH.AC.0966

Edwin Rust Papers, NMAH.AC.1070

Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company Records, NMAH.AC.1541

For related material on Steam Turbines, see the following collections:

Parke, Davis Research Laboratory Records, NMAH.AC.0001

Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company Records, NMAH.AC.0977

Skinner Engine Company Records, NMAH.AC.1087

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Glass Plate Negatives, NMAH.AC.1089

For related material on Suspension Bridges, see the following collections:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Bridges, NMAH.AC.0060

Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, NMAH.AC.0143

Nathan W. Morgan Papers, NMAH.AC.0965

Modjeski and Masters Company Records, NMAH.AC.0976

Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Records, NMAH.AC.1060

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Glass Plate Negatives, NMAH.AC.1089

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Stereograph Cards, NMAH.AC.1090

Robinson & Steinman Collection, NMAH.AC.1562

Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Bridges Reference Collection, NMAH.AC.1577
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American women  Search this
Architecture  Search this
Bearings (Machinery)  Search this
Bridges  Search this
Canals  Search this
Children -- 20th century  Search this
Coal mines and mining  Search this
Engineering  Search this
Hydraulic engineering  Search this
Machine-tools  Search this
Materials handling  Search this
Mining engineering  Search this
Power  Search this
Steam-boilers  Search this
Turbines  Search this
Tunnels  Search this
Laborers  Search this
Rubber -- Ceylon  Search this
Rubber -- Congo  Search this
Rubber plantations  Search this
Tires  Search this
Water-supply  Search this
Genre/Form:
Blueprints
Drawings -- 20th century
Lantern slides
Photographs -- Lantern slides -- 19th century
Photographs -- Lantern slides -- 1900-1950
Citation:
Division of Work and Industry Lantern Slide Collection, 1886-1931, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1013
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep864c4320f-954c-462f-8434-2b79c0ed7159
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1013

Western Union Telegraph Company Records

Creator:
United Telegraph Workers.  Search this
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Extent:
452 Cubic feet (871 boxes and 23 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Administrative records
Articles
Books
Clippings
Contracts
Drawings
Photographs
Patents
Newsletters
Photograph albums
Scrapbooks
Specifications
Technical documents
Date:
circa 1820-1995
Summary:
The collection documents in photographs, scrapbooks, notebooks, correspondence, stock ledgers, annual reports, and financial records, the evolution of the telegraph, the development of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and the beginning of the communications revolution. The collection materials describe both the history of the company and of the telegraph industry in general, particularly its importance to the development of the technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The collection is useful for researchers interested in the development of technology, economic history, and the impact of technology on American social and cultural life.
Scope and Contents:
The collection is divided into twenty-six (26) series and consists of approximately 400 cubic feet. The collection documents in photographs, scrapbooks, notebooks, correspondence, stock ledgers, annual reports, and financial records, the evolution of the telegraph, the development of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and the beginning of the communications revolution. The collection materials describe both the history of the company and of the telegraph industry in general, particularly its importance to the development of the technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The collection is useful for researchers interested in the development of technology, economic history, and the impact of technology on American social and cultural life.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into twenty-seven series.

Series 1: Historical and Background Information, 1851-1994

Series 2: Subsidiaries of Western Union, 1844-1986

Series 3: Executive Records, 1848-1987

Series 4: Presidential Letterbooks and Writings, 1865-1911

Series 5: Correspondence, 1837-1985

Series 6: Cyrus W. Field Papers, 1840-1892

Series 7: Secretary's Files, 1844-1987

Series 8: Financial Records, 1859-1995

Series 9: Legal Records, 1867-1968

Series 10: Railroad Records, 1854-1945

Series 11: Law Department Records, 1868-1979

Series 12: Patent Materials, 1840-1970

Series 13: Operating Records, 1868-1970s

Series 14: Westar VI-S, 1974, 1983-1986

Series 15: Engineering Department Records, 1874-1970

Series 16: Plant Department Records, 1867-1937, 1963

Series 17: Superintendent of Supplies Records, 1888-1948

Series 18: Employee/Personnel Records 1852-1985

Series 19: Public Relations Department Records, 1858-1980

Series 20: Western Union Museum, 1913-1971

Series 21: Maps, 1820-1964

Series 22: Telegrams, 1852-1960s

Series 23: Photographs, circa 1870-1980

Series 24: Scrapbooks, 1835-1956

Series 25: Notebooks, 1880-1942

Series 26: Audio Visual Materials, 1925-1994

Series 27: Addenda
Biographical / Historical:
In 1832 Samuel F. B. Morse, assisted by Alfred Vail, conceived of the idea for an electromechanical telegraph, which he called the "Recording Telegraph." This commercial application of electricity was made tangible by their construction of a crude working model in 1835-36. This instrument probably was never used outside of Professor Morse's rooms where it was, however, operated in a number of demonstrations. This original telegraph instrument was in the hands of the Western Union Telegraph Company and had been kept carefully over the years in a glass case. It was moved several times in New York as the Western Union headquarters building changed location over the years. The company presented it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1950.

The telegraph was further refined by Morse, Vail, and a colleague, Leonard Gale, into working mechanical form in 1837. In this year Morse filed a caveat for it at the U.S. Patent Office. Electricity, provided by Joseph Henry's 1836 "intensity batteries", was sent over a wire. The flow of electricity through the wire was interrupted for shorter or longer periods by holding down the key of the device. The resulting dots or dashes were recorded on a printer or could be interpreted orally. In 1838 Morse perfected his sending and receiving code and organized a corporation, making Vail and Gale his partners.

In 1843 Morse received funds from Congress to set-up a demonstration line between Washington and Baltimore. Unfortunately, Morse was not an astute businessman and had no practical plan for constructing a line. After an unsuccessful attempt at laying underground cables with Ezra Cornell, the inventor of a trench digger, Morse switched to the erection of telegraph poles and was more successful. On May 24, 1844, Morse, in the U.S. Supreme Court Chambers in Washington, sent by telegraph the oft-quoted message to his colleague Vail in Baltimore, "What hath God wrought!"

In 1845 Morse hired Andrew Jackson's former postmaster general, Amos Kendall, as his agent in locating potential buyers of the telegraph. Kendall realized the value of the device, and had little trouble convincing others of its potential for profit. By the spring he had attracted a small group of investors. They subscribed $15,000 and formed the Magnetic Telegraph Company. Many new telegraph companies were formed as Morse sold licenses wherever he could.

The first commercial telegraph line was completed between Washington, D.C., and New York City in the spring of 1846 by the Magnetic Telegraph Company. Shortly thereafter, F. O. J. Smith, one of the patent owners, built a line between New York City and Boston. Most of these early companies were licensed by owners of Samuel Morse patents. The Morse messages were sent and received in a code of dots and dashes.

At this time other telegraph systems based on rival technologies were being built. Some companies used the printing telegraph, a device invented by a Vermonter, Royal E. House, whose messages were printed on paper or tape in Roman letters. In 1848 a Scotch scientist, Alexander Bain, received his patents on a telegraph. These were but two of many competing and incompatible technologies that had developed. The result was confusion, inefficiency, and a rash of suits and counter suits.

By 1851 there were over fifty separate telegraph companies operating in the United States. This corporate cornucopia developed because the owners of the telegraph patents had been unsuccessful in convincing the United States and other governments of the invention's potential usefulness. In the private sector, the owners had difficulty convincing capitalists of the commercial value of the invention. This led to the owners' willingness to sell licenses to many purchasers who organized separate companies and then built independent telegraph lines in various sections of the country.

Hiram Sibley moved to Rochester, New York, in 1838 to pursue banking and real estate. Later he was elected sheriff of Monroe County. In Rochester he was introduced to Judge Samuel L. Selden who held the House Telegraph patent rights. In 1849 Selden and Sibley organized the New York State Printing Telegraph Company, but they found it hard to compete with the existing New York, Albany, and Buffalo Telegraph Company.

After this experience Selden suggested that instead of creating a new line, the two should try to acquire all the companies west of Buffalo and unite them into a single unified system. Selden secured an agency for the extension throughout the United States of the House system. In an effort to expand this line west, Judge Selden called on friends and the people in Rochester. This led, in April 1851, to the organization of a company and the filing in Albany of the Articles of Association for the "New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company" (NYMVPTC), a company which later evolved into the Western Union Telegraph Company.

In 1854 there were two rival systems of the NYMVPTC in the West. These two systems consisted of thirteen separate companies. All the companies were using Morse patents in the five states north of the Ohio River. This created a struggle between three separate entities, leading to an unreliable and inefficient telegraph service. The owners of these rival companies eventually decided to invest their money elsewhere and arrangements were made for the NYMVPTC to purchase their interests.

Hiram Sibley recapitalized the company in 1854 under the same name and began a program of construction and acquisition. The most important takeover was carried out by Sibley when he negotiated the purchase of the Morse patent rights for the Midwest for $50,000 from Jeptha H. Wade and John J. Speed, without the knowledge of Ezra Cornell, their partner in the Erie and Michigan Telegraph Company (EMTC). With this acquisition Sibley proceeded to switch to the superior Morse system. He also hired Wade, a very capable manager, who became his protege and later his successor. After a bitter struggle Morse and Wade obtained the EMTC from Cornell in 1855, thus assuring dominance by the NYMVPTC in the Midwest. In 1856 the company name was changed to the "Western Union Telegraph Company," indicating the union of the Western lines into one compact system. In December, 1857, the Company paid stockholders their first dividend.

Between 1857 and 1861 similar consolidations of telegraph companies took place in other areas of the country so that most of the telegraph interests of the United States had merged into six systems. These were the American Telegraph Company (covering the Atlantic and some Gulf states), The Western Union Telegraph Company (covering states North of the Ohio River and parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Minnesota), the New York Albany and Buffalo Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company (covering New York State), the Atlantic and Ohio Telegraph Company (covering Pennsylvania), the Illinois & Mississippi Telegraph Company (covering sections of Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois), and the New Orleans & Ohio Telegraph Company (covering the southern Mississippi Valley and the Southwest). All these companies worked together in a mutually friendly alliance, and other small companies cooperated with the six systems, particularly some on the West Coast.

By the time of the Civil War, there was a strong commercial incentive to construct a telegraph line across the western plains to link the two coasts of America. Many companies, however, believed the line would be impossible to build and maintain.

In 1860 Congress passed, and President James Buchanan signed, the Pacific Telegraph Act, which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to seek bids for a project to construct a transcontinental line. When two bidders dropped out, Hiram Sibley, representing Western Union, was the only bidder left. By default Sibley won the contract. The Pacific Telegraph Company was organized for the purpose of building the eastern section of the line. Sibley sent Wade to California, where he consolidated the small local companies into the California State Telegraph Company. This entity then organized the Overland Telegraph Company, which handled construction eastward from Carson City, Nevada, joining the existing California lines, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Sibley's Pacific Telegraph Company built westward from Omaha, Nebraska. Sibley put most of his resources into the venture. The line was completed in October, 1861. Both companies were soon merged into Western Union. This accomplishment made Hiram Sibley leader of the telegraph industry.

Further consolidations took place over the next several years. Many companies merged into the American Telegraph Company. With the expiration of the Morse patents, several organizations were combined in 1864 under the name of "The U.S. Telegraph Company." In 1866 the final consolidation took place, with Western Union exchanging stock for the stock of the other two organizations. The general office of Western Union moved at this time from Rochester to 145 Broadway, New York City. In 1875 the main office moved to 195 Broadway, where it remained until 1930 when it relocated to 60 Hudson Street.

In 1873 Western Union purchased a majority of shares in the International Ocean Telegraph Company. This was an important move because it marked Western Union's entry into the foreign telegraph market. Having previously worked with foreign companies, Western Union now began competing for overseas business.

In the late 1870s Western Union, led by William H. Vanderbilt, attempted to wrest control of the major telephone patents, and the new telephone industry, away from the Bell Telephone Company. But due to new Bell leadership and a subsequent hostile takeover attempt of Western Union by Jay Gould, Western Union discontinued its fight and Bell Telephone prevailed.

Despite these corporate calisthenics, Western Union remained in the public eye. The sight of a uniformed Western Union messenger boy was familiar in small towns and big cities all over the country for many years. Some of Western Union's top officials in fact began their careers as messenger boys.

Throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century the telegraph became one of the most important factors in the development of social and commercial life of America. In spite of improvements to the telegraph, however, two new inventions--the telephone (nineteenth century) and the radio (twentieth century)--eventually replaced the telegraph as the leaders of the communication revolution for most Americans.

At the turn of the century, Bell abandoned its struggles to maintain a monopoly through patent suits, and entered into direct competition with the many independent telephone companies. Around this time, the company adopted its new name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T).

In 1908 AT&T gained control of Western Union. This proved beneficial to Western Union, because the companies were able to share lines when needed, and it became possible to order telegrams by telephone. However, it was only possible to order Western Union telegrams, and this hurt the business of Western Union's main competitor, the Postal Telegraph Company. In 1913, however, as part of a move to prevent the government from invoking antitrust laws, AT&T completely separated itself from Western Union.

Western Union continued to prosper and it received commendations from the U.S. armed forces for service during both world wars. In 1945 Western Union finally merged with its longtime rival, the Postal Telegraph Company. As part of that merger, Western Union agreed to separate domestic and foreign business. In 1963 Western Union International Incorporated, a private company completely separate from the Western Union Telegraph Company, was formed and an agreement with the Postal Telegraph Company was completed. In 1994, Western Union Financial Services, Inc. was acquired by First Financial Management Corporation. In 1995, First Financial Management Corporation merged with First Data Corporation making Western Union a First Data subsidiary.

Many technological advancements followed the telegraph's development. The following are among the more important:

The first advancement of the telegraph occurred around 1850 when operators realized that the clicks of the recording instrument portrayed a sound pattern, understandable by the operators as dots and dashes. This allowed the operator to hear the message by ear and simultaneously write it down. This ability transformed the telegraph into a versatile and speedy system.

Duplex Telegraphy, 1871-72, was invented by the president of the Franklin Telegraph Company. Unable to sell his invention to his own company, he found a willing buyer in Western Union. Utilizing this invention, two messages were sent over the wire simultaneously, one in each direction.

As business blossomed and demand surged, new devices appeared. Thomas Edison's Quadruplex allowed four messages to be sent over the same wire simultaneously, two in one direction and two in the other.

An English automatic signaling arrangement, Wheatstone's Automatic Telegraph, 1883, allowed larger numbers of words to be transmitted over a wire at once. It could only be used advantageously, however, on circuits where there was a heavy volume of business.

Buckingham's Machine Telegraph was an improvement on the House system. It printed received messages in plain Roman letters quickly and legibly on a message blank, ready for delivery.

Vibroplex, c. 1890, a semi-automatic key sometimes called a "bug key," made the dots automatically. This relieved the operator of much physical strain.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center

Additional moving image about Western Union Telegraph Company can be found in the Industry on Parade Collection (AC0507). This includes Cable to Cuba! by Bell Laboratory, AT & T, featuring the cable ship, the C.S. Lord Kelvin, and Communications Centennial! by the Western Union Company.

Materials at Other Organizations

Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware.

Western Union records (Western Union Right of Way and Other Agreements, 1848-1990, bulk: 1910-1989 and the Western Union Locality Files, 1892-1995, bulk: 1910-1989) form part of the MCI Communications Corporation Records, 1849-1999. See accession 2225.

First Data Corporation, Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Records of First Data Corporation and its predecessors, including Western Union, First Financial Management Corporation (Atlanta) and First Data Resources (Omaha). Western Union collection supports research of telegraphy and related technologies, and includes company records, annual reports, photographs, print and broadcast advertising, telegraph equipment, and messenger uniforms.

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Western Union Telegraph Expedition, 1865-1867

This collection includes correspondence, mostly to Spencer F. Baird, from members of the Scientific Corps of the Western Union Telegraph Expedition, including Kennicott, Dall, Bannister, and Elliott; copies of reports submitted to divisional chiefs from expedition staff members; newspaper clippings concerning the expedition; copies of notes on natural history taken by Robert Kennicott; and a journal containing meteorological data recorded by Henry M. Bannister from March to August, 1866.
Separated Materials:
Artifacts (apparatus and equipment) were donated to the Division of Information Technology and Society, now known as the Division of Work & Industry, National Museum of American History.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Western Union in September of 1971.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but Series 11 and films are stored off-site. Special arrangements must be made to view some of the audiovisual materials. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Communications equipment  Search this
Communication -- International cooperation  Search this
Electric engineering  Search this
Electric engineers  Search this
Electrical equipment  Search this
Electrical science and technology  Search this
Telegraphers  Search this
Telegraph  Search this
Genre/Form:
Administrative records
Articles
Books
Clippings
Contracts
Drawings
Photographs -- 19th century
Patents
Photographs -- 20th century
Newsletters
Photograph albums
Scrapbooks -- 19th century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Specifications
Technical documents
Citation:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0205
See more items in:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b72e8493-288c-4bd0-84d5-011155da30a7
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0205
Online Media:

[Hearts Content, Newfoundland, Canada: village streetscape with bicycle.] [black-and-white photoprint.]

Collector:
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Collection Creator:
United Telegraph Workers.  Search this
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (4.2" x 6.0")
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Place:
Newfoundland
Hearts Content (Newfoundland, Canada)
Date:
Circa 1900
Scope and Contents:
Albumen print?
Arrangement:
Photographs, Anglo-American
Local Numbers:
AC0205-0000090 (AC Scan)
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research access by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Streets -- Canada  Search this
Telegraph, Wireless  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints -- 19th century
Collection Citation:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
See more items in:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records
Western Union Telegraph Company Records / Series 23: Photographs / 23.7: Equipment / Anglo-American Telegraph Co., Ltd., Hearts Content, Newfoundland, ca. 1872.
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8cfaa1398-8764-47e1-9c92-28034cd69708
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0205-ref11374

River Club ballroom designed by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Photographer:
Garrison, Richard  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Date:
between 1940 and 1965
Citation:
Richard Garrison. River Club ballroom designed by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, between 1940 and 1965. Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings papers, 1915-1977, 1898. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Interior design  Search this
Murals  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)11473
See more items in:
Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings papers, 1915-1977, 1898
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_11473
Online Media:

Stereograph: Ruined building with colonnade

Photographer:
C. Naya  Search this
Publisher:
George W. Thorne  Search this
Medium:
Pair of collodion prints
Dimensions:
Print: H: 7.9cm W: 7.7cm
Card: H: 8.5cm W: 17.8cm
Object Name:
Photograph
Type:
Photograph
Made in:
Europe
Date:
1867-1870
Credit Line:
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number:
1931-81-291
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department
Data Source:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kq4cdeee272-2e3c-41f5-b249-60451616caa6
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:chndm_1931-81-291

Forrest and Staff

Artist:
Hughs and Saltsman Studio  Search this
Sitter:
Nathan Bedford Forrest, 13 Jul 1821 - 29 Oct 1877  Search this
John Presley Strange, 26 May 1823 - 17 May 1875  Search this
Charles S. Severson, 19th century  Search this
John Watson Morton, Jr., 19 Sep 1842 - 20 Nov 1914  Search this
Samuel Donelson, 19th century  Search this
George Dashiell, 10 Jan 1827 - 20 Feb 1906  Search this
Henry P. Pointer, 15 May 1822 - 22 Jun 1892  Search this
James Benjamin Cowan, 15 Sep 1831 - 27 Jun 1909  Search this
Gilbert Vincent Rambaut, Jr., 13 Feb 1837 - 29 Feb 1896  Search this
Medium:
Albumen silver print
Dimensions:
Image: 9.3cm x 5.4cm (3 11/16" x 2 1/8")
Mount: 10cm x 6.2cm (3 15/16" x 2 7/16")
Type:
Photograph
Date:
1865
Topic:
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Goatee  Search this
Nathan Bedford Forrest: Male  Search this
Nathan Bedford Forrest: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
Nathan Bedford Forrest: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Landowner  Search this
John Presley Strange: Male  Search this
John Presley Strange: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
Charles S. Severson: Male  Search this
Charles S. Severson: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
John Watson Morton, Jr.: Male  Search this
John Watson Morton, Jr.: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
Samuel Donelson: Male  Search this
Samuel Donelson: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
George Dashiell: Male  Search this
George Dashiell: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
Henry P. Pointer: Male  Search this
Henry P. Pointer: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
James Benjamin Cowan: Male  Search this
James Benjamin Cowan: Medicine and Health\Physician\Surgeon  Search this
James Benjamin Cowan: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
James Benjamin Cowan: Military and Intelligence\Army\Army physician\Army surgeon  Search this
Gilbert Vincent Rambaut, Jr.: Male  Search this
Gilbert Vincent Rambaut, Jr.: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Confederate Army  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
NPG.95.90
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm43b00e628-9343-4d2a-977e-71864891430c
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.95.90

Norwich -- Garden of Bill Noble

Former owner:
McKenzie, Betty  Search this
McKenzie, Robert  Search this
Provenance:
Connecticut Valley Garden Club  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Garden of Bill Noble (Norwich, Vermont)
United States of America -- Vermont -- Windsor County -- Norwich
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, site plans, and additional information, including some plant names.
General:
Located on a 19th-century Vermont farmstead, this garden has been under development since 1991 and is centered around a Greek Revival farmhouse, barn, and barn foundations on 22 acres of terraced lawns, field and woodland. The garden is focused on two acres and possesses a variety of plants not commonly encountered in Vermont gardens, including old-fashioned varieties collected from historic gardens and newer plants from other regions of the country being assessed for garden worthiness in Vermont. The main flower garden consists of four rectangular beds planted as a mixed border with deciduous shrubs, roses, herbaceous perennials, and self-sown annuals. This flower garden opens up westerly onto a lawn bordered by a 70-foot-long stone foundation wall. This border is planted for foliage interest to contrast with the floral display of the main flower garden. A rock garden with troughs is situated on the terrace above the walls in the remains of a former dairy barn, with the deteriorated cement floors providing ideal growing space for a variety of rock and alpine plants. A moss garden lies next to the former dairy in the footprint of a former stable, while the Silver and Gold border, named for the eponymous shrubby dogwood, is a transition from the foundation gardens to a field, with paths mowed into the tall grass. Other areas of interest include a vegetable garden east of the flower garden, borders of shade loving plants, an aster border, banks of native roses; and a slope of fall and winter interest with conifers, evergreen groundcovers and grasses.
March 1, 2008, is the only date indicated for all of the slides, although they appear to have been taken at various times of the year, possibly during 2007.
Persons associated with the site include Betty and Robert McKenzie (former owners, 1924-1990).
Related Materials:
Garden of Bill Noble related holdings consist of 1 folder (15 35 mm. slides (photographs))
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Vermont -- Norwich  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File VT011
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Vermont
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb65db46ad0-9f25-4f06-8f44-35e4a90117c9
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref11358

Moncks Corner -- Mulberry Plantation

Landscape architect:
Briggs, Loutrel W.  Search this
Owner:
Chapman, Clarence  Search this
Provenance:
Little Garden Club of Rye  Search this
Creator:
Broughton, Thomas Col  Search this
Collection, John, Sir  Search this
Barker, Theodore G., Major  Search this
Chapman, Clarence  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Mulberry Plantation (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Berkeley County -- Moncks Corner
Mulberry Plantation (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Berkeley County -- Moncks Corner
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, site plans, and photocopies of book excerpts and articles.
General:
The brick house at Mulberry Plantation was built on a bluff by the first owner, Thomas Broughton in 1714, the date inscribed in iron on the four weathervanes atop the four pavilions at the corners of the house. Situated along the Cooper River the current property comprises 805 acres and includes gardens on three levels: a formal boxwood parterre garden next to the house, a descending camellia walk, and a formal circle garden, all designed by Loutrel W. Briggs (b.1893-d.1977) circa 1930. Other features include a parterre kitchen garden, a Live oak allée, lagoon, rolling lawns and the oldest mulberry tree in the country. The plantation grew rice at various times in its history, as well as indigo and forest products. Another 19th century commercial project that did not succeed was breeding silk worms to produce domestic silk, with mulberry trees planted to house the worms. By the early 20th century the property was in decline and was sold out of the Broughton family to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence E. Chapman as a winter retreat. The Chapmans restored the house and brought in Briggs, known for developing the Charleston style for the many small gardens he designed in the city and at other Cooper River plantations.
Mulberry Plantation was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The style of the house has been described as Jacobean and French, with a mansard roof, rather than a typical low-country wooden structure. The brick house may have been used as a fortress against attacks during the Yamesse War in 1715, between settlers and Native Americans. At one time there were many slave cabins on the property but now only one remains that has been used as a hunting lodge.
Persons associated with the garden include Thomas Broughton and descendents (former owners, 1714-1914); Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Chapman (former owners, 1915-1981); Historic Charleston Foundation (former owners, 1981-1987); Loutrel Winslow Briggs (December 12, 1893-May, 1977) (landscape designer, circa 1930)
Related Materials:
Mulberry Plantation related holdings consist of 2 folders (2 35mm slides (photographs) + 27 digital images)
Mulberry Plantation related holdings consist of 1 slide (photograph) (col., 35mm.)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- South Carolina -- Moncks Corner  Search this
Plantations  Search this
Spring  Search this
Box  Search this
Formal gardens  Search this
Sundials  Search this
Gardens -- South Carolina -- Moncks Corner  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File SC061
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / South Carolina
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb60ba6e02c-2caf-4c96-88a7-9520448a1b9b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref12489

Aiken-rhett House

Creator:
Charleston Museum (Charleston, S.C.)  Search this
Weller, Eleanor C.  Search this
Aiken, William Governor  Search this
Historic Charleston Foundation  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Extent:
1 Slides (photographs) (col.)
Type:
Archival materials
Slides (photographs)
Place:
South Carolina -- Charleston
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Charleston County -- Charleston
Date:
04/01/1990
General:
The mansion was completed in 1817 and enlarge to Greek Revival style from 1833-1836. The rear courtyard has complete groups of dependencies for prominal family chicken coup, matching gothic cornshed, matching pair of gothic privys an a magnolia allee. 19th century garden copied. Formal parterre by right arbor to view toward the rear room designed by owner, Innocenti style.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Spring  Search this
Gates -- Iron  Search this
Tulips  Search this
Hyacinths  Search this
Arbors  Search this
Climbing plants  Search this
Walkways, gravel  Search this
Edging, brick  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, Item SC037005
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / South Carolina / SC037: Charleston -- Aiken-Rhett House
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb61f0eade9-39c2-42a9-a9fb-7642f505d9f5
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref12670

[Mulberry Plantation]: indigenous cypress knees grow along a 19th century hand-dug canal.

Photographer:
Albert, Betsey  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Extent:
1 Photograph (digital) (col., JPEG.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photograph (digital)
Digital images
Place:
Mulberry Plantation (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Berkeley County -- Moncks Corner
Date:
2010 Apr.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- South Carolina -- Moncks Corner  Search this
Cypress  Search this
Bridges  Search this
Canals  Search this
Boathouses  Search this
Spanish moss  Search this
Live oak  Search this
Genre/Form:
Digital images
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, Item SC061011
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / South Carolina / SC061: Moncks Corner -- Mulberry Plantation
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb65db6c3fc-d427-4dc7-8131-994e67c427e8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref12817

[South Mulberry Plantation]: overlooking "South Garden," designed in 1852; brickwork is original and plans mimic original 19th century plants.

Photographer:
Albert, Betsey  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Extent:
1 Photograph (digital) (col., JPEG.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photograph (digital)
Place:
South Mulberry Plantation (Moncks Corner, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Berkeley County -- Moncks Corner
Date:
2010 Apr.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- South Carolina -- Moncks Corner  Search this
Boxwood  Search this
Trees  Search this
Bricks  Search this
Garden walks  Search this
Knot gardens  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, Item SC104001
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / South Carolina / SC104: Moncks Corner -- South Mulberry Plantation
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb637934d31-7eaf-4b6e-ab5a-d959f78c97df
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref12822

Asheville -- W. K. Symmes Residence

Architect:
Adams, Junius  Search this
Former owner:
Adams, Junius  Search this
Adams, Junius, Mrs.  Search this
Provenance:
The French Broad River Garden Club Foundation  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Symmes, W. K., Residence (Asheville, North Carolina)
United States of America -- North Carolina -- Buncombe County -- Asheville
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes a worksheet, a copy of the property plat, a photocopy of a published photograph of the potting shed, and other information.
General:
This two-and-a-half acre garden is located at 2,200 feet altitude in Biltmore Forest, a residential suburb of Asheville in the mountains of western North Carolina. The placement of house and garden take full advantage of the privacy afforded by backing to the 8,000-acre Biltmore estate. The house is approached by a rhododendron-lined lane off the main road and is not visible from the street. A full acre of roadside property remains a mature woods of pine and hardwood, providing it a rural setting. A rock garden is nestled on a slope behind the house and can be viewed from the breakfast room and bedrooms; it also serves as an entrance garden to the guest cottage. Off the living room a circular terrace overlooks three levels of lawn which slope to the vast woods adjoining. An herb garden surrounds the terrace and a rhododendron thicket borders the upper level of the lawn, which is often used as an outdoor dining room. Outbuildings include a 19th century-style, octagon-shaped well house used as a potting shed and a "play house" at the end of a secluded path through the thicket.
Persons associated with the property include Mr. and Mrs. Junius Adams (architect and former owners, 1939-1988).
Related Materials:
W. K. Symmes Residence related holdings consist of 1 folder (6 35 mm. slides)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- North Carolina -- Asheville  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File NC042
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / North Carolina
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb678696687-3716-4a14-b4f2-30ab6ca17c1b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref12946

Cincinnati -- River High

Landscape architect:
Christie, Eleanor H.  Search this
Taylor, Albert Davis  Search this
Battin, Dalton W.  Search this
Bentley, John A.  Search this
Steele & Whittaker Landscapes, Inc.  Search this
Vivian Llambi & Associates Inc.  Search this
Former owner:
Warrington, George H.  Search this
Richardson, Rosemary Sawyer  Search this
Landscape designer:
Hoffman, Stu  Search this
Provenance:
Cincinnati Town and Country Garden Club  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
River High (Cincinnati, Ohio)
United States of America -- Ohio -- Hamilton County -- Cincinnati
Scope and Contents:
The folders include work sheets, copies of landscape plans, newspaper and periodical articles, additional visual images, and planting lists.
General:
"River High" represents one of Cincinnati's most characteristic architectural types: the large house set on a wooded hill-top and oriented toward a view of the Ohio River Valley. Built in 1912, the house combines English Georgian and American Colonial Revival with influences of the Arts and Crafts style. "River High" is perceived at first as a long, substantial, dark red brick mass with the original slate roof, lying athwart a shallow bowl of lawn, with the drive winding down to the entrance and sweeping back to the road. The architects' intent was to block the view until the house had been penetrated; when the riverscape appears at the end of the central hallway. The house consists of three main blocks. The lower porch on the left opens onto the reconstructed formal garden that extends the axis of the house eastward. The lower porch leads out onto the lawn that descends gradually through a formal parterre with a pool and fountain. Symmetrical plantings frame this lower lawn. In 2005 the front arrival courtyard was transformed and is now centered with the formal front entrance in keeping with the symmetrical Georgian style of the house. The new design features a fountain with waterfall and a sculpture of two great blue herons as well as seasonal display beds for annuals, a serpentine retaining wall, landscape lighting, and a unique bench sculpture. Completing the picture are custom-designed wrought iron gates, 19th-century Italian urns, and ornamental and shade trees.
Person(s) associated with the property and garden include: George H. Warrington (former owner, 1912-1951); Rosemary Sawyer Richardson (former owner, 1951-1989); Albert Davis Taylor (landscape architect, 1917); Eleanor H. Christie (landscape architect, ca. 1917-1951?); Dalton W. Battin (landscape architect, 1980); Stu Hoffman, Natorp Landscape Organization, Inc. (landscape designer, 1987); Steele & Whittaker Landscapes, Inc. (landscape architects, 1991); Vivian Llambi & Associates Inc. (landscape architects, 1996); and John A. Bentley (landscape architect, 2005).
Related Materials:
River High related holdings consist of 2 folders (51 35 mm. slides; 5 photographic prints)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Ohio -- Cincinnati  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File OH217
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Ohio
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6ab60831a-168c-4e77-a3c7-c18ecec9d374
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref15431

Fairview -- The Frenzel Garden

Former owner:
Patton, Franklin Sr  Search this
Weber, Fred  Search this
Weber, Alma  Search this
Frenzel, Robert  Search this
Frenzel, Kathleen  Search this
Provenance:
Carrie T. Watson Garden Club  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
The Frenzel Garden (Fairview, Pennsylvania)
United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Erie County -- Fairview
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, detailed planting lists, and a garden directory excerpt.
General:
The seven-acre Frenzel Garden is known for its extensive plantings of rhododendron, with several hundred mature shrubs including rhododendron maximum dug from the woods in West Virginia and peddled door-to-door during the Depression. All the previous owners of the 1920s German sandstone house installed gardens on the mostly shady property and some of the boxwood, Norway spruce and other non-indigenous trees and shrubs are more than 70 years old. The last owners created 70 distinct garden areas of varying sizes, adding to the tree, shrub, herbaceous perennial and bulb collections. The rhododendron and azalea collection has more than 300 species and hybrid varieties; other collections include more than 130 named varieties of hosta, 100 dwarf conifers, 44 species and hybrid varieties of hydrangeas, more than 25 kalmia hybrids and 21 varieties of magnolia. Southern magnolias, crepe myrtle, camellias and gardenias have been tried out in this zone 6 garden with qualified success.
The property overlooks Lake Erie and was used originally as a lake side retreat. The house and garage were built out of salvaged cobblestones from Erie, Pennsylvania that served as ballast on German ships in the 19th century.
Garden features include a tori gate, gazebo, lathe house, patio and shed.
Persons and groups associated with the garden include: Franklin Patton, Sr. (former owner); Fred and Alma Weber (former owners, circa 1953 - circa 1983); Robert and Kathleen Frenzel (former owners, 1983 - circa 2012).
Related Materials:
The Frenzel Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (1 photographic print; 12 digital images)
See others in:
Garden Club of American collection, ca. 1920- [ongoing].
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Fairview  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File PA696
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6ee8d1308-7033-4c9f-b65f-cbfc24a94fb1
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16462

Philadelphia -- Boxly

Former owner:
Penn, William  Search this
Pastorius, Francis Daniel  Search this
Du Barry, Joseph  Search this
Sheridan, Owen  Search this
Taylor, Frederick Winslow, 1856-1915  Search this
Taylor, Frederick Winslow, Mrs.  Search this
Peck, Frederick W. G.  Search this
Peck, Frederick W. G. Mrs.  Search this
Architect:
Fielding, Mantle, 1865-1941  Search this
Landscape architect:
Gallagher, Percival  Search this
Peck, Frederick W. G.  Search this
Olmsted Brothers  Search this
Civil engineer:
Vandu Zee, Harold (civil engineer)  Search this
Gardener:
Bender, Robert  Search this
Provenance:
The Garden Club of Philadelphia  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Boxly (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia County -- Philadelphia
Scope and Contents:
The folders include worksheets, photocopies of newspaper and other printed references about the garden, and photocopies of photographs of the garden when it was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Winslow Taylor (before 1951).
General:
"Boxly" was originally established by Joseph Du Barry (a friend of Joseph Bonaparte) as "Mulberry Farm." The property was the center of an unsuccessful silk industry in the early 19th century. It was later purchased by the famous efficiency engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor, who built the first undulating putting green (for golf) in America at the property. He renamed it "Boxly" because of its then 100-year-old boxwood bushes. The property was redesigned in the 1950s and 1960s.
Persons associated with the property include: William Penn (former owner, 1681-1683); Francis Daniel Pastorius (former owner, 1683-?); Joseph Du Barry (former owner, 1803-?); Owen Sheridan (former owner, 1833-?); Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Winslow Taylor (former owners, 1901-1951); Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. G. Peck (former owners and landscape architect, 1951-1998); Mantle Fielding (architect, 1901-1905); the Olmsted Brothers (landscape architects, 1901-1910); Percival Gallagher (landscape architect, 1901-1910); Harold Vandu Zee (civil engineer, 1901-1915); and Robert Bender (gardener, 1902-?).
Related Materials:
Boxly related holdings consist of 3 folders (4 glass lantern slides; 63 35 mm. slides; 17 photonegatives)
Records related to this site can be found at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Olmsted Job Number 00168, F. W. Taylor (Clark, J.S.).
See others in:
Maida Babson Adams American Garden Collection, ca. 1960-1994.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File PA009
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6eecd6092-7c89-4e8f-9859-2299b3d74d87
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16501

Pottstown -- Company Farm

Patent owner:
Penn, Thomas  Search this
Penn, Richard  Search this
Former owner:
Ingles, James  Search this
Ingles, John  Search this
Beary, Christian  Search this
Beary, Daniel  Search this
Harley, Eli  Search this
Reifsnyder, John  Search this
Reitenbaugh, Joseph Elwood  Search this
Bullock, Anthony N.  Search this
Brooke, G. Clymer  Search this
Shelton Claude  Search this
Clevenger, Robert  Search this
Reading Railroad  Search this
Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation  Search this
Provenance:
Four Counties Garden Club  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Company Farm (Pottstown, Pennsylvania)
United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Montgomery County -- Pottstown
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes a worksheet, copies of photographs, copy of Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey form, copies of public sale announcements, 1843 property inventory, 1754 deed, and garden plan.
General:
The property, being primarily a farm, had a relatively simple garden behind the house except for more sophisticated landscaping by the former owners of the Tudor-style house. Historically, there has been a strong connection of the property to the old Schuylkill Canal. In the early 19th century, the farm was used to raise mules needed to pull the barges from upstate Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. The present owners wished to emphasize the natural landscape. A pond is fed from run-off from a spring. Rhododendrons are interspersed with grassy areas and stone walls. A trip to a Japanese garden, designed by Kobori Enshu, inspired the owners to recreate it using stones to represent cranes and a small central peninsula representing the island of eternal youth. A later trip to Thailand inspired the garden's Thai Spirit House. The garden has been used for Thai students to perform dances, for weddings, and as a gathering place for Easter sunrise services and garden tours.
Special appreciation for the owners' children's hard work is shown by placing bronze statues in special garden settings. "Celebration," by L'Deane Trueblood (1999), is dancing in a large oval garden. The bronze statue, "Wings," by Gary Price (1996), stands on a high rock depicting a young boy launching his model plane. "Child of Peace," by Edward Fenno Hoffman III. (1960), depicts a boy cuddling a dove. "Garden Chimes," by Val Bertoia (2000), represents the gardener's love for music.
Persons associated with the garden include: Thomas and Richard Penn (patent owners, 1754); James and John Ingles (former owners, 1754-1806); Christian and Daniel Beary (former owners, 1806-1836); Eli Harley (1836-1844); John Reifsnyder (former owner, 1844-1847); Schuylkill Navigation Company (former owner, 1847-1896); Reading Railroad (former owners, 1896-1914); Joseph Elwood Reitenbaugh (former owner, 1914-1928); Anthony N. Bullock (former owner, 1928-1934); G. Clymer Brooke (former owner, 1934-1945); Claude and Minnie Shelton (former owners, 1945-1970); and Robert Clevenger (former owner, 1970).
Related Materials:
Company Farm related holdings consist of 1 folder (12 35 mm. slides and 2 photoprints)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Pottstown  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File PA620
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6c2d89d68-71e6-4aed-bfdf-45c99189d605
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16557

Middletown -- Belle Grove Plantation

Former owner:
Hite, Isaac, Jr  Search this
Hunnewell, F. W. (Francis Welles)  Search this
Brumback family  Search this
Landscape architect:
Favretti, Rudy J., 1932-1923  Search this
Owner:
National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States  Search this
Creator:
Garden Club of Virginia  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Belle Grove (Middletown, Virginia)
United States of America -- Virginia -- Frederick County -- Middletown
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets and photocopies of articles about the property.
General:
Major Isaac Hite Jr., who fought with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, and his first wife Eleanor (Nelly) Conway Madison, a sister of President James Madison, built the Federal style house beginning in 1794, using limestone quarried on the 483 acre property. The landscape plan included groves of trees for shade and was influenced by the less formal 18th century English gardens that complement rather than contrast with the natural setting. The fields would have been planted in grain for livestock, including cattle and Merino sheep. During Hite's lifetime the property was expanded to 7,500 acres and included a distillery and several mills. The house has a south façade of dressed limestone, and is in the pavilion style favored by Thomas Jefferson. There are several outbuildings. The only records of the garden show light foundation plantings around the house and a latticework fence.
During the Civil War, Belle Grove Plantation was the setting of the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864, in which Union General Philip Sheridan defeated Confederate General Jubal Early.
The Brumback family owned the property from 1907 to 1929. Francis Welles Hunnewell purchased the property in 1929 and bequeathed it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1964.
In 1983, the Garden Club of Virginia voted to restore the gardens at Belle Grove Plantation, using funds raised in their annual garden walks. The gardens were restored to the style of circa 1820. University of Connecticut Professor Emeritus Rudy J. Favretti (Fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects) designed the restoration. Restoration included pruning the trees to restore light to the house and open the view of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains and replacing the large foundation plantings including diseased boxwoods with low-growing plants. In addition, an overgrown herb garden was converted to a demonstration garden comprised of plants used in cooking, medicine and commerce in the 19th century, with restored latticework fencing on three sides and post and rail fencing on the fourth side.
Belle Grove Plantation, now 283 acres, is operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and open to the public. Sites on the grounds include the ice house, old hall, dairy, smokehouse, blacksmiths shop, demonstration garden, slave cemetery, and agricultural fields. There is also a library of local, architectural, crafts and agricultural history, and an artifacts collection.
Persons associated with the property include Major Isaac Hite (former owner, 1794-1836) and descendents of the Hite family, the Brumback family (former owner, 1907-1929), Francis Welles Hunnewell (former owner, 1929), Rudy J. Favretti (1983, restoration landscape architect) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (owner, 1964-present)
Related Materials:
Belle Grove Plantation related holdings consist of 2 folders (1 3 x 4 in. lantern slide and 3 35mm slides)
See also the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
See others in:
Hollerith Collection, ca. 1970?
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Virginia -- Middletown  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File VA094
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Virginia
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6a1c3d45f-f402-49e6-afa3-7d7766b16b38
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref18856

Locust Valley -- Land's End Manor

Former owner:
Bourne, George Galt  Search this
Gibson, Harvey Dow  Search this
Landscape architect:
Olmsted, Frederick Law, Jr., 1870-1957  Search this
Mitchell, Adele  Search this
Innocenti & Webel  Search this
Walker & Gillette  Search this
Olmsted Brothers  Search this
Architect:
Lindeberg, H. T. (Harrie Thomas), b. 1879  Search this
Designer:
Collins, John M.  Search this
Mitchell, Adele  Search this
Superintendent:
Martin, John  Search this
Gardener:
Daniello, Ralph  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Land's End Manor (Locust Valley, New York)
United States of America -- New York -- Nassau -- Locust Valley
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, information regarding previous owners, historical timeline of the property, and a list and plans of landscape features.
General:
Located on approximately 38 acres, this garden surrounds the mid-19th century house. Land's End Manor was remodeled in 1926 for banker Harvey Dow Gibson by the New York firm Walker and Gillette. The garden was originally designed in the 1920s by Frederick Olmsted, Jr. The view from the terrace of the house is of a sunken garden edged with a mature low hedge enclosing perennials. There is a round pool with a water spouting statue at its center. An adjacent grape arbor separates this garden from a classical walled rose garden with a planted urn at its center. On the south side of the house is a weeping sophora japonica tree. To the north of the house, with a view of Long Island Sound, is an enclosed teahouse with a wisteria covered trellis and two wire work swings. The pool house was designed by John Collins in the late 1980s, and the rock garden extending north of the pool with many perennials, ferns, evergreen trees, yews, and junipers was designed by Adele Mitchell around that time. A white brick wall on the edge of the driveway has espaliered myrtle in a curved design. Southeast of the house are outbuildings and the vegetable and cutting gardens. These gardens have arbors of roses and grapes incorporated into their design and white gravel paths. Adjacent to this area are the paddocks where the Gibson's horses were schooled and turned out. In the early 1980s, Innocenti & Webel did the master plan for the development of the original acreage (300+) of the property.
Persons associated with the garden include: George Galt Bourne (former owner, ca. 1920s); Harvey Dow Gibson (former owner, ca. 1926-1979); Frederick Olmsted, Jr. (landscape architect, ca. 1920s); Harrie T. Lindeberg (architect, ca. 1920s); Walker and Gillette (architects, 1926); Innocenti & Webel (landscape architects, ca. 1980s); John M. Collins (designer, ca. 1986); Adele Mitchell (landscape architect/designer, ca. 1986); Ralph Daniello (gardener, 1956-2012); John Martin (superintendent, 2013- ).
Related Materials:
Land's End Manor related holdings consist of 1 folder (13 35mm slides (photographs))
Records related to this site can be found at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Olmsted Job Number 06893, Harvey D. Gibson.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- New York -- Locust Valley  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File NY1005
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / New York
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb64d27638e-ea3a-43a0-be87-b47a6fc3f61c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref26832

New York -- Alice Austen House

Former owner:
Austen, Alice, 1866-1952  Search this
Austen, John  Search this
Landscape architect:
Greene, Bradford M.  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Alice Austen House (Staten Island, New York)
United States of America -- New York -- Richmond County -- New York -- Staten Island
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, copies of articles, and other information about the property and Alice Austen.
General:
Also known as "Clear Comfort," this property was the home of photographer Alice Austen, who was also the founder (in 1912) of the Staten Island Garden Club. Originally a 17th-century Dutch farmhouse, it was transformed into a Victorian cottage in the 19th century by Austen's grandfather. Documented in Austen's photographs, now in the collections of the Staten Island Historical Society, the house and its four acres of grounds were restored in the 1980s. Austen's photographs were used as a guide for both preservation of mature specimens and restoration to the site's 19th century appearance. Mature trees dating back to Austen's residency include gingko, horse chestnut, Kentucky coffee tree, hackberry, and sycamore maple.
Persons associated with the garden include: Alice Austen (former owner, until 1944); John Austen (former owner, 19th century); and Bradford M. Greene (landscape architect, 1980s).
Related Materials:
Alice Austen House related holdings consist of 1 folder (4 35 mm. slides)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- New York -- Staten Island  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File NY519
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / New York
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6dd57e891-9552-4b5d-97df-27f6376ef474
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref26931

Cooperstown -- Fernleigh

Owners:
Clark family  Search this
Landscape architect:
Reynolds, Marcus T.  Search this
Architect:
Van Dyke, James  Search this
Hardenburgh, Henry  Search this
Landscape designer:
Fleming, Bryant  Search this
Provenance:
Lake & Valley Garden Club  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Fernleigh (Cooperstown, New York)
United States of America -- New York -- Otsego County -- Otsego -- Cooperstown
Scope and Contents:
The file includes 9 35mm slides, worksheets, photocopies of printed information about the garden, and photocopies of photographs of the garden from the New York State Historical Association library.
General:
Fernleigh, the country home of the Clark family since the 19th century, is situated along both sides of the Susquehanna River, linked by a footbridge. The house, only part of which remains, was a Second Empire stone mansion designed by New Jersey architect James Van Dyke and built in 1869. The original garden was located to the south of the mansion and included a servants' house and Turkish bath. In 1923 Stephen Clark commissioned Marcus T. Reynolds to design new gardens for Fernleigh. Reynolds incorporated his love for Italian villas into the plans. When they were completed in 1929, the new Fernleigh gardens had terraces, balustrades, a fountain, and a swimming pool, which was placed on the site of the original garden. The garden architecture included a wrought-iron casino, pavilions, iron trellises, and bird cages. Reynolds' design centered the mansion, servants' house, and Turkish bath around the swimming pool and terraces. Period photographs show that the property was used extensively for lawn parties, fairs, and other recreational activities. Reynolds was reponsible for the terraced plan for the garden, while Bryant Fleming, a landscape design professor at Cornell, drew up the planting plans. Planted beds are evident in the period photographs. Today, only a portion of the Fernleigh mansion remains. The Turkish bath is gone and the swimming pool has been replaced with grass. The wrought-iron casino and fountain still stand. Containers of large topiaries are placed in the garden during the summer months. Planted beds are not used, although some permanent plantings exist.
Persons associated with the garden include: the Clark family (owners, 1869 to date); James Van Dyke (architect, 1868); Henry Hardenburgh (architect, 1870s); Marcus T. Reynolds (architect and landscape architect, 1923-1929); Bryant Fleming (landscape designer, 1920s); and Christi Vadnais (artist od mural in pavilion, 1995).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- New York -- Cooperstown.  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File NY650
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / New York
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6980a5660-fcb9-4a1a-bdfa-c04f1eafbd95
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref26977

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