National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
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:
1 Cubic foot (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Cyanotypes
Correspondence
Photographs
Reports
Blueprints
Advertisements
Catalogs
Business records
Glass negatives
Date:
1880-1975
Scope and Contents:
Papers relating to the Pelton Water Wheel Company of San Francisco, California. Materials include correspondence; business records; photographs, including cyanotypes; negatives, images of turbines; advertisements; journals; blueprints; articles; and trade literature, including catalogs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into six series.
Series 1: Background Materials, undated
Series 2: Glass Negatives, 1906-1908
Series 3: Correspondence, 1880-1975
Series 4: Trade Literature, 1956
Series 5: Photographs, 1880-1939
Series 6: Miscellaneous, undated
Biographical / Historical:
Lester A. Pelton invented a new type of water wheel, which he patented in 1880. A.P. Brayton bought his business, but the name Pelton became a generic term for this type of wheel. The successor firm was Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton.
Provenance:
This collection' specific provenance is unknown, but it may have been donated to the Museum's Division of Work and Industry (formerly the Division of Engineering and Industry) by a successor firm of Pelton. The Division transferred the collection to the Archives Center in 2007.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. 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.
