United States National Museum Division of Mineralogy and Petrology Search this
National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mineralogy Search this
Physical description:
107-123
Place:
Washington (D.C.)
Date:
1901
Category:
Smithsonian Institution History Bibliography
Notes:
Five photographic plates accompany the article.
Summary:
The author states his intent in writing the article is to give an account of the Department of Geology within the U. S. National Museum, with information condensed mainly from its published handbooks and annual reports. He first offers an abbreviated history of the U. S. National Museum, which dates from 1846 when the Patent Office's National Cabinet of Curiosities was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. Other specimens came to the Smithsonian via exploring expeditions, the U. S. Geological Survey, and later by purchase. The author notes that prior to 1873 there were no paid staff members, but natural history collections, including fossil specimens, were worked on by individuals, whom he calls "collaborators," who had offices or sleeping apartments in the Smithsonian building.
When the museum building [Arts and Industries Building] was completed in 1880, expansion and reorganization was made possible, departments were created and salaried officials took charge of the collections. The geology department was headed by curator George P. Merrill and was separated into three divisions: Physical and Chemical Geology, Mineralogy, and Stratigraphic Paleontology, which future Smithsonian Secretary Charles D. Walcott served as Honorary Curator. That division was divided into three sections: vertebrate fossils, invertebrate fossils, and paleobotany. The author describes a number of the more notable holdings and exhibits in each subject area.
