These records consist of documents deemed to be of historical value by the Office of Facilities Planning and Engineering Services along with photographs, reports correspondence,
contracts and blueprints documenting Smithsonian buildings and construction projects. The buildings documented include the Smithsonian Institution Building, the Arts and Industries
Building, the Army Medical Museum, the Natural History Building, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Zoological Park, the Museum Support Facility at Silver
Hill, the Adelaide Forbes Calhoun Property, the Merriwether Post Estate Hillwood, the Renwick Gallery, the Barney Studio House, the Freer Gallery, and the Old Patent Office
Building. There is substantial documentation of efforts to provide parking on the mall. Photographs in the collection document a number of activities including the laying
of the corner stone for the Natural History Building, the turning of the Joseph Henry statue, the removal of Greenough's statue of George Washington from the Smithsonian Institution
Building, the 1970 fire in the American History Building and repairs and renovations of numerous interior spaces throughout the Smithsonian.
Historical Note:
The Office of Facilities Planning and Engineering Services was established in 1973. Prior to that it was incorporated in the Buildings Management Department. Andrew
F. Michaels directed the office until 1975 when Phillip K. Reiss became director and continued in that office through 1980.
102.06 cu. ft. (98 record storage boxes) (7 tall document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Architectural drawings
Color photographs
Black-and-white photographs
Floor plans
Black-and-white transparencies
Black-and-white negatives
Clippings
Manuscripts
Color transparencies
Plates (illustrations)
Brochures
Audiotapes
Date:
1947-1979, with related records from 1902
Introduction:
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Descriptive Entry:
These records comprise the working files of the Engineering and Construction Division as well as the files of the building managers and resident engineers in the Building
Services Division. The records of the Engineering and Construction Division were maintained by James M. Murphy and Roy O'Brien. They concern repairs and improvements to Smithsonian
facilities including the Arts and Industries Building, Barney Studio House, Barro Colorado Island, the Renwick Gallery, the National Zoological Park, Adelaide Forbes Calhoun
property, River House residence, the Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution Building, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts, and the Andrew Carnegie Building (home of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum).
These records contain correspondence, contracts, specifications, and blueprints concerning work planned and performed. The records of the building managers and resident
engineers include blueprints, specifications, correspondence, reports, transcripts, photographs, shop drawings, and daily inspection reports concerning the History and Technology
Building, the Natural History Building, and the Fine Arts and Portrait Galleries Buildings. Harold L. Haworth and Roy W. Johnson were the resident engineers of the History
and Technology Building from 1958 to 1967. F. H. Mahlman was the resident engineer of the Natural History Building from 1961 to 1964. Hugh E. Yates was the resident engineer
for the Fine Arts and Portrait Gallery Building from 1964 to 1966.
Historical Note:
During the period documented in this record unit, the Department was divided into four divisions: the Office of the Director, Protection Division, Mechanical Services
Division, and Building Services Division. The Office of the Director included the Design and Review Office, Engineering and Construction Division, and Safety Management Office.