The USS ZR-1 Shenandoah was the first American-built rigid airship to use helium; the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of the fuel burned; and, during 57 flights with 740 hours in the air, the Shenandoah also trained crew members in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. The ZR-1 Shenandoah was destroyed in a squall on September 3, 1925, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio; fourteen of the 43 person crew were killed. Robert McElroy visited the site of the Shenandoah's crash on September 4, 1925. This collection consists of two black and white photographs of the crash site that belonged to McElroy.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of two black and white photographs that belonged to Robert McElroy of the crash site of the USS ZR-1 Shenandoah. Each photograph measures 8 by 10 inches and both are marked "Photo by Parkins" with a Zanesville, Ohio address.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
The USS ZR-1 Shenandoah was the first American-built rigid airship to use helium. Plans for the construction of the ZR-1 Shenandoah began in September 1919; the parts were manufactured at the Naval Aircraft Factory and then shipped to NAS Lakehurst for final assembly. The assembling began on 11 February 1922 and the ZR-1 Shenandoah was commissioned in 1923. During the ZR-1 Shenandoah's short life, it had many achievements, including being the first rigid airship to be inflated with helium and the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of the fuel burned; and making 57 flights, logging 740 hours in the air, training crew members in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. The ZR-1 Shenandoah was destroyed in a squall on September 3, 1925, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio; fourteen of the 43 person crew were killed.
Robert McElroy visited the site of the Shenandoah's crash on September 4, 1925. McElroy collected a piece of the Shenandoah's fabric on which he wrote a first hand account of viewing the crash site and this item is now in the National Air and Space Museum's artifact collection.
Provenance:
Bennington McElroy, Gift, 2023, NASM.2023.0018.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
The USS ZR-1 Shenandoah was the first American-built rigid airship to use helium; the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of the fuel burned; and, during 57 flights with 740 hours in the air, the Shenandoah also trained crew members in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. The ZR-1 Shenandoah was destroyed in a squall on September 3, 1925, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio; fourteen of the 43 person crew were killed. This collection consists of one copy of the sheet music, "The Wreck of the Shenandoah," music and lyrics by Maggie Andrews, published in 1925.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of one copy of the sheet music, "The Wreck of the Shenandoah," music and lyrics by Maggie Andrews, published in 1925. This ballad was published by Shapiro Bernstein & Company, Inc. of New York within weeks of the airship's crash.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
The USS ZR-1 Shenandoah was the first American-built rigid airship to use helium. Plans for the construction of the ZR-1 Shenandoah began in September 1919; the parts were manufactured at the Naval Aircraft Factory and then shipped to NAS Lakehurst for final assembly. The assembling began on 11 February 1922 and the ZR-1 Shenandoah was commissioned in 1923. During the ZR-1 Shenandoah's short life, it had many achievements, including: the first rigid airship to be inflated with helium; the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of the fuel burned; and 57 flights, logging 740 hours in the air, training crew members in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. The ZR-1 Shenandoah was destroyed in a squall on September 3, 1925, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio; fourteen of the 43 person crew were killed.
Provenance:
Unknown, material found in collection, 1998, 1998.0020.0072.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor) Search this
Container:
Box 39, Folder 11
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1950
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but negatives and audiovisuial materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Some papers of living persons are restricted. Access to restricted portions may be arranged by request to the donor. Gloves required for unprotected photographs. Viewing film portions of the collection and listening to LP recording requires special appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. Copyright for all materials is retained by the donor, Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.; permission for commercial use and/or publication may be requested from the donor through the Archives Center. Military Records for Franklin A. Robinson (b. 1932) and correspondence from Richard I. Damalouji (1961-2014) are restricted; written permission is needed to research these files. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
The Robinson and Via Family Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Sponsor:
Preservation of the 8mm films in this collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Film Preservation Fund.
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Aviation forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Scope and Contents note:
This material consists of information from a number of different businesses related to the manufacture, development and design of airplanes and other aircraft. There is also a substantial amount of material from airline companies and from companies involved in the manufacture and production of aeronautical parts and supplies. A number of these companies were involved in manufacturing engines and were automobile manufacturers. Other parts and supplies include aircraft measuring instruments, radiators, wings, tires, carburetors, and fabric. These companies tend to have catalogues of the aircraft that they manufacture including information on controls, wheel retraction, fuel system, cabin construction, etc. The aircraft is manufactured for commercial, military, sporting and personal use. A small amount of material concerning companies involved in aerial advertising, aerial photography and map making is included. There is also information on businesses that served as agents for people who performed acts relating to aviation particularly at amusement parks and fairs. There is very little information from clubs, associations and training schools.
The material consists primarily of scattered correspondence on letterhead stationery, printed advertisements, articles, catalogues, menus from airline companies, luggage tags, timetables,postcards, lithographs,photographs, company publications, bulletins, newspaper clippings, early advertisements, reports, periodicals, pamphlets, patents, and books. There is a substantial amount of images including photographs and lithographs of airplanes, airships and balloons. A file of visual references was made by staff consisting of images of aircraft used by companies to advertise their products. There is also information on Lindbergh and Byrd mainly articles, photographs or programs honoring them.
Publications relating to aviation include topics such as aeronautical occupations, linking rail and air transportation, problems with improving aircraft, airplanes in warfare, aircraft safety and a chronology of the development and utilization of aircraft.
Arrangement note:
Materials in box one and two are information from airline companies and are arranged by name of company. Box three, four and five consist of manufacturers and dealers of aeronautical parts and supplies and are also arranged by name of company. Box six contains general images mainly photographs and lithographs. Publications including periodicals, bulletins and newsletters devoted in the interest of the aviation field is in box seven. The publications are arranged in alphabetical order. Box eight and nine are arranged by type including newspaper clippings, manuals, early advertisements dating from the late eighteenth century,maps, catalogues, programs, patents, etc. Articles, pamphlets and books discussing various topics related to aviation are in box ten. These publications are also arranged by type. Box eleven also has books on aviation but the bulk of the material is bulletins from the War Department and are arranged by date.
Materials in the Archives Center:
Archives Center Collection of Business Americana (AC0404)
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Missing Title
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Aviation is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060 purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
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.
Genre/Form:
Ephemera
Business ephemera
Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Aviation, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Aviation, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
![View USS ZR-1 Shenandoah Crash Site Photographs [McElroy] digital asset: Finding aid](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=120&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/findingaid.gif "Finding aid")
