Search Results

Collection Creator:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company  Search this

Collection Author:

Garrett, John W. (John Work), 1820-1884  Search this

Latrobe, Benj. H. (Benjamin Henry), 1807-1878  Search this

Container:

Box 73, Item UN-60

Type:

Archival materials

Negatives

Date:

1918-11-06

Series Restrictions:

Series 9: Negatives digitized in 2023. Researchers must use digital copies. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

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.

Collection Citation:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Digitization of Series 9: Negatives was made possible by Andrew and Anya Shiva.

See more items in:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records / Series 9: Negatives / 9.2: Glass Plate and Film Negatives (Numbered)

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85d7a3f98-bd4b-4046-a8ee-50b8777f0bf1

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1086-ref8669

Collection Creator:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company  Search this

Collection Author:

Garrett, John W. (John Work), 1820-1884  Search this

Latrobe, Benj. H. (Benjamin Henry), 1807-1878  Search this

Container:

Box 73, Item UN-61

Type:

Archival materials

Negatives

Date:

1918-11-06

Series Restrictions:

Series 9: Negatives digitized in 2023. Researchers must use digital copies. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

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.

Collection Citation:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Digitization of Series 9: Negatives was made possible by Andrew and Anya Shiva.

See more items in:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records / Series 9: Negatives / 9.2: Glass Plate and Film Negatives (Numbered)

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8a8360cc3-568e-44e5-a100-36d58e6be981

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1086-ref8670

Collection Creator:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company  Search this

Collection Author:

Garrett, John W. (John Work), 1820-1884  Search this

Latrobe, Benj. H. (Benjamin Henry), 1807-1878  Search this

Container:

Box 73, Item UN-62

Type:

Archival materials

Negatives

Date:

1918-11-06

Series Restrictions:

Series 9: Negatives digitized in 2023. Researchers must use digital copies. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

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.

Collection Citation:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sponsor:

Digitization of Series 9: Negatives was made possible by Andrew and Anya Shiva.

See more items in:

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Records / Series 9: Negatives / 9.2: Glass Plate and Film Negatives (Numbered)

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep864a67a0a-6e35-48d4-a423-f8dc5d1ec64a

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1086-ref8671

Collection Author:

Harriman, Stephen (farmer)  Search this

Myers, Annamae Barlup (farmer)  Search this

Container:

Box 1

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1937

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

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.

Collection Citation:

Annamae Barlup Myers & Stephen Harriman Diaries, 1883-1894, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Sponsor:

Digitization of this collection was made possible by Andrew and Anya Shiva.

See more items in:

Annamae Barlup Myers and Stephen Harriman Diaries

Annamae Barlup Myers and Stephen Harriman Diaries / Series 1: Annamae Barlup Myers Diaries

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b8229e58-9dd3-4d14-b80a-bfe6804989a5

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0345-ref25

Maker:

Benin kingdom court style  Search this

Edo artist  Search this

Medium:

Iron

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 105 x 23.1 x 16.5 cm (41 5/16 x 9 1/8 x 6 1/2 in.)

Type:

Sculpture

Geography:

Benin kingdom, Nigeria

Date:

Late 19th century

Topic:

male  Search this

Credit Line:

Gift of Dr. Glen Rhodes

Object number:

2002-19-3

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

National Museum of African Art Collection

Data Source:

National Museum of African Art

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7cd007edd-5c85-4845-8939-a6beb4ad93fb

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmafa_2002-19-3

Maker:

Benin kingdom court style  Search this

Edo artist  Search this

Medium:

Copper alloy

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 34.9 × 29.2 × 6.7 cm (13 3/4 × 11 1/2 × 2 5/8 in.)

Type:

Sculpture

Geography:

Nigeria

Date:

Mid-16th to 17th century

Topic:

Status  Search this

weapon  Search this

male  Search this

floral  Search this

Credit Line:

Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn to the Smithsonian Institution in 1966

Object number:

85-19-6

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

National Museum of African Art Collection

Data Source:

National Museum of African Art

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7dfe0a83b-34a3-498e-b352-46ba242a9cae

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmafa_85-19-6

Author:

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company  Search this

Names:

Alliance Coal Mining Company  Search this

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company  Search this

Extent:

72 Cubic feet (245 boxes, 1 map folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Place:

Pennsylvania

Date:

1815-1966

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of records primarily of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. Additionally, there are records of the Lehigh Navigation Coal Company and subsidiary companies including the Alliance Coal Mining Company. These records mostly describe anthracite mining in the vicinity of Mauch Chuck and Summit Hill, Pennsylvania. Also included is a smaller amount of material on railroad, canal, and river navigation work of LCNC.

Included are annual reports, 1913-1949, and a few other reports, 1912-1953. There are numerous types of fiscal records such as revenue statements, 1913-1949; ledgers, 1874-1906; financial forecasts, 1949-1953; trial balance books, 1920-1942; journals, 1874-1945; records of vouchers, 1882-1906; records of bills payable, 1907-1948; and individual ledgers, 1904-1944. Also included are records of coal production, 1900-1906; records of cost of coal mining and preparation, 1890-1954; and comparative statistical and cost data on coal mining and preparation, 1920-1939. In addition to fiscal records and records relating to coal production, there are inventories, 1898-1947 and records of improvements and special projects, 1909-1926. Also, there is a large group of payroll records, 1894-1907, and other records relating to employee compensation, 1870-1954.

Arrangement:

This collection is organized into twenty-two series.

Series 1: Annual Reports, 1826-1961

Series 2: Other Reports, 1912-1953

Series 3: Revenue Statements, 1913-1949

Series 4: Ledgers, 1874-1947

Series 5: Inventories, 1877-1945

Series 6: Financial Forecasts, 1949; 1951-1953

Series 7: Trial Balance Books, 1920-1942

Series 8: Journals, 1874-1945

Series 9: Record of Vouchers, 1882-1906

Series 10: Records of Bills Payable and Collectibles, 1907-1948

Series 11: Individual Ledgers, 1904-1908; 1919-1936; 1941-1945

Series 12: Records of Improvements and Special Projects, 1907-1913; 1920-1926

Series 13: Records of Coal Production, 1856-1952

Series 14: Records of Costs of Coal Mining and Preparation, 1890-1907; 1894-1954

Series 15: Comparative Statistical and Cost Data on Coal Mining and Preparation, 1873-1939

Series 16: Payroll Records, 1882-1951

Series 17: Employee Compensation, 1870-1954

Series 18: Contracts, Agreements and Leases, 1879-1931

Series 19: Printed Materials Relating to the Anthracite Industry, 1815-1954

Series 20: Miscellaneous Materials, 1874-1966

Series 21: Oversize Materials, 1829-1945

Series 22: Photographs, 1829, 1929, undated

Biographical / Historical:

The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company was formed on April 21, 1820 by the merger of the Lehigh Navigation Company and the Lehigh Coal Company. Both predecessor companies and the new company were organized by Josiah White, Erskine Hazard, and George F. Hauto. The LCNC was reorganized in 1821 and incorporated by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1822.

The company was involved in anthracite mining and transportation, initially, they made the Lehigh River navigable as a means of getting their coal to Easton and then to Philadelphia via the Delaware River. Later, through canal construction, railway construction and agreements with existing railroads, the company delivered its product to New York, New England, and elsewhere. In the 1820s, LCNC laid rails from its mines to the river landing at Mauch Chunk and also began its railroad from Summit Hill, in the late 1820s, construction of the Lehigh Canal was completed from Mauch Chunk to Easton. Between 1836 and 1838 the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad was completed from the northern anthracite field, connecting Wilkes Barre to White Haven.

In 1840, the first successful iron furnace blast was made with Lehigh coal, in 1844, the company began its first important underground mining. In the 1860s and 1870s, the company completed a railroad from Wilkes Barre to Easton, and the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad was leased to the Central Railroad of New Jersey, thereby guaranteeing LCNC access to New York. Early in the twentieth century, the New England area was opened to LCNC through railroad construction.

In 1930 the Lehigh Navigation Coal Company was founded essentially as a holding company for LCNC and other companies, and other organizational changes were made. The company went out of business in 1965.

Related Materials:

Materials at Other Organizations

Pennsylvania State Archives

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company Records, 1792-1978

Penn State University Libraries

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company Records, 1835-1913

Lehigh University Special Collections

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company collection, 1826-1913

Provenance:

Donated by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, Pennsylvania.

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.

Topic:

Coal mines and mining -- Pennsylvania  Search this

Mining and minerals industry  Search this

Mining equipment  Search this

Citation:

The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0071

See more items in:

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company Records

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep823c479f6-3f0d-4128-b376-ef6f10c719f7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0071

Published by:

Playbill, American, founded 1884  Search this

Used by:

Palace Theatre, American, founded 1913  Search this

Subject of:

Ethel Ayler, American, 1934 - 2018  Search this

Charles Brown, American, 1946 - 2004  Search this

Carl Crudup  Search this

Peter DeMaio, American  Search this

Frances Foster, American, 1924 - 1997  Search this

Moses Gunn, 1929 - 1993  Search this

Bebe Drake-Hooks  Search this

Janet League, American  Search this

Anthony McKay, American, born 1965  Search this

Lou Myers, American, 1935 - 2013  Search this

Douglas Turner Ward, born 1930  Search this

Medium:

ink on paper

Dimensions:

H x W: 8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (22.5 x 14.3 cm)

Type:

theater programs

Place used:

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date:

1975

Topic:

African American  Search this

Broadway Theatre  Search this

Drama (Theatre)  Search this

Credit Line:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number:

2011.45.29

Restrictions & Rights:

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc

Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

See more items in:

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification:

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50f774153-3640-4daa-8579-8f94d946ec5e

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmaahc_2011.45.29

Publisher:

Lippincott, Crambo & Co.  Search this

Lippincott, Crambo & Co.  Search this

Author:

Webster, William G.  Search this

Webster, William G.  Search this

Physical Description:

paper (overall material)

ink (overall material)

leather (overall material)

cloth (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 19 cm x 11.6 cm x 1.2 cm; 7 15/32 in x 4 9/16 in x 15/32 in

Object Name:

Book

Place made:

United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Date made:

1844

General subject association:

Education  Search this

Credit Line:

Gift of Malcom C. Watkins

ID Number:

CL.69.0148

Catalog number:

69.148

Accession number:

284895

See more items in:

Home and Community Life: Education

Many Voices, One Nation

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-0bd7-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_667812

Written by:

Zora Neale Hurston, American, 1891 - 1960  Search this

Published by:

J. B. Lippincott & Co., American, 1836 - 1978  Search this

Medium:

ink on paper with cloth, cardboard, metallic paper and acetate film

Dimensions:

H x W x D (Closed): 8 1/4 × 5 5/8 × 1 1/2 in. (21 × 14.3 × 3.8 cm)

Type:

hardcover books

Place printed:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America

Place made:

Eau Gallie, Brevard County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted:

Eatonville, Orange County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Florida, United States, The Everglades, North and Central America

Date:

1937

Topic:

African American  Search this

American South  Search this

Language  Search this

Literature  Search this

Rural life  Search this

Segregation  Search this

Women  Search this

Credit Line:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number:

2014.315ab

Restrictions & Rights:

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

See more items in:

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification:

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Movement:

Harlem Renaissance (New Negro Movement)

Data Source:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd52bc7f66a-781a-4234-997b-ff836efdf860

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmaahc_2014.315ab

Donor:

Hauber, Joseph R.  Search this

Collector:

Stubblebine, Donald J., 1925-2010  Search this

Extent:

285 Cubic feet (600 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Posters

Playbills

Sheet music

Design drawings

Theater programs

Date:

1866-2009, undated

Scope and Contents:

One of the most comprehensive collections of material relating to musical stage and film productions, the collection consists of an assortment of material including sheet music written specifically for or included in stage and screen musicals, television programs, Big Band performances, and radio. Some productions may have been produced under more than one title, especially if the production was presented internationally.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by title of production or personality using proper name. Folders for each entry may include sheet music, ephemeral items related to that specific production or personality such as theater programs, reviews, and posters. There are a number of costume design drawings. Folders will rarely include full printed scores. Published scores were separated from this collection before donation.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into six series.

Series 1, Stage Musicals and Vaudeville, 1866-2007, undated

Subseries 1.1, United States Stage Musicals, 1866-2007, undated

Subseries 1.2, Ziegfeld Productions, 1911-1958, undated

Subseries 1.3, British Stage Musicals, 1890-1943, undated

Subseries 1.4, Assorted Countries Stage Musicals, 1896-1935, undated

Series 2, Motion Pictures, 1912-2007, undated

Subseries 2.1, United States Motion Pictures, 1919-2007, undated

Subseries 2.2, British Motion Pictures, 1912-1988, undated

Subseries 2.3, Foreign Motion Pictures, Assorted Countries, 1921-1985, undated

Subseries 2.4, Silent Motion Picture Cue Sheets, 1915-1930, undated

Series 3, Television, 1933-2003, undated

Series 4, Big Bands and Radio, 1925-1998,undated

Subseries 4.1, Big Bands, 1929-1998, undated

Subseries 4.2, Radio, 1925-1948, undated

Series 5, Personalities, 1875-2009, undated

Series 6, Ephemera and Single Sheet Music, 1908-2005, undated

Biographical / Historical:

Donald J. Stubblebine was born on February 4, 1925 in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Edgar W. and Emma Stubblebine. He had an older brother Edgar W. Stubblebine, Jr. His father was a sheet metal worker employed by the railroad in Reading. Stubblebine was first exposed to musicals through motion pictures. His mother attended "dish night" with her son twice a week. During the Great Depression, in order to draw an audience, theaters would give out dishes with each admission. He credited this with beginning his love of musicals. By the 1940 United States Census his mother is listed as a widow. Stubblebine attended the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation he was employed for forty years as controller by the Chilton Publishing Company. He retired in 1994.

As a lifelong film and theater fan, Stubblebine began collecting sheet music, programs, and ephemera from stage and film musicals in the early 1970s. As his collection grew, so did his expertise in the history of musical theatre and film. He eventually authored four reference books dealing with United States and British stage and film musicals as well as films from Canada and Australia. He became an often sought-after expert in stage and film music. His obsession with collecting eventually filled his Philadelphia apartment with one of the largest collections of material centered on music in the United States. He collected not only the sheet music and scores from musicals but often collected copies of reviews, programs, photographs, and costume sketches.

Stubblebine died on May 1, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Provenance:

Donated to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smitsonian Institution by Joseph Regis Hauber in memory of Donald J. Stubblebine, in 2010.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research but is stored offsite. Arrangements must be made with the Archives Center staff two weeks prior to a scheduled research visit.

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.

Reproduction restricted due to copyright or trademark.

Topic:

Silent films  Search this

Motion pictures  Search this

Vaudeville  Search this

Music -- United States  Search this

Motion pictures, British  Search this

Musical revue, comedy, etc  Search this

Music -- Performance  Search this

Musicals  Search this

Musical theater  Search this

Music -- 20th century  Search this

Music -- 19th century  Search this

Revues -- 1900-1910  Search this

Theater  Search this

Silent films -- Musical accompaniment  Search this

Genre/Form:

Posters -- 20th century

Playbills

Sheet music

Design drawings

Theater programs

Citation:

Donald J. Stubblebine Collection of Musical Theater and Motion Picture Music and Ephemera, 1866-2009, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1211

See more items in:

Donald J. Stubblebine Collection of Theater and Motion Picture Music and Ephemera

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ef54fc89-cd33-4842-ae7f-796642a67098

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1211

Creator:

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Names:

Hudson-Fulton Celebration (1909)  Search this

Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912  Search this

Extent:

5.66 Cubic feet (13 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Date:

1881-1934

bulk 1905-1915

Summary:

The collection is the result of Major Hammer's passion for amassing material related to aeronautics and technology, and it is arranged into eleven series: articles, clippings, correspondence, drawings and blueprints, leaflets, legislation, minutes, miscellaneous, photographs, programs and publications. Housed in 23 folders, the correspondence is the most comprehensive series, reflecting the original order which grouped the letters into series by topic. Much of the correspondence concerns the planning of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, and the involvement of Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss. There is also a scrapbook of black and white photographs providing front and side views of specified airplanes. Each page has 3 photos showing different views of the same plane accompanied by a label with additional information. (See written copy for details. Also, please see information written on 8x11 notebook paper.)

Scope and Contents:

The William J. Hammer Collection reflects Hammer's great interest in aeronautics --a passion he cultivated for several decades by accumulating a veritable storehouse of materials. Hammer's important contributions to the early development of aviation are also evident in this collection.

The collection of materials listed in the finding aid is arranged into two series. The first series includes correspondence, reports, handbooks, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. The second series is comprised of photographs of various sizes, scrapbooks, scrapbook pages and miscellaneous materials (the front pages of newspapers, certificates, posters, etc.).

Hammer's papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Correspondence, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, miscellaneous materials, scrapbook pages, articles and newspaper clippings are organized by the former method. Reports, handbooks, magazines and booklets are grouped alphabetically by either title of publication or author. Photographs are arranged either by subject or chronologically.

The reader should note that at some point, Hammer produced a series of large format photographs. These mounted photographs are duplicates. Due to the very fragile condition of these particular images, the photographs and are not available to researchers.

Additional photographic material regarding Hammer Collection photographs can be found in the NASM Archives Images database. An Archives staff member will assist you with research using this database.

Box 13 of the William J. Hammer Collection has not been scanned.

Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.

Arrangement:

The William J. Hammer Collection is arranged by content type.

Biographical/Historical note:

William J. Hammer was born in Cressona, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1858, was an associate of Thomas Edison and an early aviation supporter and enthusiast. He began his career as an assistant to Edward Weston of the Weston Malleable Nickel Company. In 1879, he moved on to a new position as laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison at Menlo Park, New Jersey. His duties ranged from aiding in conducting experiments on such devices as the phonograph, telephone and ore separator to acting as Edison's key person in further developing the incandescent electric lamp. By 1880, he was made chief engineer of the Edison Lamp Works. A year later, Edison dispatched Hammer to London to be chief engineer of the English Electric Light Company. In this position, he helped construct the Holborn Viaduct Central Electric Light Station in London. This was the first central station ever built for incandescent electric lighting. In 1883, Hammer became chief engineer for the German Edison Company. This task included planning and supervising the construction of all Edison plants in Germany. He returned to the United States late in the following year and acted as chief inspector of central stations of the parent Edison Electric Light Company. In 1886-87, Hammer was general manager and chief engineer of the Boston Edison Electric Illuminating Company. In 1888, he worked as an independent engineer and supervised the completion of the then-largest isolated electric lighting plant, located at the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. During that year, Hammer also was chosen as consulting electrical engineer to the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition. Subsequently, Edison selected him as his personal representative to the Paris Exposition of 1889. This assignment rounded out Hammer's eleven years with Edison. During his time as one of Edison's most trusted and important employees, Hammer devised a number of innovations to the incandescent electric lamp. He designed and built the first electric sign, which spelled out the name "Edison". While in Germany, he invented the automatic motor-driven flashing electric lamp sign. This particular sign flashed the word "Edison" letter by letter and then all at once. At the International Electrical Exhibition, held in Philadelphia in 1884, Hammer also constructed the first flashing column of electric lights.

Upon his return to the U.S. in 1890, Hammer worked as an independent consulting electrical engineer by assisting in a variety of electrical projects, carrying out tests, giving lectures and providing expert testimony in patent disputes. He based this modest enterprise in an office in New York City and continued in this occupation until 1925. His career as an electrical engineering consultant was interrupted by World War I. In June 1918, he was commissioned a major in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Inventions Section of the War Plans Division of the General Staff in charge of Aeronautical and Electrical Inventions at the Army War College, Washington, D.C.. By December of that year, he was attached to the Operations Division General Staff at the War Department (Inventions Section). During the war and on into 1919, Hammer also worked for the U.S. Patent Office by identifying any aviation-related patents likely to convey too much information to potential enemies. In conjunction with his War Department duties, he acted as a member of the Advisory Board of Experts affiliated with the Alien Property Commission.

Busy as he was with his private consulting work, Hammer also immersed himself in other scientific activities. He took a particular interest in radium after visiting Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris in 1902. The two discoverers of radium gave him some samples of this substance. Soon after returning to the United States, Hammer experimented with radium. His research yielded numerous useful applications for this material such as radium-luminous powders and paints that were used to coat everything from watch and clock dials to aeronautical instruments, switches and toys. Hammer also advocated the use of radium for cancer and tumor treatment. Beyond his interest in this material, he invented selenium light-sensitive cells and recommended many practical uses for them. He also conducted a great deal of laboratory work on X-rays, ultraviolet and cathode rays, phosphorescence and wireless communications. Accordingly, he lectured and published extensively on many of these fields of research and study.

Hand in hand with his overall interest in science and technology, Hammer had a particular passion for aeronautics. Beyond paying careful attention to the rapid progress made in this field at the turn of the twentieth century, he also played an active role as participant and supporter. He made his first balloon flight over France during the Paris Exposition of 1889. His last lighter-than-air journey took place in 1931 aboard the U.S. Navy dirigible Los Angeles. Moreover, he attended and officiated over many balloon, airship and airplane exhibitions and races. Hammer was a member of the Aero Club of America and a director of the Aeronautical Society. This latter group made the first ever purchase of an airplane in January 1909. He served as expert and secretary of the Aeronautics Committee on the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission of 1909 and wrote the contracts for Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss to fly their airplanes for this event. This occasion in New York was important as it marked the first time a large gathering of people in the U.S. witnessed heavier-than-air powered flight. As a friend of the Wright brothers, Hammer testified as an expert witness on their behalf during various patent litigation suits. His contact with aviation pioneers went beyond the Wrights and Curtiss. He also knew and interacted with, among others, Samuel Langley, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henri Farman and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Even his work with radium had applications for aviation. Hammer developed radium-based luminous compounds and used them on aircraft instruments so pilots could more easily view their cockpits' dials and gauges.

Hammer's last years were filled with serving as Historian General of the Military Order of the World War, as well as participating in many scientific, engineering and aeronautical committees and societies. During this time, he was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, John Scott Medal from the Franklin Institute and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France. Up until his death on March 24, 1934, he also labored in his efforts to organize a vast personal collection of rare and valuable scientific artifacts, photographs and other materials accumulated since his days with Edison. Following Hammer's death, this important collection was left in the care of his daughter Mabel (his wife of twelve years, Alice, having died in 1906). Some years later, International Business Machines (IBM) acquired it. In 1962, IBM donated the William J. Hammer Scientific Collection to the Smithsonian Institution. The bulk of the collection resides with the National Museum of American History's Archives Center. In the mid 1980s, the aeronautical portion of this collection was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives.

Provenance:

IBM (Mr. William J. Hammer Collection), gift, 1961, XXXX-0074, not NASM

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.

Topic:

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Citation:

William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0074

See more items in:

William J. Hammer Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b19d3684-d8df-43fc-ba10-9da9e20ed7c2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074

Published by:

MelPat Associates, American, 1965 - 1986  Search this

Created by:

C. Melvin Patrick, American, died 1985  Search this

Amos T. Hall, American, 1896 - 1971  Search this

Subject of:

New York Giants, American, founded 1925  Search this

National Pan-Hellenic Council, American, founded 1930  Search this

Prince Hall Freemasonry, founded 1784  Search this

Dr. Ralph Bunche, American, 1903 - 1971  Search this

Southern Christian Leadership Conference, American, founded 1957  Search this

National Newspaper Publishers Association, American, founded 1827  Search this

Adam Clayton Powell Jr., American, 1908 - 1972  Search this

National Black Political Convention, 1971 - 1972  Search this

Logan H. Westbrook, American  Search this

Roy Wilkins, American, 1901 - 1981  Search this

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909  Search this

Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1937  Search this

Tufts University, American, founded 1852  Search this

Democratic Party, American, founded 1828  Search this

National Insurance Association, American, founded 1921  Search this

National Urban League, American, founded 1910  Search this

National Council of Negro Women, founded 1935  Search this

Republican Party, American, founded 1854  Search this

American Bridge Association, American, founded 1932  Search this

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, American, founded 1920  Search this

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, American, founded 1914  Search this

The Drifters, Inc., American, founded 1957  Search this

National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., American, founded 1935  Search this

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., founded 1922  Search this

Patti Austin, American, born 1950  Search this

National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc., American, founded 1924  Search this

National Dental Association, American, founded 1913  Search this

George Leslie Brown, American, 1926 - 2006  Search this

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908  Search this

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1906  Search this

Otha N. Brown Jr., American, 1931 - 2009  Search this

Shriners International, American, founded 1870  Search this

Gladys W. Dixon, American, born 1901  Search this

Daughters of Isis, American, founded 1910  Search this

National Medical Association, American, founded 1895  Search this

National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc., American, founded 1919  Search this

Shirley Anita Chisholm, American, 1924 - 2005  Search this

National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees, American, founded 1913  Search this

369th Veterans Association, American  Search this

Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World, American, founded 1898  Search this

Medium:

ink on paper

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 11 × 8 7/16 × 3/8 in. (28 × 21.5 × 0.9 cm)

Type:

magazines (periodicals)

Place made:

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted:

Miami, Dade County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States, North and Central America

California, United States, North and Central America

Colorado, United States, North and Central America

Connecticut, United States, North and Central America

Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Date:

1972

Topic:

African American  Search this

Advertising  Search this

Associations and institutions  Search this

Black Press  Search this

Business  Search this

Communities  Search this

Fraternal organizations  Search this

Fraternities  Search this

Funeral customs and rites  Search this

Government  Search this

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)  Search this

Journalism  Search this

Labor  Search this

Mass media  Search this

Men  Search this

Political organizations  Search this

Politics  Search this

Professional organizations  Search this

Religion  Search this

Sororities  Search this

U.S. History, 1969-2001  Search this

Urban life  Search this

Women  Search this

Women's organizations  Search this

Credit Line:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Anne B. Patrick and the family of Hilda E. Stokely

Object number:

2012.167.6

Restrictions & Rights:

Public domain

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

See more items in:

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification:

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Exhibition:

A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond

On View:

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 1, C1 053

Data Source:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd57be2842a-c611-469d-b78d-3ea1f77c7055

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmaahc_2012.167.6

Medium:

paper; ink (red)

Dimensions:

Height x Width: 2 1/2 x 2 9/16 in. (6.4 x 6.5 cm)

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

GREAT BRITAIN

Date:

1765

Topic:

Colonial Era (1607-1776)  Search this

U.S. Stamps  Search this

Object number:

0.022044.1

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

On View:

Currently on exhibit at the National Postal Museum

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm85df1a98e-31ad-4066-8cf0-2826fe168fc6

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_0.022044.1

Associated Organization:

Continental Congress  Search this

Writer:

William Goddard  Search this

Medium:

paper; ink / handwritten

Dimensions:

Height x Width: 12 5/16 × 7 3/4 in. (31.27 × 19.69 cm)

Type:

Archival Material

Place:

Pennsylvania

Date:

September 29, 1774

Topic:

Colonial Era (1607-1776)  Search this

Postal Administration  Search this

Object number:

1984.1127.4

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm87093db52-58cf-474a-9d37-5ef53017209a

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_1984.1127.4

Depicts:

Benjamin Franklin, American, 1706 - 1790  Search this

Medium:

paper; ink (multicolored)/ lithographed; engraved

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

District of Columbia

United States of America

Date:

July 30, 1993

Depicts:

National Postal Museum (SI)  Search this

Topic:

Contemporary (1990-present)  Search this

Technology & Inventions  Search this

Political Figures  Search this

Organizations & Associations  Search this

U.S. Stamps  Search this

Credit line:

Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Object number:

1994.2073.263.21.1

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm8e02c157a-0b81-4fff-8730-d039763a281d

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_1994.2073.263.21.1

Medium:

paper (yellow); ink (purple); adhesive / engraving

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

United States of America

Date:

1980

Topic:

Music & Musicians  Search this

U.S. Stamps  Search this

Credit line:

Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Object number:

1999.2004.115

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm8b336b28f-23d6-4c69-a63f-daab4522c117

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_1999.2004.115

Medium:

paper; ink (red, black); adhesive / engraving

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

United States of America

Date:

July 13, 1982

Topic:

Education & Teaching  Search this

U.S. Stamps  Search this

Credit line:

Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Object number:

1999.2004.263

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm85e42c059-bda3-47af-9f99-d1cef607d46d

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_1999.2004.263

Medium:

paper; ink(multicolored)

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

VATICAN CITY (independent city state)

Date:

June 9, 1952

Topic:

International Stamps & Mail  Search this

Object number:

2008.2009.149

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm85bf85b6e-9313-482e-9c35-d7cedd018af7

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_2008.2009.149

Author:

Pennypacker, Samuel W (Samuel Whitaker) 1843-1916  Search this

Physical description:

vii, 310 pages illustrations, facsimiles, ports 21 cm

Type:

Books

History

Place:

Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

Germantown

Date:

1970

1899

Topic:

Pennsylvania Dutch  Search this

Pennsylvania Dutch (Ethnie)  Search this

History  Search this

Call number:

F159.G3 P4 1970X

F159.G3P4 1970X

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_8290