This collection is composed entirely of xerographic and photographic reproductions made for the Robert Mills Papers Project. The copies include correspondence, plans, federal legislation regarding proposed government construction projects, construction records, and material regarding people with a relation to Mills or one of his projects.
The material is organized into three series. The first is information relating to Mills' various projects, such as payroll lists; it is organized by state. The second consists of subject files on 163 individuals, all of whom have some relation to Mills. The last series is composed of reference and research materials from the project, including correspondence with various libraries and archives seeking material on Mills, ten reels of microfilm, and 46 diskettes containing typed transcriptions of the illegible documents included in the microfilm publication.
The documents included in this collection relate to the construction of Mills's buildings, but do not mention him specifically. Of all the papers collected for this project, this collection consists of copies of those documents that were not selected for microfilming. They are, therefore, not included in the microfilm publication.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into four series.
Series 1: Projects by state
Series 2: Individuals
Series 3: Reference Materials
Series 4: Camera Ready Copy
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Mills (1781 1855) was born in August, 1781, in Charleston, South Carolina. After completing grammar school he took classes under architect James Hoban.
Hoban left in 1792 to supervise construction of the President's House in Washington (which he designed). About 1799 Mills moved to Washington and began work as a draftsman of plans for the Capitol under Hoban. For about a year, Mills presumably lived with Thomas Jefferson, studying architecture from his library.
In 1802 Mills entered his first professional design competition for the design of South Carolina College, but did not win. From 1802 1809, Mills worked (with sporadic interuptions from assorted commissions) with Benjamin Latrobe, who was at the time the acting federal engineer of the Chesapeake and Delaware region. Under Latrobe he worked as a draftsman on the design of the U.S. Capitol and the Baltimore Cathedral.
In 1814 Mills received national recognition when he won the competition for the design of Baltimore's Washington Monument. He supervised its construction until 1820, when he moved back to South Carolina to become the civil architect for the state, designing several courthouses and jails throughout the area.
Mills moved back to Washington in 1829. In 1836 he won the competition for the design of the Treasury and began a long career as an architect for the Federal Government. It was during this time that Mills designed the buildings he is most widely known for: the Post Office and the Washington National Monument. He also supervised construction of the Patent Office and submitted preliminary designs for the Capitol extension and the Smithsonian Institution. He served under seven Presidents, retiring in 1851.
Provenance:
The colletion was donated by Douglas Evelyn.
Restrictions:
Collection stored off-site at Iron Mountain, Pennsylvania. Special arrangements are necessary to use this collection. Call 202-633-3270 for more information.
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.
Map of Central America : Compiled from materials furnished by the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate of the U.S. / Executed at the Office of the U.S. Coast Survey, A.D. Bache Supdt., under the special direction of Captain W.R. Palmer, U.S. Topl. Engr. Assist. in charge ad.in. ; L.D. Williams, Draughtn. ; Lith. by J. Bien
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
Weights and measures letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a report from Professor A.D. Bache, relative to standard weights, measures, and balances
Title:
Coast Survey and weight and measure documents 1832-43 DSI
Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a report from Professor A.D. Bache, relative to standard weights, measures, and balances
Author:
Bache, A. D (Alexander Dallas),) 1806-1867 Search this
Author:
United States Department of the Treasury Search this
This record unit consists of the papers of Alexander Dallas Bache (1806-1867) relating to his study of European education, magnetic and meteorological observations
at Girard College, his appointment as Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, his professional discourse with other scientists on a broad range of topics, his own
research, and his work on the Light House Board. Materials include diaries, 1836-1837, of his study of educational institutions in Britain; correspondence, 1821-1866, documenting
his European trip; his work on education during the years 1839-1841; and his contact with the American scientific community. Materials also include small collections of papers
concerning the Coast Survey, the Light House Board, and the Smithsonian Institution; letters to his wife, Nancy Clarke Fowler Bache; and a small collection of posthumous papers.
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Note:
This series includes diaries from Bache's 1836-1838 trip to Europe to study educational institutions in preparation for the establishment of Girard College. Both
volumes record parts of his visitations in Britain. Materials include information used in his Report on Education in Europe, 1839; incidental details of his trip; and
impressions of persons he met.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Note:
This series includes outgoing correspondence, usually tissue copy but occasionally a draft copy, and a few other documents inserted. Materials include correspondence,
1836-1838, while Bache was in Europe conducting a study of education for Girard College; correspondence with scientific figures; and personal correspondence.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
Volume 1 October 1836-August 1838. Letters written during the period of Bache's visit to Europe, including England and the Continent; correspondence regarding details of his visitations to educational institutions and reports to Nicholas Biddle, chairm...
Collection Creator::
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Container:
Box 2 of 8
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
Volume 2 November 1836-August 1838. Letters written during the same period as volume one, and many to the same persons regarding the visitations; correspondence not directly related to the survey of educational institutions; and family correspondence.
Collection Creator::
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Container:
Box 2 of 8
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
Volume 3 September 1838-February 1841. Letters written during the last few months in Europe and thereafter, mostly from Philadelphia where Bache published his report on education in Europe and reorganized the public schools of Philadelphia before his r...
Collection Creator::
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Container:
Box 2 of 8
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Note:
This series consists of incoming letters to Bache concerning a broad range of scientific topics and other business. The correspondence in box 4 is apparently part
of a larger, very structured series of letters, and may well be Coast Survey correspondence.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7053, Alexander Dallas Bache Papers
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