This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Herman Maril papers, 1932-2023, bulk 1935-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Herman Maril Foundation.
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is an international membership organization founded in 1934 to advance research and training in archaeology and to promote the conservation of archaeological resources of the Americas. It publishes American Antiquity, one of the premiere journal of archaeology of North America, since 1935, and has hosted an Annual Meeting since that same year. Other areas of activity include the development of professional standards and ethics, promotion of the public's understanding of archaeology, advocacy for Federal legislation protecting archaeological resources, and encouragement of connections between professional and avocational archaeologists. The Society for American Archaeology records contain materials related to the ongoing administration, management, and interests of the SAA through mainly correspondence, reports, research, mailings, financial records, and program planning documents.
Scope and Contents:
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) records contain administrative and professional correspondence, reports, surveys, publication records, journals, books, member and grant applications, programs, memorandums, contracts, ballots, mailings, research, notes, planning materials, certificates and awards, press releases, financial records, meeting minutes, teaching materials, sound recordings, video recordings, and photographs. These materials relate to a wide range of the SAA's activities including administration and management, finances, publishing, membership, awards, the Annual Meeting, public education, public archaeology, professional standards, government affairs and cultural property law, work with allied organizations, ethics, and special workshops.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Arrangement:
The Society for American Archaeology records are arranged into 13 series: 1) Records of the Secretary-Treasurer and Secretary, 1934-1962; 2) Records of the Treasurer, 1935-1950; 3) President's correspondence, 1947-1948; 4) Executive Committee Meeting minutes, 1945-2003; 5) Records of Officers, 1950-2000; 6) Administrative records, 1934-2022; 7) Annual conference, 1935-2020; 8) Public and professional program committees, 1966-2016; 9) Government affairs, 1968-2021; 10)Affiliated and allied organizations, 1968-2005; 11) Special conferences, workshops, and projects, 1974-2006; 12) Published materials, 1983-2007; and 13) Photographs, 1985-2018
Historical note:
The Society for American Archaeology grew out of the Committee on State Archaeological Surveys of the National Research Council's Division of Anthropology and Psychology. Appointed in 1920 to "encourage and assist" eastern and midwestern states in the organization of archaeological surveys, the Committee came to act as a coordinating body and information clearinghouse for archaeologists and government agencies engaged in archaeological field work. The Committee expanded its activities and network through the 1920s but lacked long-term financial support. By 1933 its leaders identified the need for a permanent, independent organization to take up the work of the Committee and address the lack of standards, training, and communication among professional researchers and avocational archaeologists, which they saw as impediments to the preservation of archaeological data. Carl E. Guthe, then Chairman of the Committee, led the work of establishing the new organization.
In 1934, Guthe drafted a constitution and bylaws for the nascent group and distributed the documents among the Committee's network to solicit comments and generate interest among potential members. The Society for American Archaeology was formally established at an "organizational meeting" on December 28, 1934, when attendees approved Guthe's final version of the constitution and bylaws and elected the first cohort of officers: Arthur C. Parker, President; M. R. Harrington, Vice President; Carl E. Guthe, Secretary-Treasurer; W. C. McKern, Editor. In keeping with its goal of bridging the divide between professional and non-professional archaeologists, anyone with an interest in "furthering the objects of the Society" could apply for membership, regardless of professional affiliation.
The SAA is governed by a constitution and bylaws which are voted on by members and implemented by an Executive Committee, referred to as the Council in the early years. The Executive Committee composition has varied through the years. Until the 1960s, most administrative duties were carried out by the Secretary, who assembled the minutes of Executive Committee meetings, circulated background materials among its members, and collected reports from SAA committees. The Secretary's office also acted as a "clearinghouse and advisory center on archaeological matters" for SAA members and the public. Without a true business headquarters, the Secretary's office essentially served as the SAA's central office, with the outgoing Secretaries passing on their files to the incoming Secretaries at the end of their terms.
In the 1960s, SAA began contracting with the business office of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) to manage its business operations. That arrangement lasted until the early 1980s, when AAA stopped providing business services to smaller organizations and offered SAA the option to become part of AAA. SAA members voted against merging with AAA, and in 1983 SAA contracted with Bostrom Management to administer its business affairs, an arrangement that included hiring a part-time Executive Director. In 1987, the Executive Committee enlisted a management consultant to conduct a business analysis and identify options for improving SAA's finances and administration. The result of this analysis, referred to as "The Evans Report," was circulated the following year, leading to a major reorganization that would occupy the Executive Committee through the early 1990s. Those efforts ultimately resulted in the establishment of a central office in Washington, D.C., and the hiring of SAA's first full-time Executive Director in 1992. It was during this intense period of reorganization that the structure and governance of SAA began to resemble that of the present day.
Works Consulted:
"Archival Sources Sought." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology 1, no 4 (September 1983): 5. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1983_volume-1/saa-bulletin-1-4_sept.pdf?sfvrsn=d6c0f71a_2
"Articles of Incorporation." SAA Records, Acc 1998-85, Box 4, folder: 1972 (mimeograph from Lehman/AAA) - Final box/folder location TBD. Society for American Archaeology records, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
"The Constitution of the Society for American Archaeology." American Antiquity 1, no. 2 (1935): 146–48. http://www.jstor.org/stable/276027.
"Constitution and By-Laws of the Society for American Archaeology." American Antiquity 13, no. 2 (1947): 198–200. http://www.jstor.org/stable/275700.
Dincauze, Dena F. "Office of the President: 52nd Annual Meeting." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology. 5, no. 3 (July 1987): 1-2. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1987/saa-bulletin-5-3.pdf?sfvrsn=30b9179d_4
Fowler, Don D, and Green, Dee. "Change in SAA Management Announced." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology 1, no 4 (September 1983): 1-4. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1983_volume-1/saa-bulletin-1-4_sept.pdf?sfvrsn=d6c0f71a_2
Goldstein, Lynne. "The Structure of the SAA." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology. 9, no. 8 (June 1988): 8. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1991/saa-bulletin-9-3_june.pdf?sfvrsn=b101aaac_2
Guthe, Carl E. "Prospectus." Department of Anthropology Records. Division of Archaeology. Office Files. Box 14, Museum-Misc. Lists - O. Folder: National Research Council [ca. 1932-1945], folder 2 of 2. Society for American Archaeology records, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Guthe, Carl E. "Reflections on the Founding of the Society for American Archaeology." American Antiquity 32, no. 4 (1967): 433–40. https://doi.org/10.2307/2694072.
O'Brien, Michael J. and Lyman, R. Lee. "Gentle Persuasion: The National Research Council and Southeastern Archaeology." Journal of Alabama Archaeology 46, no. 1 (2000): 1-42. [https://cladistics.coas.missouri.edu/assets/pdf_articles/AlaA46.pdf]
Wendorf, Fred, and Raymond H. Thompson. "The Committee for the Recovery of Archaeological Remains: Three Decades of Service to the Archaeological Profession." American Antiquity 67, no. 2 (2002): 317–30. https://doi.org/10.2307/2694569.
"Society for American Archaeology." American Antiquity 34, no. 4 (1969): 499–506. http://www.jstor.org/stable/277764.
"The Society for American Archaeology Organization Meeting." American Antiquity 1, no. 2 (1935): 141–46. http://www.jstor.org/stable/276026.
"Organization of the Society for American Archaeology." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology 9, no. 2 (March 1991): 6. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1991/saa-bulletin-9-2_march.pdf?sfvrsn=75834181_2
Rice, Prudence M. "Surveying the Field." Bulletin of the Society for American Archaeology 10, no. 1 (January 1992): 3-4. https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/saa-bulletin/1992/saa-bulletin-10-1.pdf?sfvrsn=d095e8fd_2
List of abbreviations commonly referenced:
Includes abbrevations used throughout the Society for American Archaeology's records.
AAA - American Anthropological Association
AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of Science
AAM - American Alliance of Museums
AAQ - American Antiquity
ACHP - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
ACOE - Army Corps of Engineers
AFFA - Association for Field Archaeology
AIA - Archaeological Institute of America
AIRFA - American Indian Religious Freedom Act
AM - Annual Meeting
A&PE - Archaeology and Public Education
ARPA - Archaeological Resources Protection Act
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
BOR - Bureau of Reclamation
CCONAS - Coordinating Council of National Archaeological Societies
CEHP - Centre for Environment, Heritage and Policy
CoAS - Council of Affiliated Societies
COPA - Committee on Public Archaeology
COSWA - Committee on the Status of Women in Archaeology
CRM - Cultural Resource Management
DCA - Departmental Consulting Archaeologist
DOI - Department of the Interior
GAC - Government Affairs Committee
ICOMOS - International Council on Monuments and Sites
LAQ - Latin American Antiquity
NCPTT - National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
NCSHPO - National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers
NEH - National Endowment for the Humanities
NHPA - National Historic Preservation Act
NPCC -National Preservation Coordinating Council
NPS - National Park Service
NSF - National Science Foundation
OSM - Office of Surface Mining
PEC - Public Education Committee
PMOA - Programmatic Memorandum of Agreement
ROPA - Register of Professional Archaeologists
SAA - Society for American Archaeology
SHA - Society of Historical Archaeology
SOPA - Society of Professional Archaeologists
Chronology:
Includes a concise chronology of SAA events related to the content of this collection.
1920: Committee on State Archaeological Surveys created by NRC/NAS
1934: Society for American Archaeology formally established
1935: First issue of -- American Antiquity
1935: First Annual Meeting of the SAA
1937: Committee on State Archaeological Surveys disbanded
1939: First issue of the -- SAA Notebook -- distributed to membership
1942: Last issue of -- SAA Notebook
1942: Revised and amended constitution, splitting the Secretary-Treasurer into two separate roles, and eliminates Fellow/Affiliate distinction (among other changes) is approved and takes effect.
1943: No Annual Meeting; executive business conducted by mail
1969: Membership applications now handled through the AAA business office rather SAA Secretary
1970: Major revision to constitution
1972: Incorporated in D.C.
1974: The Archeological and Historic Preservation Act (APHA) and "Moss-Bennett Act" passed, with goal of providing federal funding to mitigate destruction of archeological sites in specific circumstances.
1974: Arlie House Seminars held ("Six Seminars on the Future Directions of Archaeology")
1983: Resolved against merger with AAA (aka "the break with AAA")
1983: Change from AAA to Bostrom firm to manage business activities
1983: First issue of -- SAA Bulletin
1985: SAA and SOPA co-host the Conference on Reburial Issues
1988: Evans Report on Management announced
1989: Changes to Articles of Incorporation
1989: New Bylaws adopted that change the organizational structure of SAA
1989: SAA Hosts Anti-Looting Conference in Taos
1990: First issue of -- Latin American Antiquity
1990: Executive Board approves plan to establish in-house admin/operations office
1992: Transition to "independent home office" and hiring of full-time Executive Director
1993: Last year of last term in which Editor of -- American Antiquity -- is an Officer
1997: SAA, SOPA, and Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) approve formation of Register of Professional Archaeologist (ROPA), which begins work in 1998.
1998: Executive Board name change to Board of Directors
2000: Last issue of -- SAA Bulletin
2001: Begin publishing -- The Archaeological Record
Restrictions:
Some material in Subseries 6.6: Membership, is restricted until 2070. Born digital media is restricted due to preservation concerns, contact the repository for further information.
Access to the Society for American Archaeology records requires an appointment.
Collection documents dam construction in California, Colorado, and Nebraska.
Content Description:
Collection contains color slides documenting construction of the Brite Valley Dam, Mancos Dam, Sulphur Creek Dam, and Trenton Dam, in California, Colorado and Nebraska.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into one series, alphabetical by name of dam.
Biographical / Historical:
Born in Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, Norwood grew up in Everett, Idaho, and attended The College of Idaho for three years, and The University of Washington for one year. He had extensive work in advanced mathematics, hydraulics, civil engineering, surveying, and geodesics.
In the 1930's Norwood was employed by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, the Idaho State Highway Department, the W.P.A. of Idaho City and The Bureau of Reclamation. In 1941 he worked for the U.S, Engineers Dept, in Portland, Oregon for airport layouts, then transferred to the L.A. District to enter foreign service in Central America.He was with the U.S. Corps of Engineers in the
Managua, Nicaragua area, in the vicinity of San Marcos de Colon working on the Pan American Highway.
In 1942 he married Helen L. Kubli. There were no children.
In 1944, Norwood returned to the United States and worked for Associated Shipbuilders in Seattle, Washington as liaison engineer. He sought a commission in both the Marine Corps and the Navy, but was physically disqualified as 2-A. In 1944 and 1945 he was engineer with Puget Sound Bridge and Dredge at Harbor Island, Washington, and with the Corps of Engineers, L.A. district for the Whittier Narrows Dam. In 1945 he returned to Central America with Tucker McClure Co. and in Guayaquil, Ecuador again working on the Pan American Highway. In 1950 he returned to the United States and was employed by Vinnell Construction Co in Alhambra, California.
Norwood worked on canal projects, highways, dams, flood control, and bridges. He traveled to many underdeveloped countries on government assignments to develop highways, airports, bridges, and did estimating, negotiating and bidding.
In 1963 he left Vinnell Co. and he and Ross Griggs formed Griggs-Norwood Inc. and their work encompassed engineering of all kinds. They were based first in Pasadena, California and then in Long Beach, California. Mr. Griggs soon retired. After Mrs. Norwood's death in 1974 he moved his base to Duarte, California. In 1978 he married Mrs. Helen Wilkes. He retired in 1980 and died May 1, 1991.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Helen Wilkes Norwood, wife of Kenneth T. Norwood, 1992.
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.
The scattered papers of federal arts administrator John DeWitt date from 1962-1979, and measure 1.4 linear feet. The collection primarily documents 1970s arts programs sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of the Interior. Found within the papers are correspondence concerning the department's art projects and exhibition files for The American Artist and Water Reclamation, 1972, and America 1976.
Scope and Content Note:
The scattered papers of federal arts administrator John DeWitt date from 1962-1979, and measure 1.4 linear feet. The collection primarily documents 1970s arts programs organized by DeWitt while working for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of the Interior. Found within the papers are scattered correspondence concerning the department's art projects, including the Preservation of Endangered Species Art Program and activities of the Hereward Lester Cooke Foundation. There are letters from artists Vija Celmins, Lamar Dodd, and Ethel Magafan.
Files for the two exhibitions organized by DeWitt for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, The American Artist and Water Reclamation and America 1976, include a wide variety of materials. There are correspondence, lists of artwork, printed materials, a scrapbook, financial materials, audio recordings of interviews with DeWitt, audio recordings of a symposium on America 1976, and numerous photographs of exhibited artwork and participating artists. There are also additional photographs of DeWitt and his colleagues and artists Joseph Raffael and Ann Wyeth McCoy.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 3 series; each series is arranged chronologically.
Missing Title
Series 1: Correspondence, 1965-1979 (Box 1; 10 folders)
Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1962-1978 (Box 1, 2; 1.3 linear feet)
Series 3: Photographs, 1970-1974 (Box 2; 1 folder)
Biographical Note:
John DeWitt was born in 1910 and was a wood sculptor and federal arts administrator in Washingon, D.C.
DeWitt began his career as a professional writer and was a wood sculptor connected with the Veerhoff Gallery in Washington, D.C. His wife, Miriam Hapgood DeWitt, was a painter. In the late 1960s, DeWitt was the Director of Art Programs for the Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of Interior responsible for water conservation in arid regions of the United States. At this time, the Bureau initiated a program to present its accomplishments to the public through arts commissions and exhibitions. Under the direction of DeWitt and Lloyd Goodrich of the Whitney Museum of American Art, some 40 artists including Ralston Crawford, Peter Hurd, and Norman Rockwell, were invited to depict the scope of reclamation projects in the American West. The artists were given a free hand to depict any scene in any medium as long as the subject matter pertained to the Bureau of Reclamation's program. The resulting artwork was displayed in an exhibition, The American Artist and Water Reclamation, that opened at the National Gallery of Art in April 1972, and then toured the country in a traveling exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution.
As the Director of the Visual Arts Program for the Department of the Interior, DeWitt celebrated the Bicentennial by organizing the exhibition America 1976, for which he hired over forty realist painters including Vija Celmins, Ralston Crawford, Alex Katz, Philip Pearlstein, and Wayne Thiebaud, to depict a diverse range of Americana. DeWitt was employed by the Department of the Interior until 1977.
John DeWitt died in 1984.
Provenance:
The John DeWitt papers were donated in 1987 by DeWitt's widow, Miriam Hapgood DeWitt.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Citation:
John DeWitt papers, 1962-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with cotton gloves. Researchers may use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis and as resources allow.
Viewing film portions of the collection requires special appointment, please inquire; listening to LP recordings is only possible by special arrangement.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 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:
Civilian Conservation Corps Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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.
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:
American Public Works Association "Top Ten Public Works Projects of the Century - 1900-2000" Nominations, 1999-2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
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.
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:
American Public Works Association "Top Ten Public Works Projects of the Century - 1900-2000" Nominations, 1999-2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
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.
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:
American Public Works Association "Top Ten Public Works Projects of the Century - 1900-2000" Nominations, 1999-2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Peter J. Bier, born in Hungary, immigrated to the United States in 1904. Bier worked as an engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation in the Department of the Interior from 1923-1954, and continued to work as a consultant in the field after retirement. The collection includes materials related to his work with the Bureau of Reclamation, including project materials, drawings, designs, and inspection reports and data, along with materials documenting his time as an engineering consultant.
Scope and Contents:
The collection documents Bier's work with the Bureau of Reclamation on dams and power stations in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest regions of the United States and his contract work in the United States and Mexico. It includes project files, reports, correspondence, notes, blueprints, and technical drawings.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into four series.
Series 1: Biographical, 1918-1965
Series 2: Articles, Manuals, and Research Materials, 1923-1970
Series 3: Bureau of Reclamation, 1915-1970
Subseries 3.1: Projects, 1934-1958
Subseries 3.2: Inspections and Testing, 1915-1954
Subseries 3.3: Technical Drawings and Designs, 1923-1970
Subseries 3.4: Employee Related Documents, 1950-1954
Series 4: Contract Work, 1954-1967
Biographical / Historical:
Peter J. Bier was born on April 22, 1884 in Ujnely, Hungary. He completed his college education at the State Technical School at Timisoara, Hungary. In 1904, Bier moved to the United States and in 1906 he started a job at Babcock and Wilcox Boiler Company. He worked for a series of companies as a draftsman and designer, and in 1923 he began working as an engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation in the Department of the Interior in Denver, Colorado. Bier specialized in steel pipes and penstocks, which are pipes that deliver water to hydraulic turbines, for various dams.
Over the course of Bier's career, he was involved with project planning for irrigation and power developments, hydraulic structures and equipment, and inspections of equipment. He later supervised the design, specifications, and inspections for penstocks and related equipment. Bier wrote inspection manuals, monographs, and articles related to penstock and pipe design. Upon his retirement from the Bureaus of Reclamation in 1954, he remained active in the field and traveled as an engineering consultant.
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
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.
United States. Work Projects Administration Search this
Extent:
424 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Place:
North America
Date:
1928-1969
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of the files of the central office and field offices, including many administrative files. Also included are several site files that include photographs and completed forms for data collected in the field and the laboratory. Mostly these include material collected by Smithsonian employees. There are also materials collected by archeologists outside the Smithsonian. For the most, however, this later type of material was retained by the many institutions that sponsored the work. The files of Harold A. Huscher and Carl Miller were separated because of their continued work on the data they contain.
Huscher's material largely concerns work along the Chattahoochee River. Miller's files mainly concern work in Virginia and North Carolina. Both of these men's papers also include material concerning some of their earlier work. Miller's papers, for example, include data concerning his archeological work for the Work Projects Administration. Similarly, some of Director Frank Harold Hanna Robert's documents concerning work not related to the RBS have been incorporated in the records of the Washington office.
Much of the material regarding sites is controlled by the system for designating sites developed by the Smithsonian. This consists of a three-part code that includes a number to indicate the state, an alphabetical abbreviation to indicate county, and a number for each site within a county.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Historical Note:
The creation of the River Basin Surveys (RBS) grew out of preliminary work by the Committee for the Recovery of Archaeological Remains, an ad hoc group of anthropologists sponsored by the American Anthropological Association, Society for American Archaeology, and the American Council of Learned Societies, with liaison members from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Research Council. The committee's concern was the preservation of archaeological evidence threatened by public works programs, especially the construction of dams and reservoirs, that were carried out after World War II.
The result of the committee's work was a cooperative arrangement, called the Inter-Agency Salvage Program, among the Smithsonian, the National Park Service, the Corps of Engineers, many universities, and other public and private organizations to exchange information and finance and carry out salvage archeological work throughout the United States. The RBS was organized in 1946 to carry out the Smithsonian's part of the program. It was particularly active in field work in the Missouri Basin, states of the West Coast, Texas, and southeastern states. Initially, the arrangement was for the National Park Service to handle the financing of the work, using its own funds and requesting additional funds from other agencies. In time, the Park Service bore virtually all direct costs in its own budget, providing the RBS with funds and making contracts with state and other organizations to carry out part of the archeological work. In the mid-1950s, the Park Service became increasingly involved in field work and took over some of the field offices of the RBS.
Through most of its existence, the RBS was an autonomous unit of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Headquarters were in Washington, D. C. and from that office were carried out many of the projects not within areas of field offices. There was a major field office in Lincoln, Nebraska, that directed work in the Missouri Basin, and there were also field offices for relatively short periods of time in Austin, Texas, and Eugene, Oregon, that directed work in Texas and parts of the West Coast. When the Bureau was disbanded in 1965, the RBS became a unit of the Smithsonian Office of Anthropology (Department of Anthropology since 1968). In 1966, the headquarters were moved to Lincoln and, in 1968, the RBS was placed administratively under the director of the National Museum of Natural History. In 1969, the RBS was transferred to the National Park Service, but provision was made for the deposit of its records and manuscripts in the Smithsonian.
Related Materials:
The National Anthropological Archives holds the Bureau of American Ethnology records. Information about the Committe for the Recovery of Archaeological Remain may be found in the Frederick Johnson papers.
Restrictions:
The River Basin Surveys records are open for research.
Access to the River Basin Surveys records requires an appointment.
United States. Department of the Interior Search this
Extent:
1.16 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Trade catalogs
Specifications
Notebooks
Charts
Date:
1908-1920
Scope and Contents:
Collection contains correspondence, specifications, contsruction estimates, proposals, photographs and blue prints of plans, sections, elevations, charts and diagrams for United States Department of the Interior, Reclamation Service Projects, 1908-1918.
Rancagua, Chile where they built a Rio Pangal Hydroelectric Power Plant and and extension of the Coya Power Plant
plans and specs done by the Braden Copper Company and the Hugh L. Cooper Consulting Enginners
Arrangement:
The collectioon is divied into five series.
Series 1: Correspondence
Series 2: Construction Estimates
Series 3: Projects
Series 4: Specifications
Series 5: Photographs
Provenance:
Collected for the National Museum of American History by the Division of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (now called the Division of Work and Industry). Date unknown.
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.
General correspondence discusses miscellaneous proposed art projects for the Bureau of Reclamation, most notably the Preservation of Endangered Species Art Program. There are scattered letters from Vija Celmins, Lamar Dodd,and Ethel Magafan, and a photocopy of a letter from Miriam Hapgood DeWitt's father, Hutchins Hapgood to Bernard Berenson, discussing Berenson's books, their friendship and Hapgood's travels on the Amalfi coast of Italy.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
John DeWitt papers, 1962-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Emmy Lou Packard papers, 1900-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
Wyeth, N. C. (Newell Convers), 1882-1945 Search this
Extent:
8.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Sketches
Diaries
Drawings
Christmas cards
Illustrated letters
Cartoons (working drawings)
Sketchbooks
Date:
1841-1987
Summary:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 8.2 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes.
Scope and Content Note:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 8.2 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes. Through art work, project files, photographs, and printed material, the collection offers a rich resource, both textually and visually of True's research and work on documenting early twentieth century Native Americans cultural traditions. The papers also document True's childhood and his relationship with his family through various family papers, such as correspondence, genealogies, subject files, photographs, and a scrapbook. The collection is a particularly rich resource for the study of Allen Tupper True's work, as well as original documentation of the American West and Native American culture.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into thirteen series according to material type. The contents of each series have been arranged chronologically. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and closed to researchers.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1895-1964, undated (box 1, 7 folders)
Series 2: Subject Files, 1873-1955 (box 1, 23 folders)
Series 3: Correspondence, 1841-1956 (boxes 1-4, 3.5 linear ft.)
Series 4: Business Records, 1903-1951 (box 4, 4 folders)
Series 5: Notes, 1902-1920 (box 5, 10 folders)
Series 6: Writings, 1896-1926 (box 5, 5 folders)
Series 7: Artwork, 1897-1923 (boxes 5, 10, and OV 11, 0.5 linear ft.)
Series 8: Project Files, 1912-1987 (boxes 5-6 and 10, 0.75 linear ft.)
Series 9: Photographs, 1859-1950 (boxes 6-7, 1.5 linear ft.)
Series 10: Scrapbook, 1934 (box 7, 1 volume)
Series 11: Printed Material, 1875-1981 (box 7, 21 folders)
Series 12: Artifacts, ca. 1863 (boxes 7 and 10, 9 items)
Series 13: Glass Plate Negatives, undated (boxes 8-9, 0.8 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
Allen Tupper True (1881-1955) was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1881. He was a student at the University of Denver, and studied at the Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. between 1901 and 1902. In 1902, he was accepted into Howard Pyle's classes in Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania, and studied there until 1908, befriending classmates George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N.C. Wyeth. Through Pyle, True began his career as a magazine illustrator.
From approximately 1913-1915, True worked with British muralist Frank Brangwyn, assisting Brangwyn in the execution of murals at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California.
After marrying Emma Goodman Eaton in 1915 (divorced 1934), True launched his career as a mural painter. His most notable works include the mural decorations in the state capitol buildings of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming, as well as murals for the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company Building and the Civic Center in Denver, Colorado. True specialized in depicting Western and Native American themes.
From 1934-1945, True acted as consultant for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in charge of and designing all decoration and color schemes for the Boulder Dam power plant, Grand Coulee Dam, and the Shasta Dam, among others.
True was a Unitarian Mason, and a member of the Mural Painters of America, Beta Theta Pi, Cactus Club of Denver, and the Author's Club, London. He died in 1955.
Provenance:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers were donated in February and April 1988 by True's daughter Jane True Mueller and his son, Frank True.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
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.
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:
John A. Beemer Papers, 1907-1955, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
This series contains documentation about Beemer's professional career as a civil engineer and the type of employment he held. Materials include resumes, engineering certificates, published articles, correpondence, especisally with the United States Civil Service about retirement and the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.
Collection 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.
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:
John A. Beemer Papers, 1907-1955, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
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.
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:
Peter J. Bier Papers, 1915-1970, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
