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Edward J. Orth Memorial Archives of the New York World's Fair

Collector:: Orth, Edward J. Search this; Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization Search this

Names:: New York World's Fair (1939-1940 : New York, N.Y.) Search this

Extent:: 130 Cubic feet (417 boxes, 25 map-folders)

Type:: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Souvenirs; Photographs; Pamphlets; Guidebooks; Exhibition posters--1930-1940; Diaries; Ephemera; Film transparencies; Motion picture film; Posters

Place:: Flushing Meadows Park (New York, N.Y.); New York (N.Y.)

Date:: 1835-2000, undated

Summary:: Collection documents the 1939 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York. Also includes material relating to other fairs, the Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization (ECHO), New York City tourism and The Walt Disney Company.

Scope and Contents:: Collection primarily documents the conception, planning, construction, management, and operations of the 1939 New York World's Fair located in Flushing Meadows, New York. Materials provide historical context and cultural significance as recorded in publications, artwork, photographs, ephemera, postcards, maps, plans, exhibitor's literature, souvenirs, and motion picture film. Most of the materials were primarily created for people who attended the fair. Some of the materials include scrapbooks created by fair visitors to document their experiences. There is a significant amount of material relating to other fairs, New York tourism, the Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization (ECHO) and the World's Fair Collector's Society. Other forms of entertainment such as festivals, the Olympic games, and Disney World are also found among these materials. There is little information relating to Edward Orth's personal and professional life as a city planner. The collection is arranged into eleven series.

Arrangement:: The collection is arranged into eleven series.

Series 1, Edward J. Orth Personal Papers, 1915-1989, undated

Subseries 1.1, Correspondence, 1939-1989

Subseries 1.2, Other Materials, 1915-1989, undated

Series 2, Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization (ECHO) and World's Fair Collector's Society, Incorporated Records, 1942-1990, undated

Subseries 2.1, General Information, 1960-1988, undated

Subseries 2.2, Correspondence, 1942-1990, undated

Subseries 2.3, Classified and Wanted Advertisements, 1956-1988, undated

Subseries 2.4, Financial Records, 1976-1989

Subseries 2.5, Newsletters, 1969-1988, undated

Subseries 2.6, Membership Materials, 1970s-1989, undated

Series 3, New York World's Fair, Incorporated Records, 1900-1988, undated

Subseries 3.1, Administrative Files, 1900-1977, undated

Subseries 3.2, Amusement Zone, 1937-1940, undated

Subseries 3.3, Communications and Business Systems Zone, 1939-1965, undated

Subseries 3.4, Community Interest Zone, 1939-1949, undated

Subseries 3.5, Food Zone, 1939-1975

Subseries 3.6, Government Zone, 1939-1940

Subseries 3.7, Production and Distribution Zone, 1939-1940

Subseries 3.8, Transportation Zone, 1939-1940

Subseries 3.9, Ephemera, 1938-1988, undated

Series 4, Photographic Materials, 1939-1968, undated

Subseries 4.1, General, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.2, Amusement Area, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.3, Business Systems Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.4, Communications Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.5, Community Interest Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.6, Food Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.7, Government Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.8, Production and Distribution Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.9, Transportation Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.10, Miscellaneous, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.11, Oversize Photographs, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.12, Color Slides, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 4.13, Color Transparencies, 1940-1942, undated

Subseries 4.14, Edward Orth, 1967-1968

Series 5, Scrapbooks, 1938-1981

Series 6, Postcards, 1906-1985, undated

Subseries 6.1, Amusement Area, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.2, Business Systems Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.3, Communications Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.4, Community Interest Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.5, Food Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.6, Government Zone, International, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.7, Government Zone, Federal and States, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.8, Production and Distribution Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.9, Transportation Zone, 1939-1940, undated

Subseries 6.10, General, 1940, undated

Subseries 6.11, By Type, 1906-1985, undated

Series 7, Publications Related to World's Fairs, 1922-1989, undated

Subseries 7.1, Magazines, 1922-1988, undated

Subseries 7.2, Newspaper Articles, 1935-1989, undated

Subseries 7.3, Other Publications, 1937-1989, undated

Subseries 7.4, Other Subjects, 1962-1989

Series 8, Materials Relating to Other Fairs, 1851-2000, undated

Subseries 8.1, Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or Crystal Palace Exhibition, 1851

Subseries 8.2, Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, 1853-1853

Subseries 8.3, International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine or Centennial International Exhibition, 1876

Subseries 8.4, World's Columbian Exposition or Chicago World's Fair, 1893

Subseries 8.5, Exposition Internationale D'Anvers, Antwerp, Belgium

Subseries 8.6, Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition, 1897

Subseries 8.7, Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, 1898

Subseries 8.8, Expositions, 1901

Subseries 8.9, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1906

Subseries 8.10, Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition, 1907

Subseries 8.11, Alaska, Yukon, Pacific Exposition, 1909

Subseries 8.12, Panama-California Exposition, 1915-1916

Subseries 8.13, Bronx International Exposition of Science, Arts, and Industries, 1918

Subseries 8.14, Sesquicentennial Exposition, 1926

Subseries 8.15, Barcelona International Exposition, 1929

Subseries 8.16, L'Exposition Coloniale, Paris, 1931

Subseries 8.17, Olympics, 1932

Subseries 8.18, A Century of Progress International Exposition, 1933

Subseries 8.19, Expositions, 1933-1935

Subseries 8.20, Expositions, 1936-1937

Subseries 8.21, Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne, 1937

Subseries 8.22, Golden Gate International Exposition, 1939

Subseries 8.23, Festival of Britain, Britain, London, United Kingdom, 1951

Subseries 8.24, Milan Fair, 1955

Subseries 8.25, Exposition Universelle et venti Internationale de Bruxelles, 1958

Subseries 8.26, American National Exhibition, 1959

Subseries 8.27, New York's World Fair, 1961-1977, undated

Subseries 8.28, Century 21 Exhibition, 1961-1962

Subseries 8.29, International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, 1967

Subseries 8.30, Long Beach, California, 1967-1968

Subseries 8.31, HemisFair 68, 1968

Subseries 8.32, Expo 70 or Japan World Exposition, 1970

Subseries 8.33, Expo 74 or International Exposition on the Environment

Subseries 8.34, Expo 75 or International Ocean Exposition, 1975

Subseries 8.35, American Revolution Bicentennial, 1776-1976, 1976

Subseries 8.36, Queen's Bicentennial Festival, 1975-1976

Subseries 8.37, Plovdiv International Exhibition of 1981 or Expo 81

Subseries 8.38, Kobe Port Island Exposition or Portopia 81, 1981

Subseries 8.39, Knoxville International Energy Exposition or 1982 World's Fair, 1982

Subseries 8.40, Louisiana World Exposition, 1984

Subseries 8.41, Games of the XXIII Olympiad, 1984

Subseries 8.42, The International Exposition, Tsukuba, Japan or The International Science Technology Exposition, 1985

Subseries 8.43, Queen's Festival, 1985

Subseries 8.44, 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication or Expo 86, 1986

Subseries 8.45, World Expo 88, 1988

Subseries 8.46, Universal Exposition of Seville or Expo 92, 1992

Subseries 8.47, Expo 2000, 2000

Subseries 8.48, Other Events and Celebrations, 1886-1989

Subseries 8.49, Combined Fairs, 1968-1994

Subseries 8.50, General information about world's fairs, 1964-1980

Series 9, Ephemera, 1892-1989, undated

Subseries 9.1, New York and New York World's Fair, 1892-1989, undated

Subseries 9.2, Other States and Countries, 1835, 1939, undated

Subseries 9.3, Motion Picture Film and Entertainment, 1937-1981, undated

Series 10, Audio Visual Materials, 1939, 1964-1965, undated

Subseries 10.1, Moving Images, 1939, 1964-1965, undated

Subseries 10.2, Sound Recordings, undated

Series 11, Oversize, 1835-1992, undated

Biographical / Historical:: Biographical / Historical

Edward Joseph Orth grew up with a strong interest in history, particularly the history of the 1939 New York World's Fair. Orth's visit to the fair as a twelve-year-old boy led to a life-long passion of collecting. At the time of his death, he had amassed enough materials to fill two homes in California. Orth also collected materials from several other fairs. In addition, he saved some of the records of the Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization (ECHO) and the World's Fair Collector's Society.

Orth was born April 19, 1927, to Andrew Joseph Orth and Florence Minnie Gordon Orth in Glendale, New York. In the 1930s, the Orth family lived in several locations in New York including Ridgewood, Brooklyn, Glendale, and Queens. The home that made the most impact in young Orth's life came in 1935 when the family moved to St. Albans, Queens seven miles from Flushing Meadow Park, the future site of the 1939 fair. Sadly in 1939 there were several deaths in the family including three grandparents. The severe loss of life limited family social activities but a drive by the future site of the fair provided Orth a glimpse of the Trylon and Perisphere. He would later remark that the sight appeared to be magic. In the summer of 1939, he went to the fair with his classmates from Public School 136. The next summer Orth and his father purchased a 10-admission ticket from an elementary school in Hollis, Queens, New York. He saved every souvenir and any information he could find about the fair. He filled scrapbooks with images from newspapers and postcards from the Curt Teich and Manhattan Postcard companies. When his family moved from an apartment to a house, he acquired a fair bench which was kept in the backyard.

In 1941, Orth attended Newton High School in Elmhurst, and Queens, New York. The high school offered a college preparatory program with heavy emphasis on mathematics, science, mechanical drawing, and workshop courses. Orth's education and training combined with the knowledge he gained from motion picture films viewed at the fair, including Thomas Edison's "The City of Light," Ford Motor Company's "Road of Tomorrow," "Democracy," and General Motors' "Futurama" provided the foundation and inspiration for a career in architecture and landscaping. He ultimately became a city planner for the state of California. By 1943, Orth was exploring used magazine and bookstores in New York City to acquire more fair materials before enlisting in the United States Army in 1945. Upon his discharge he resumed buying and trading fair postcards. From 1948-1953, Orth attended the University of California and the University of Connecticut where he studied architecture and landscape design. During these years he posted advertisements in various publications in his continued pursue for fair materials.

In March 1953, Mr. Orth moved to Los Angeles, California. There he formed lasting friendships with other collectors. By 1967, Orth and several of his closest friends including Peter Warner, Oscar Hengstler, David Oats, Larry Zim, and Ernest Weidhaas conceived the idea of a fair collector's organization. By the summer of 1968, the group had formally created the Exhibition Collectors Historical Organization (ECHO).

As time passed Orth became increasing concerned about the welfare of his collection. He wanted it to go to a museum rather than be sold in parts. In his will he stipulated that the collection would be given to the Smithsonian Institution upon his death. Jon Zackman, former Smithsonian employee, interviewed Orth's brother George and fair collector Peter Warner. Orth and Warner corresponded and traded objects over many years. Mr. Orth primarily covered the west coast area while Peter Warner was his east coast counterpart. Edward Orth died on September 6,1989 in Los Angeles, California at the age of sixty-two.

Related Materials:: Materials in the Archives Center

New York World's Fair Collection, NMAH.AC.0134

Landor Design Collection, NMAH.AC.0500

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subject Category, World Expos, NMAH.AC.0060

Larry Zim World's Fair Collection, NMAH.AC.0519

Alice R. Hillis World's Fair Film, NMAH.AC.0531

Borden Company 1939 New York World's Fair Collection, NMAH.AC.1063

Memories of the New York World's Fair, NMAH.AC.0592

Archives Center World Expositions Collection, NMAH.AC.0825

Daniel H. Meyerson World's Fair Collection, NMAH.AC.0745

Division of Community Life World's Fairs Collection, NMAH.AC.1132

Princeton University Posters Collection, NMAH.AC.0433

Hills Bros. Coffee Company, Incorporated Records, NMAH.AC.0395

Smithsonian Speech Synthesis History Project, NMAH.AC.0417

Messmore and Damon Company Records, NMAH.AC.0846

Thomas Norrell Railroad Collection, NMAH.AC.1174

William L. Bird Holidays on Display Collection, NMAH.AC.1288

Wurlitzer Company Records, NMAH.AC.0469

Victor A. Blenkle Postcard Collection, NMAH.AC.0200

Materials at Other Organizations

New York Public Library The New York World's Fair 1939 and 1940 Incorporated Records, 1935-1945, MssCol 2233.

New York City 1939 World's Fair architectural drawings, circa 1935. Museum of the City of New York. Museum of the City of New York.

New York City 1939 World's Fair Collection, 1939-1940. Museum of the City of New York. New York World's Fair 1939/40 Collection. Queens Museum.

1939 New York World's Fair Postcards, Identifier: 1972-320, Audiovisual Collections Repository, Hagley Museum & Library

Separated Materials:: Materials at the National Museum of American History

Artifacts from the collection include several thousand souvenirs and examples of memorabilia commemorating the fair to include buttons and badges, ceramics, glassware, clothing, costume jewelry, coins and medals, commemorative spoons and flatware, toys and games, and philatelic material which are all part of the Division of Home and Community Life's holdings (now Division of Cultural and Community Life).

Restrictions:: Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must 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, as resources allow. Viewing film portion of collection requires special appointment, please inquire. Do not use when original materials are available on reference video or audio tapes. 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:: Exhibitions -- 1930-1940 -- New York (State) -- New York Search this; World's fairs Search this; Amusement parks--History Search this; Amusement parks--New York (State)--History Search this; Architecture--Exhibitions Search this; Architecture--New York (State)--New York Search this; Architecture--United States--Designs and plans Search this; Burlesque shows--New York (State)--New York--1930-1940 Search this; Business history Business enterprises--United States--History Search this; Chicago's Century of Progress Search this; Construction and civil engineering Search this; Construction industry--United States--Management--History Search this; Corporate culture--History Search this; Corporate culture--United States Search this; Engineering--History--20th century Search this; Exhibition buildings – New York (State) – New York Search this; Exhibition buildings--1920-1940 Search this; Exhibitions -- Design Search this; Fairs -- New York (State) -- New York -- History Search this; Fashion--History--20th century Search this; Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (New York, N.Y.)--History Search this; Food in popular culture--New York (State)--New York Search this; Graphic arts--United States--History--20th century Search this; International exhibitions Search this; International Exhibitions Bureau Search this; Lighting, Architectural and decorative--History--20th century Search this; Technology -- United States -- History -- 20th century Search this; Transportation--New York Metropolitan Area--Planning Search this; Transportation--New York (State) Search this; United States --Foreign relations --1933-1945 Search this; Urban parks--United States--History Search this; Urban design Search this; World War, 1939-1945 -- Economic aspects -- United States Search this; Consumerism Search this; Consumers--History--20th century Search this; General Motors Corporation Search this; Grand Central Parkway extension Search this; Organizational behavior--United States--History Search this; Public relations--History Search this; New York World's Fair Commission Search this; Queens (New York, N.Y.) Buildings, structures, etc. Search this

Genre/Form:: Souvenirs -- 1930-1940; Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1930-1940; Pamphlets -- 1930-1940; Guidebooks -- 1930-1940; Exhibition posters--1930-1940; Diaries; Ephemera -- 20th century; Film transparencies; Motion picture film; Posters -- 1930-1940

Citation:: Edward J. Orth Memorial Archives of the New York World's Fair, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Identifier:: NMAH.AC.0560

See more items in:: Edward J. Orth Memorial Archives of the New York World's Fair

Archival Repository:: Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:: https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep808504c62-92bb-48b1-8a76-f9d279516c33

EDAN-URL:: ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0560

Online Media:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Schools

Creator:: Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969 Search this

Extent:: 11.39 Cubic feet (consisting of 25 boxes, 2 folders, 4 oversize folders, 1 map case folder, plus digital images of some collection material.)

Type:: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Examinations (documents); Speeches; Catalogs; Trade catalogs; Reports; Sales records; Trade literature; Print advertising; Business cards; Programs; Training manuals; Invoices; Publications; Business records; Advertising cards; Advertising mail; Certificates; Business ephemera; Manuals; Sales letters; Awards; Dance cards; Business letters; Commercial correspondence; Ephemera; Illustrations; Photographs; Sermons; Letterheads; Advertising; Printed ephemera; Catalogues; Theater programs; Report cards; Receipts; Advertising fliers; Legal documents; Scrapbooks; Correspondence; Lesson books; Periodicals; School records

Date:: 1745-1973; bulk 1840-1930

Summary:: A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana

Scope and Contents note:: Most materials present are records and information related to specific schools and institutions and their operations. There are no complete records for any single organization. K-12 public, private schools are represented, as well as colleges, universities, vocational training, plus home study, correspondence courses, Sunday Schools and some religious instruction. HBCUs are not represented, though there may be a general item or two related to one or more of the HBCU schools. There is a sampling of teaching and learning tools such as workbooks, textbooks, and curriculum guides, plus publications for educators. A portion of the material focuses on administration and the profession of education. Student Services and Engagement covers the social aspects of higher education.

Arrangement note:: Schools is arranged in two subseries.

Institutions

By Name

Administration and Records

Genre

Advertisements

Images

Instruction and Learning: Tools and Resources

Post Family Education Records

Serial Publications for Educators and Administrators

Forms Part Of:: Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.

Missing Title

Series 1: Business Ephemera

Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers

Series 4: Photographic Reference Material

Provenance:: Schools is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060 purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.

Restrictions:: Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.

Rights:: Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Occupation:: College administrators Search this; Educators Search this; Art teachers Search this

Topic:: Student activities Search this; Education, Higher Search this; Colleges Search this; College teachers Search this; Teachers -- 1940-1950 Search this; Fraternal organizations Search this; Musical productions Search this; Students Search this; Education Search this; Home economics -- Study and teaching Search this; Dance Search this; College graduates -- 1840-1860 Search this; Education, Elementary Search this; High schools -- Alumni and alumnae Search this; College students -- 1900-1910 Search this; Art Search this; Music Search this; Primers Search this; Vocational education Search this; Schools Search this; Teachers Search this; Mathematics Search this; Education -- 19th century Search this; Kindergarten Search this; Dances Search this; Classrooms Search this; Theater Search this; High school student activities Search this; Women -- Education Search this; Universities and colleges Search this; Lesson plans Search this; Students -- 1940-1950 Search this; Universities and colleges -- Administration Search this; Musical performances Search this; Education -- school buildings Search this; State universities and colleges Search this; Students -- 19th century Search this; Medical colleges -- Faculty Search this; Commencement ceremonies Search this; High school athletes Search this; Cooking Search this; Medical colleges Search this; Musicals Search this; Elementary schools Search this; Art -- Study and teaching Search this

Genre/Form:: Examinations (documents); Speeches; Catalogs; Trade catalogs; Reports; Sales records; Trade literature; Print advertising; Business cards; Programs -- Graduation ceremonies -- 1930-1940; Training manuals -- 20th century; Invoices; Publications; Business records; Advertising cards; Advertising mail; Certificates; Business ephemera; Manuals; Sales letters; Awards; Dance cards; Business letters; Commercial correspondence; Certificates -- School attendance -- 1930-1940 -- Illinois; Ephemera; Illustrations; Photographs; Sermons; Letterheads; Publications -- Business; Advertising; Printed ephemera; Catalogues; Theater programs; Report cards; Receipts; Advertising fliers; Legal documents; Scrapbooks; Correspondence; Lesson books; Periodicals; School records

Citation:: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Schools, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:: Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

Identifier:: NMAH.AC.0060.S01.01.Schools

See more items in:: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Schools

Archival Repository:: Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:: https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8680d9cf8-955e-43fd-b70a-d3dd90a3f340

EDAN-URL:: ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s01-01-schools

Online Media:

Robert M. Fletcher slide collection

Creator:: Fletcher, Robert M., d. 1995 Search this

Extent:: 0.25 Cubic feet (268 35mm slides., color, 35mm)

Type:: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Slides (photographs)

Date:: circa 1979-1995

Summary:: The Robert M. Fletcher Collection contains 268 35mm color slides documenting Southern California gardens designed by landscape architect Robert M. Fletcher.

Biographical/Historical note:: Robert M. Fletcher (d. 1995) was a landscape architect who specialized in private gardens in Southern California. Born in Los Angeles, Fletcher received his B.A. in landscape architecture from UC-Berkeley in 1977 and established his residential practice later that year. He taught at the UCLA Extension Program Department of Arts from 1981-1985. As a member of the American Horticultural Society, Southern California Horticultural Society, The National Trust and the California Historical Society, Fletcher was also a speaker at many symposiums and professional meetings. His gardens were featured in numerous journals, including House and Garden, Sunset Magazine, Elle Decor and the Los Angeles Times Magazine. In addition to his residential projects, Fletcher's commercial projects included the Ingram Paper headquarters and warehouse, City of Industry; Henry Company headquarters, Huntington Park; R.J. Plaza Building, Sherman Oaks; Plaza Hermosa, Hermosa Beach; Martin Luther King, Jr. Shopping Center, Watts; Manhattan Village Medical Building, Manhattan Beach; San Julian S.R.O., Los Angeles; The Beach Club, Santa Monica; St. Martin of Tours Church and Elementary School, Brentwood; Mark Taper Building, Reseda; and Westwood Place, Westwood.

Provenance:: Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Burton L. Fletcher, parents of Robert M. Fletcher. Donation faciliated by the Garden Club of America.

Restrictions:: Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Rights:: Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:: Seaside gardening Search this; Xeriscaping Search this; Landscape architecture Search this; Gardens, Japanese Search this; Gardens -- California, Southern Search this; Gardens -- California Search this

Genre/Form:: Slides (photographs)

Citation:: Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, Robert M. Fletcher slide collection.

Sponsor:: A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:: AAG.FLE

See more items in:: Robert M. Fletcher slide collection

Archival Repository:: Archives of American Gardens

GUID:: https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6b9061dc4-b30f-4386-afab-e9e2ef3672d5

EDAN-URL:: ead_collection:sova-aag-fle

Online Media:

The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection

Creator:: Moore, Harry T., 1905-1951 Search this; Moore, Harriette V., 1902-1952 Search this

Names:: Bethune-Cookman College (Daytona Beach, Fla.) Search this; Florida Normal and Industrial Memorial College (Saint Augustine, Fla.) Search this; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Search this; Pittsburgh Courier (newspaper) Search this; Progressive Voters League Search this; Baker, Ella, 1903-1986 Search this; Bethune, Mary McLeod, 1875-1955 Search this; Caldwell, Millard Fillmore, 1897-1984 Search this; Current, Gloster B. (Gloster Bryant), 1913-1997 Search this; Gilbert, John Search this; Hendricks, Joseph Edward, 1903- Search this; Holland, Spessard L. (Spessard Lindsey), 1892-1971 Search this; Houston, Charles Hamilton, Dr., 1895-1950 Search this; Humphrey, Hubert Search this; Kennedy, Stetson Search this; Marshall, Thurgood, 1908-1993 Search this; Mathews, John E., 1892 - 1955 Search this; Moore, J. Evangeline, 1930-2015 Search this; Warren, Fuller, 1905-1973 Search this; Watson, J. Thomas, 1885 - 1954 Search this; White, Walter, 1893-1955 (President, N.A.A.C.P) Search this; Williams, Franklin Hall, 1917 - 1990 Search this

Extent:: 1 Cubic foot

Type:: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Correspondence

Place:: United States of America -- Florida -- Brevard County -- Cocoa; United States of America -- Florida -- Lake County -- Groveland; United States of America -- Florida -- Brevard County -- Mims; United States of America -- Florida -- Brevard County; United States of America -- Florida -- Brevard County -- Titusville; United States of America -- Florida -- Seminole County -- Sanford

Date:: bulk 1945-1949

Summary:: Harry T. Moore was a pioneering civil rights activist, educator, and civic leader. The collection was originally housed in a formerly "lost" briefcase that was found in 2006 by FBI investigators. The materials in this collection focus on his activities as a civil rights activist and community leader who sought to advocate for pay equity, voting rights, and justice reform for African American communities in Florida. Harry Moore and his wife Harriette were murdered for their work and they have been immortalized as the Civil Rights Movement's first martyrs.

Scope and Contents:: The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection chronicles Harry Moore's career in civil rights and education that ultimately led to his and his wife's murder. The materials in this collection were originally located in Harry T. Moore's briefcase and are dated from 1942 to 1949. The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, business records, ephemera, and newspaper clippings. The bulk of the material reflects Moore's work as a community leader working with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Progressive Voters League (PVL). The materials include original typed correspondence to and from Harry T. Moore as well as mimeographed letters that were saved for recordkeeping purposes.

The briefcase and Moore's wallet (part of the NMAAHC Collection) were found by Harriette Moore's brother, George Simms, after the firebombing of the Moore's home on Christmas night in 1951. Both were given to the local authorities for the investigation. The briefcase was lost during the initial 1951-1952 investigations. It was found in 2006 by FBI Investigators in a barn close to the Moore's former home. The investigation was closed the same year and the briefcase and its contents were returned to the family. J. Evangeline Moore served as the steward of the collection, lending out materials to various organizations, journalists, writers, and filmmakers over the years to educate the masses about her father's work and her parents' legacy. This work continued until her death in 2015. This collection and related Moore family heirlooms were donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2013 and 2018, respectively.

Arrangement:: This archival collection does not include all the materials originally located in the briefcase. Materials from this collection were used during investigations as well as historical displays, documentaries, and various educational presentations. Research revealed that various materials were misplaced or lost. The FBI investigators originally located the briefcase in 2006 and they organized and rehoused the materials for better preservation. According to the 2006 investigation report, the investigators organized the documents in alphabetical order but arranged them as they were discovered within Harry T. Moore's filing system. His filing system was based on keeping documents together in envelopes that pertain to the same subject.

The NMAAHC Archives Team kept the subject and proximal context of the materials together. To further preserve this original arrangement and sustain the collection, materials were separated by format and then by subject, keeping those with similar dates and subjects together.

Biographical / Historical:: Harry Tyson Moore was born on November 18, 1905 to Stephen John "Johnny" Moore and Rosalea "Rosa" Tyson Moore in Houston, Florida. After his father's death in 1914, Moore was sent to live with his maternal aunts in Daytona Beach, Florida. He attended Florida Normal and Industrial Memorial Institute, at the time a high school and junior college, where he graduated with a teaching degree in 1924. He immediately began his first teaching position at the segregated Monroe Elementary School in Cocoa, Florida.

Harriette Vyda Sims was born on June 19, 1902 in West Palm Beach, Florida to David and Annie Simms. Harriette was an insurance agent at Atlanta Life Insurance Company, a prominent Black-owned company, working out of Cocoa, Florida when she met Harry. Harry was also working at Atlanta Life to supplement his meager salary from teaching. Harry and Harriette married on Christmas Day in 1926. To establish themselves, the newlyweds moved in with Harriette's family in Mims, Florida. They had two daughters, Annie, born 1928, and Juanita (Evangeline), born 1930.

The couple enrolled together at the Daytona Normal Industrial Institute, later renamed the Bethune-Cookman College (BCC) after a merger of local African American schools. Harriette earned associate and bachelor's degrees in education in 1941 and 1950 respectively. Harry earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1936. Both Evangeline and Annie attended BCC as well. Annie served as an assistant to Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

From 1927-1936, Harry served as a teacher and eventual principal of Titusville Colored Junior High School. Harriette was a teacher and lunch lady at various elementary schools in the area. Troubled by the inequities and lack of educational resources available to African Americans, Harry started the Brevard County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1934. He established the organization with the help of the all-black Florida State Teacher's Association and the support of civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall.

In 1937, Moore was involved in a lawsuit regarding teacher pay equality. In Florida, White teachers received a monthly salary of $50 while African American teachers had a base salary of $20. This was the first civil rights case of its kind in the South. Moore's good friend John Gilbert, the principal of the junior high school, served as the plaintiff. The case, Gilbert v. Board of Public Instruction of Brevard County, was lost as many African American teachers were afraid to publicly endorse the case, fearing repercussions. This proved correct as Gilbert and Moore were both fired because of their activism. The Florida Supreme Court dismissed the petition stating that Brevard County was not legally required to change salary schedules based on pay because schools used individual contracts with the teachers. This case laid the foundation for several successful pay equality cases including McDaniel v. Board of Public Instruction in 1941 and County Teachers Association v. the Board of Public Instruction for the County of Marion and Broward in 1942.

Fighting for pay equity for teachers and educational civil rights took Harry and Harriette around the state, organizing and mobilizing community members. In 1936, the Moores took on new positions at the segregated Mims Elementary School and continued their involvement in organizing civil rights cases throughout Florida. In 1941, Harry was appointed the president of the Florida State Conference for the NAACP and later became the executive secretary for the Florida branch. In 1944, Smith v. Allwright ruled that it was unconstitutional for the Democratic Party to limit its membership to White people. This gave Harry the impetus to establish the Progressive Voters League (PVL), a partisan political action group in 1946. Harry believed that African Americans should have the power to vote for whomever is best for their community. Harry kept his work with the PVL separate from his work with the NAACP, despite his leadership role in both. Within a few years of PVL's establishment, there were 100,000 registered eligible African American voters in the state. For the first time in Florida's history, African American citizens were organized and poised to change the outcome of elections. In 1946, this work cost Harry and Harriette their positions at Mims Elementary School. Fortunately, the NAACP, grateful for all of Harry's years of voluntary service, named him the NAACP's first full-time paid executive secretary. Both daughters assisted in creating NAACP Youth Council for the chapter as well.

Harry fought against the gruesome lynching and rampant police brutality taking place in Florida. In 1937, he started investigating cases himself and took an active role in pursuing justice in several unsolved lynching cases around Florida. He regularly sent correspondence about voting rights and lynching to state legislators, the governor, congressmen and even the president. In 1949, Moore became very involved in the national case, State of Florida v. Samuel Shepherd, Walter L. Irvin, Charles Greenlee, and Ernest E. Thomas, commonly known as the Groveland Rape case. Four young African American men were accused of raping a white woman, Norma Padgett. The sheriff of the area, Willis V. McCall rallied a mob of 1,000 local men to locate the accused. Ernest Thomas was killed during pursuit after being shot 400 times by the mob. Shepherd, Irvin, and Greenlee were beaten and coerced into confessing to the crime, only Irvin refused. The trio were immediately convicted by an all-white jury. Shephard and Irvin were sentenced to death while Greenlee, a minor, was sentenced to life in prison. In 1951, Harry and the NAACP legal team appealed the case before the United States Supreme Court. The Court ruled the men were not given a fair trial and sent the case back for retrial at the lower court. In November of 1951, while transporting Shepherd and Irvin back to the county prison for the retrial, Sheriff McCall shot the handcuffed men, killing Shepherd and seriously injuring Irvin. Moore launched an aggressive campaign to have McCall removed from his position and indicted for his involvement in the deaths. He wrote letters to President Truman, the governor, congressmen and several state and county legislators about McCall and the case. Many historians believe Moore's involvement in this case led to his murder only six weeks later. In 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued the Groveland Four a posthumous pardon.

On December 25, 1951, both Christmas and the Moore's 25th wedding anniversary, a bomb exploded under their home, directly below the Moore's bedroom. Harry died on the way to the hospital. His funeral took place on January 2, 1952 to a crowd of 3,500, according to Ebony magazine. The following day, January 3, Harriette died from the injuries she sustained in the bombing. Her funeral took place on January 8, where NAACP leader Roy Wilkins spoke eloquently about the Moores and how their work will not be forgotten. The Moores are often called the first martyrs of the 1950s Civil Rights Movement.

The world quickly took note of Harry and Harriet's murders. Newspapers around the world criticized the U.S. for its treatment of African American citizens. The murders were discussed on the floor of the United Nations and the halls of Congress. There were many investigations at the time of the bombing, but the perpetrators were not found. The case was reopened in 1978, but again no charges were filed. In 2004-2006, the investigation was again reopened and led to the conclusion that the murders were conducted by the Central Florida Klu Klux Klan. The men believed responsible were Earl J. Brooklyn, Tillman H. Belvin, Joseph N. Cox, and Edward L. Spivey. However, all the men had died by this time, therefore no one was ever charged for the Moores' murder.

Evangeline was extremely involved in the investigation and worked directly with the attorney general. By the mid-1990s, Evangeline began to take a public role in preserving the memory of her family's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. In 1995, she helped organize the Harry T. Moore and Harriette V. Moore Homesite Development Committee, a non-profit organization that raised money for an educational site dedicated to celebrating the life and work of the Moores. In 2004, Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Memorial Park opened, featuring a museum, the original Moore homesite, and a 12-acre park. There are annual celebrations held in the second week of December in Mims, honoring the Moore family's sacrifices for human rights. In 2015, the Florida State Senate adopted resolution SR1638, "Remembering the outstanding contributions of pioneer leaders and martyrs Harriette Vyda Simms Moore and Harry T. Moore in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, etc." In October 2015, Evangeline passed away in New Carrolton, Maryland.

Historical Timeline

1902 -- Harriette V. Simms was born in West Palm Beach, Florida to David I. Simms and Annie Warren Simms.

1905 -- Harry Tyson Moore was born in Houston, Florida to Stephen John "Johnny" Moore and Rosa Tyson Moore.

1914-1916 -- Johnny Moore died. Rosa Moore sent Harry to Daytona Beach, Florida to stay with family because of financial difficulties. Harry and his maternal aunts moved to Jacksonville, Florida for better educational opportunities.

1919 -- Moore returned to Houston, Florida and began the high school program at Florida Normal and Industrial Memorial Institute. He graduated with a teaching degree in 1924.

1925 -- Harry earned his teaching certificate and immediately began teaching position at the segregated Monroe Elementary School in Cocoa, Florida.

1926 -- Harry and Harriette wed on Christmas.

1927 -- The Moore newlyweds moved in with Harriette's parents. Harry began teaching at the Titusville Colored Junior High School in Titusville, Florida.

1928 -- Annie Rosa Moore was born. In the fall, Harriette began working as a teacher at Mims Colored Elementary School in Mims, Florida.

1930 -- [Juanita] Evangeline Moore was born. Harry began taking correspondence courses at the University of Florida.

1931 -- Harry and his family move into their own home in Mims, Florida.

1934 -- Harry founded the Brevard County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

1936 -- Harry graduated from Bethune-Cookman College (BCC) with a normal degree in education. In the fall, Harry became a teacher and the principal of Mims Colored Elementary School.

1938 -- In March, Attorney S.D. McGill filed a lawsuit for pay equality with Cocoa Junior School principal John Gilbert as the plaintiff. The case was dismissed in June.

1939 -- The appeal case of Gilbert v. Board of Public Instruction of Brevard County was dismissed. The case was represented by NAACP Legal Counsel, Thurgood Marshall.

1941 -- Harry organized and served as president of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP. Harriette graduated from Bethune-Cookman College with a teaching degree.

1944 -- Harry founded the Progressive Voters League as a political partisan action group in opposition to the NAACP non-partisan stance.

1946 -- As a result of his civil rights work and activism, Harry and Harriette lost their teaching positions at Mims Elementary School.

1947 -- Evangeline enrolled in BCC. Harry became the NAACP's first fully paid executive secretary of the Brevard County chapter.

1948 -- Harriette began teaching at the Lake Park Colored School in Palm Beach County, Florida.

1950 -- Harriette graduated from BCC with a B.S. in science.

1951 -- Harry graduated with a B.A. from BCC in August. December 25: The Moore's home is firebombed. Harry passed away right before midnight.

1952 -- January 1: Funeral of Harry T. Moore. Jannuary 3: Harriette died from injuries sustained in bombing. January 8: Funeral of Harriette V. Moore. The NAACP awarded the Spingarn medal to Harry T. Moore; his mother Rosa accepted it on his behalf. Evangeline married Drapher Pagan, Sr. Drapher "Skip" Pagan, Jr. is born the following year.

1955 -- The FBI officially closed the Moore homicide investigation case.

1972 -- Annie R. Moore Hampton died suddenly and was buried in Ocala, Florida.

1978 -- The Moore case was reopened but no charges were filed.

1985 -- Creation of the Harry T. Moore Social Service Center in Titusville, Florida.

1991 -- Florida's Governor Lawton Chiles ordered the reopening of the Moores' homicide case; no charges were filed.

1993-1998 -- The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners purchased the Moore homesite to be used as a memorial to the slain couple and created The Harry T. Moore Homesite Development Committee. The Florida State Legislature awarded $700,000 for development of the 10-acre Harry T. Moore Memorial Homesite in Mims, Florida.

1999 -- Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Memorial Homesite Historical Marker is unveiled.

2002 -- Brevard County Court Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Justice Center opened.

2003-2004 -- An archeological survey of Moore family home led to an investigation. The Florida State Attorney General Charlie Crist reopened the Moore homicide investigation. The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Cultural Complex is completed.

2006 -- Attorney General Crist concluded that the perpetrators were four men from the Central Florida Klu Klux Klan. They had all died by this time, so no charges were filed.

2012-2013 -- The post office in Cocoa, Florida was renamed was named in honor of Harry T. and Harriette Moore by an Act of Congress: Public Law 112-243. Harry and Harriette were inducted in the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

2015 -- Evangeline Moore died in New Carrolton, Maryland.

2019 -- The Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Memorial Park and Museum was added to U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

2021 -- Brevard County School Board passed a resolution acknowledging the Moore's unjust firings.

Provenance:: Acquired as a gift from Drapher "Skip" Pagan, Jr. in memory of Juanita Evangeline Moore.

The Museum acquired two personal watches, a locket, and 26 textual documents pertaining to Harry and Harriette Moore (2013.157) from Juanita Evangeline Moore in 2013. These materials are viewable via Smithsonian Collections Search. The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection was acquired through a donation from the Moores' grandson, Drapher "Skip" Pagan, Jr. in 2018.

Restrictions:: The NMAAHC Archives can provide reproductions of some materials for research and educational use. Copyright and right to publicity restrictions apply and limit reproduction for other purposes.

Rights:: The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making reproductions of copyrighted material. Any reproductions of these materials are not to be used for any purpose other than research or educational use.

Topic:: Education Search this; Civil rights Search this; Activism Search this; Hate crimes Search this; Race discrimination Search this; Resistance Search this; Segregation Search this; Groveland Four Trial, Groveland, Fla., 1949-1952 Search this; American South Search this; Blacks -- Press coverage Search this; Justice Search this; Race relations Search this; Social justice Search this; Lynching Search this; Violence Search this; United States -- History -- 1945-1953 Search this; Suffrage Search this; Politics Search this; Families Search this; Law Search this; Associations, institutions, etc. Search this

Genre/Form:: Correspondence

Citation:: Harry T. And Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection, 1942-1949. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:: NMAAHC.A2018.12

See more items in:: The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection

Archival Repository:: National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:: https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/io39fe77a2e-3542-4a8b-add7-006d9625fb9e

EDAN-URL:: ead_collection:sova-nmaahc-a2018-12

No Image Available

Kwanzaa: Woodbridge Elementary School

Creator:: Anacostia Neighborhood Museum Search this

Names:: Anacostia Community Museum Search this; Anacostia Neighborhood Museum Search this

Collection Creator:: Anacostia Community Museum Search this

Extent:: 1 Video recording (open reel, 1/2 inch)

Type:: Archival materials; Video recordings; Music

Place:: Africa; Africa, East; Anacostia (Washington, D.C.); Washington (D.C.); United States

Date:: 1976

Scope and Contents:: Student performance and celebration about Kwanzaa spirit. Students speak of the meaning of Kwanzaa; they sing and dance. Performance followed by a Kwanzaa party.; Music and dance performance. Part of Kwanzaa Programs 1976-1989: ACM Education Department Audiovisual Records. Performance and party until 003152, followed by The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Poor sound and image quality. Dated: 19761222.

Biographical / Historical:: The collection - Kwanzaa Programs 1976-1989: ACM Education Department - contains the audiovisual output of the Kwanzaa events hosted by Anacostia Neighborhood Museum's Education Department between the years of 1976-1989. It includes video documentation of Kwanzaa workshops and school events as well as Kwanzaa-related films, plays, and storytelling.

General:: Title transcribed from physical asset.

Collection Restrictions:: Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.

Topic:: African Americans Search this; Children Search this; African American students Search this; Students Search this; Schools Search this; Kwanzaa Search this; Music Search this; Dance Search this

Genre/Form:: Video recordings; Music

Citation:: Kwanzaa: Woodbridge Elementary School, Record Group AV09-007.3, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:: ACMA.09-023, Item ACMA AV003269

See more items in:: Museum Events, Programs, and Projects, 1967-1989; Museum Events, Programs, and Projects, 1967-1989 / Series ACMA 09-007.3: Kwanzaa Programs 1976-1989

Archival Repository:: Anacostia Community Museum Archives

GUID:: https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7ab63343c-00e0-4a17-9189-68060c9678df

EDAN-URL:: ead_component:sova-acma-09-023-ref1557

W. Atlee Burpee & Company records - Accretion 1

Creator:: W. Atlee Burpee Company Search this; Burpee, W. Atlee (Washington Atlee), 1858-1915 Search this; Burpee, David, 1893-1980 Search this; Wm. Henry Maule (Firm) Search this

Extent:: 2.25 Cubic feet (2 boxes)

Type:: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Business records; Correspondence; Pamphlets; Trade catalogs

Date:: 1882-1980; bulk 1890-1930

Summary:: The W. Atlee Burpee & Company records - Accretion 1, dated circa 1882-1980, document the firm's business activities developing plant varieties and marketing and selling seeds. They include seed trial records, administrative files, seed catalogs, promotional and instructional materials, awards, reference materials, and other items relating to the company and some of its competitors.

Scope and Contents:: This accretion to the W. Atlee Burpee & Co. records documents aspects of the W. Atlee Burpee & Co., a mail-order seed company based in Philadelphia that was founded in 1876 by W. Atlee Burpee. It includes seed trial records; administrative and personnel records; trade literature (published by both the Burpee company and a few of its competitors); awards and certificates received by the company; and a few personal papers of David Burpee, W. Atlee's son and business successor.

Arrangement:: Collection is arranged into four series:

Series 1: Plant/Farm Related Material

Series 2: Business Records

Series 3: Awards and Certificates

Series 4: Burpee Family Papers

Biographical / Historical:: Washington Atlee Burpee (1858-1915) began a mail-order poultry and livestock business in 1876 in Philadelphia, which he soon expanded to include corn seed for chicken feed. In 1878, he founded W. Atlee Burpee & Co. to sell livestock and vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds through the mail. His company went on to become one of the most notable seed distributors in the world.

In 1888, W. Atlee bought a tract of land named Fordhook Farms in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It was initially established as an experimental farm to test and evaluate new varieties of vegetables and flowers and to produce seeds for the mail-order market. Burpee spent many summers traveling throughout the United States and Europe visiting farms and searching for the best flowers and vegetables. Certain plants he found were shipped back to the firm for testing and propagation; other seeds were obtained through contracts with growers throughout the U.S., a practice common in the seed industry at that time. Promising varieties were bred with healthier specimens to produce hardier hybrids that were more resistant to disease. Other Burpee trial grounds were later established at Sunnybrook Farm near Swedesboro, New Jersey, and at Floradale Farm in Lompoc, California (1909/1910). The company went on to purchase more land for farming in California, and established sales branch headquarters in Sanford, Florida (c. 1930s), Clinton, Iowa (1942), and Riverside, California (1949).

W. Atlee Burpee married Blanche Simons (1863-1948) in 1892. They had three sons: David (1893-1980); W. Atlee Jr. ("Junior") (1894-1966); and Stuart Alexander (1901-1934). Both David and Junior attended the Blight School in Philadelphia for elementary school and Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana for preparatory school. While they both attended Cornell University as undergraduates, they left before graduating due to W. Atlee's poor health. Junior married Jeanetta Lee (1893-1981) in November 1916, and they had two children: W. Atlee III (1917-1971) and Jeanette (1919-2002). David married Lois Torrance (1912-1984) in 1938, and they had two children: Johnathan (b. 1941) and Blanche (b. 1943). Stuart Alexander was apparently born with a disability; according to census records he worked on farms during his lifetime.

David Burpee took over the family business upon his father's death in 1915; Junior served as treasurer of the firm once he returned from military service. At that time, the Burpee company had 300 employees and was the largest mail-order seed company in the world. It distributed over one million catalogs a year and received on average 10,000 orders a day. Under David's tutelage, the company adapted to contemporaneous shifts in business and advertising methods, advancements in plant science, ever-changing consumer demands, and two World Wars. In response to food shortages experienced during World War I, the Burpee company helped promote a "war gardens" campaign that evolved into a "victory gardens" campaign during World War II.

Both W. Atlee and David used their position as head of a major seed house to lobby congressional debates in regard to two topics: postage rates (W. Atlee) and the designation of a national floral emblem for the United States (David). Additionally, both men belonged to the Union Club of Philadelphia and The Canadian Society of Philadelphia (which W. Atlee helped found), and served on the boards of directors for hospitals and other charitable organizations. Both father and son were politically aligned with the Republican Party.

The firm reorganized its governing structure in 1917 at which time it changed its name from W. Atlee Burpee & Co. to W. Atlee Burpee Co. Burpee's acquired three seed companies between 1878 and 1970: Luther Burbank Seed Company, James Vick's Seeds, Inc., and the William Henry Maule Company. David Burpee sold the company to the General Foods Corporation in 1970 and served as a consultant for the business until 1973. The Burpee brand was bought by its current owner, George J. Ball, Inc., in 1991.

Related Materials:: Burpee seed catalogs donated to the Smithsonian in 1982 by the W. Atlee Burpee Co. can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History.

The Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division includes a series of images of Burpee company operations taken in 1943.

The Black Gold Cooperative Library System's Asian/Pacific - Americans on the Central Coast Collection includes images dated 1933-1939 of Japanese employees of the Burpee Co. working at Floradale Farms in Lompoc, California.

Restrictions:: Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Rights:: Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:: Seed industry and trade Search this; Mail-order business Search this; Gardens -- United States Search this; Business Search this; Agriculture Search this; Horticulture Search this; advertising Search this; Vegetables Search this; Flowers Search this; Trial gardens Search this