National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
33 Cubic feet (76 boxes, 46 map-folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Tracings
Correspondence
Drawings
Date:
1827-1987
Summary:
The collection consists of correspondence, invoices, drawings, photographs, and negatives and other printed literature documenting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from its inception in 1827 to its merger with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in the 1960s.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of correspondence, engineering drawings, notes, photographs, transparencies, negatives, glass plate negatives, printed materials, and newspaper clippings documenting the Baltimore and Ohio railroad from its inception in 1827 to its merger with the Chesapeake and Ohio in the 1960s.
Arrangement:
The records are arranged into ten series.
Series 1, Historical Background, 1827-1987
Series 2, Bridge Histories, 1867-1966
Series 3, President's Office, 1826-1880
Series 4, Correspondence, 1826-1859
Series 5, Business Records, 1894-1914, and undated
Series 6, Agreement, 1870
Series 7, Drawings, 1858-1957, and undated
Subseries 7.1, Indices and Lists, 1924-1943, undated
Subseries 7.2, Bailey's Station, 1887; 1899; 1901
Subseries 7.3, Baltimore Belt Railroad, 1895, undated
Subseries 7.4, Bay View and Canton Bridges, 1884-1885
Subseries 9.4, Negatives by location, 1870; 1978-1983
Subseries 9.5, Negatives by subject, 1922-1930s, undated
Series 10, Stations and Buildings, 1884-1982
Biographical / Historical:
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was the nation's first extensive steam powered railroad. It was founded by Baltimore merchants in 1827 as a means of promoting trade and making Baltimore competitive with other east coast ports. The original intent of the founders was to provide direct and fast access to the Ohio River, and the markets that the river reached. The railroad, however, went beyond the Ohio River and its lines went as far west as St. Louis and Chicago. The B&O was also known for its use of an electric locomotive in the mid 1890s. It also had a completely air conditioned train, and it was a forerunner in the use of diesel-electric locomotives. Company activities paralleled those of other American railroads and over the course of its life included expansion, near bankruptcy, innovations, regulations, and finally buy out. In February 1963, the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) completed its purchase of the B&O. Today, B&O is part of the CSX Transportation (CSX) network.
John Work Garrett president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 1858-1884, was born in Baltimore, Maryland July 31, 1820. He was the second son of Elizabeth Stouffer and Robert Garrett. He married Rachel Ann Harrison, the daughter of Thomas Harrison, a Baltimore merchant. They had one daughter, Mary and two sons Robert and Thomas Harrison Garrett.
After attending Lafayette College (Pennsylvania) for two years John W. Garrett left in 1836 to become associated with his father's commission business in Baltimore. The commission house which dealt in wholesale groceries, produce, forwarding and a commission business expanded to establish direct connections with Latin America, seek outlets in Europe and develop its own banking operations. In time its financial operations overshadowed the commission and shipping business.
When John W. Garrett began to invest heavily in Baltimore and Ohio Railroad stock, the road was in competition with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the stock was not popular. Its value rose steadily over the years. Mr. Garrett was elected a director of the railroad in 1855. His report as chairman of a subcommittee on the need for additional funds to complete the line to the Ohio River led to his election to the presidency of the road on November 17, 1858, a position he held for 26 years. New policies with emphasis on economy, personal supervision and gradual expansion were inaugurated and consistently maintained, in spite of a general financial crisis, Mr. Garrett's first year in office showed a net gain in earnings.
Sympathetic to his southern friends during the Civil War, Mr. Garrett nevertheless supported the Union. He recognized the inevitability of Confederate defeat by superior northern resources. Confederate leaders blamed him for their inability to seize Washington and he received warm appreciation for his services to the Union cause from President Lincoln. The railroad stretched along the theater of war and twice crossed Confederate territory. It was, therefore, a main objective for southern attack. Branches were frequently damaged by Confederate raids, but the main line to Washington became important for the transport of troops and supplies. The Baltimore and Ohio carried out the first military rail transport in history and the transfer of 20,000 men from the Potomac to Chattanooga in 1863 was a major triumph for its president.
With the advent of peace Mr. Garrett turned to rebuilding and strengthening the railroad. He replaced equipment and track damaged by the war, then extended the system by securing direct routes to Pittsburgh and Chicago and arranging an independent line into New York. Wharves were built at Locust Point for ocean liners and a system of elevators erected. The B&O. built its own sleeping and dining cars, established hotels in the mountains and created its own express company. By 1880, after battles over rates with other trunk lines, a costly rivalry with the Pennsylvania Railroad over the eastern route and charges of discrimination against local shippers Mr. Garrett was at the height of his success. He cooperated in establishing the B. and 0. Employees Relief Association for accident and life insurance, a hospital system, saving and building funds, and arrangements for improving sanitation in the work place. He was on friendly terms with Johns Hopkins, a trustee of John Hopkins Hospital, and with George Peabody, founder of the Peabody institute of which he was also a trustee. Garrett County, Maryland was named in his honor.
John W. Garrett died on September 26, 1884 within a year of his wife's death in a carriage accident. During his connection with the railroad the stock increased from $57 to $200; at the outbreak of the Civil War the railroad was operating 514 miles of rail, gross earnings were $4,000,097 and net per mile was $4246.1 By 1864 gross earnings were $10,138,876 and net per mile, $7113.2 By the end of his presidency mileage had increased to 1711 miles and net earnings were $4535 per mile.3
References
1 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
2 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
3 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
Related Materials:
Materials at Other Organizations
Maryland Historical Society
Baltimore and Ohio Museum
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1960s.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs and glass plate negatives with gloves.
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.
These records document the activities of the Wetherill Plant of the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, originally the Wetherill Company, particuarly the manufacture of steam and diesel engines. Included are engine specification cards; bound lists and charts of specifications and prices; a bound index of drawing numbers, 1886-1928; steam engine catalogs, ca. 1895-1910; drawings and plans for compound and Corliss steam engines, 1875-1921; engine record books, 1876-1902; order books, 1888-1891, 1895-1912; a delivery book, 1916; ledgers, 1876-1885; and drawings for the SunDoxford diesel engine, ca. 1920-1930.
Arrangement:
1 series.
Arrangement: By type of material.
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
0.3 Cubic feet (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1910-1953
bulk 1910
Summary:
Collection contains photographs of factories, mills, and other projects undertaken by Charles T. Main Inc.
Scope and Contents note:
This collection contains photographs of factories, mills, and other projects undertaken by Charles T. Main Inc., Boston civil and plant engineers.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into one series by project.
Biographical / Historical:
Chas. T. Main, Inc. was a Boston engineering company founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate Charles T. Main in 1893. Main was a mechanical engineer working in the textile mills of New England and a major developer in the new field of hydroelectric power. He also served as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' President from 1918-1919. In 1926, the company was incorporated as Chas. T. Main, Inc. Main and his associates decided that all stock would be privately owned by senior engineers so that the company was free of outside influence and only those who knew the industry best would make decisions. By the 1950s, Chas. T. Main Inc. consulted or worked internationally on projects, including building a hydro-electric plant in Turkey and developing a plan to unify development of the water resources of the Jordan River Valley for its surrounding countries, Jordan, Syria, and Israel. Domestically, Chas. T. Main, Inc. began an association with the Atomic Energy Commission in 1949 and was responsible for supporting plutonium production reactors facilities, water treatment plants, and reactor coolant activities, among other nuclear projects. In 1956, a rock slide in the Niagara River New York destroyed two-thirds of the Niagara power capacity. Chas. T. Main, Inc. was contracted to create a power plant to compensate for the loss of power and save the area's economy. In the late 1980s, suffering management problems, the company was bought by Parsons Corporation of Pasadena, California. In 1992, the company's name was changed to Parsons Main, Inc., located in Canton, Massachusetts as a subsidiary of Parsons Corporation.
Source
Northeastern University, Archives and Special Collections
Related Materials:
Materials at Other Organizations
Northeastern University, Archives and Special Collections
Chas. T. Main, Inc. records, 1975-[1977+]
Provenance:
Collection donated by Charles T. Main, Inc. through R.X. Oliveri, circa 1962.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
2.5 Cubic feet (1 box, 17 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Specifications
Tracings
Place:
Montclair (N.J.)
Newark (N.J.)
Orange (N.J.)
West Orange (N.J.)
Date:
1892-1950
Summary:
Collection documents select plumbing and heating projects undertaken by the T.B. Cryer Company in New Jersey.
Scope and Contents:
These records contain plans and specifications for plumbing and heating systems installed in residences, schools, and public buildings in Newark, Orange, East Orange, West Orange, Montclair, and other locations in New Jersey. The drawings consist of blueprints, pencil tracings, linen and typescript contracts and specifications, and correspondence related to the projects.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into two series.
Series 1: List of Drawings (by Project Number), 1962, undated
Series 2: Projects, 1892-1950
Biographical:
Thomas Blackburn Cryer (1864-1935) was born in London, Ontario, Canada and came to the United States in 1909 and formed a heating, ventilating and contracting and engineering firm, T.B. Cryer Company in Newark, New Jersey.
Sources
New York Times, "Thomas B. Cryer," March 29, 1935.
Related Materials:
Materials at Smithsonian Libraries
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collection holds a proposal from T.B. Cryer Company (1922) related to oil burners by Schuette & Koerting Company.
Provenance:
Donated to the National Museum of History and Technology (now called the National Museum of American History) by Clifford T.l. Cryer in 1962.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
4.5 Cubic feet (20 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Place:
Washington (D.C.)
Date:
1900-1905.
Scope and Contents:
Photoprints and negatives documenting the construction of several Washington, D.C. bridges. The Washington Aqueduct Bridge is the subject of most of the images. The Washington Channel Bridge, the Potomac Highway Bridge, and the 11th Street Bridge are also included among the images. Additionally, there is a letterpress book, an employee time book, and a notebook containing diagrams and measurements.
Arrangement:
Collection is divided into five series.
Series 1: Glass Plate Negatives (5 in x 7 in), 1904
Series 2: Glass Plate Negatives (6 in x 8 in), undated
Series 3: Glass Plate Negatives (4 in x 5 in), 1900
Series 4: Photographs Photographs, 1894, 1900
Series 5; Other Materials Other Materials, 1901-1992
Biographical / Historical:
Meigs was a Washington, D.C. civil engineer.
Provenance:
Collection donated by the Department of Highways and Traffic, District of Columbia Government, through Thomas F. Airis, Director, 1965.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.5 Cubic feet (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1938-1972
Summary:
Collection documents General Motors Corporation engineering exhibits and studies.
Content Description:
Collection contains brochures, exhibit literature, photographs, plans, and reprints of the General Motors Corporation relating to engineering exhibits and studies. Included are Highway and Horizons Exhibit brochures and lecture; photocopy of a 1938 plan for New York World's Fair quartz window engine exhibit; photographs on combustion analysis, 1939; and plans concerning shot-peening and surface finishing, 1938-1939.
Reprints in collection include thirteen by Gerald M. Rassweiler and Lloyd Withrow on engine studies; "Retrospect," by Rassweiler on infrared work at General Motors; and "Shot Blasting," and "Fatigue Weakness of Surfaces," by J.O. Alman of the GM Research Laboratories, 1943-1951.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.5 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Profiles
Place:
Honesdale (Pa.)
Kingston (N.Y.)
Date:
1882, 1889, 1986
Content Description:
Six (6) rolled sheets with continuous profile of Lackawaxen Canal from New York to Pennsylvania.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
9.1 Cubic feet (3 boxes, 14 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Blueprints
Patents
Sketches
Specifications
Date:
1898-1926
Summary:
Collection documents the activities of the Kingsford Foundry & Machine Company.
Content Description:
Records chiefly concern the work of the Kingsford Foundry & Machine Company, Stumpf Unaflow steam engines, Kingsford steam boilers, stationary and marine crossheads, flywheels, and steam turbines. Included are catalogs, sales information, drawings, patents, sketches, air brush drawings, mounted photographs of Kingsford-Webster boilers, blueprints, designs, and specifications.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Industrial Precision Products, through William J. Gallagher, plant manager, 1972.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Trade catalogs
Place:
Milwaukee (Wis.)
Tucson (Ariz.)
Date:
1935, 1941-1956
Summary:
Collection documents solar energy.
Content Description:
Papers document the activities of, or were collected by Fritz P. Grutzner of Milwaukee. Included are correspondence concerning solar energy, 1954-1956; copies of articles on solar heating, 1935, 1941-1942, 1945-1949, 1952; Milwaukee Journal article on Farrington Daniels, 1955; manufacturer's literature; drawings; calculations; and mimeographed proceedings of the Conference on Solar Energy held in Tucson, Arizona in 1955.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection assembled by Fritz P. Grutzner.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.5 Cubic feet (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Blueprints
Patents
Date:
1899-1908
Summary:
Collection documents the Paul Steam-Heating System.
Content Description:
These records contain material concerning the Paul Steam-Heating System. Includes drawings, blueprints, and accounts; five Andrew G. Paul patents, 1900-1908; list of installations; and a record of licensed use of patents and endorsement letters, 1899-1904.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection donated by T.B. Cryer in 1957.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
6.75 Cubic feet (7 boxes, 2 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Patents
Price lists
Reports
Bulletins
Glass negatives
Blueprints
Catalogs
Date:
1898-1970s.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of records documenting the Lombard Governor Company: photographs (including glass plate negatives), blueprints, printed material, price lists, reports, catalogs and trade literature, bulletins, and a notebook of patents.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into three series.
Series 1: Printed Materials
Series 2: Glass Plate Negatives
Series 3: Blueprints
Biographical / Historical:
In 1894, Nathaniel Lombard developed the first practical water wheel governor in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Lombard's design incorporated hydraulics and a unique anti-racing device to move the gates of the largest turbines multiple times faster than any existing device. In 1904, the company moved to Ashland, Massachusetts. During the first World War, Lombard Governor produced hydraulic lathes for the manufacture of artillery shells, and special valves for the US government's Muscle Shoals nitrogen plant. At the conclusion of the war, Lombard expanded into the areas of chain saws and plastic molding injection machines. In 1962, the company changed its name to Lombard Industries. In 1964, Lombard Industries was acquired by American Lincoln Corporation and the operation was moved to Toledo, Ohio.
Provenance:
Collection donated by William Sorensen in 1962.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
0.3 Cubic feet (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Patents
Clippings
Brochures
Correspondence
Photographs
Place:
New York
Date:
1842-1912
Scope and Contents note:
The collection documents Herrick's blast furnace and rotary steam engine business, including business correspondence, patent documents, drawings, machine operations data, and publications.
Arrangement:
One series.
Biographical/Historical note:
Gerardus Post Herrick, an attorney in New York City who turned inventor, graduated from Princeton in 1895. He improved the original design of the blast furnace, and later invented a rotary steam engine.
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.
Thompson, J. Trueman (Joseph Trueman), 1891-1977 Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.25 Cubic feet (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Negatives
Photographs
Posters
Date:
1924-1945, 1961
Summary:
Papers document activities of civil engineer, Joseph Trueman Thmposon.
Content Description:
Papers include photographs, posters, and reprints of highway tests, 1934-1945; impact tests on beams and bridge members; engineering shoe negatives, 1932; highway impact test, 1924-1928; and a list of Thompson's publications .
Provenance:
Collection donated by J.T. Thompson in 1963.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
0.6 Cubic feet (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Theses
Reports
Specifications
Photographs
Contracts
Drawings
Place:
Ohio Turnpike (Ohio)
Date:
circa 1927-1966
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes engineering reports, contract specifications, construction photographs, and drawings for South Park Commissioners and Chicago Park District projects, 1927, 1931, 1935-1940; Ohio Turnpike projects, 1951; railway bridges, 1953-1954; and Northern Illinois Toll Highway projects, 1954-1956. Also included are a copy of Smith's thesis for the Civil Engineering degree from Armour Institute of Technology, 1940; an article by Smith, 1940; engineering periodicals; and unidentified photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Lawrence Talman Smith was a structural engineer who worked on various projects from 1924-1940, including the Holland Tunnel in New York, Florence Lake Tunnel in California, construction projects in China, and Chicago Park District projects. Following service in the United States Army from 1940-1945, Smith set up a private consulting practice.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Names:
United States Capitol (Washington, D.C.) Search this
Extent:
0.3 Cubic feet ( 1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Salted paper prints
Copy photographs
Date:
1855-1862
Summary:
The collection consists of 146 salt-paper prints (structural and decorative details) of the United States Capitol Dome, between 1855 and 1862. Dimensions range from 6 ¾" x 9 ½" to 17 1/8" x 10".
Scope and Contents:
The collection is comprised of 146 salt print photographic copies of original drawings of the United States Capitol dome. Salt print paper was the first and most common photo paper between 1839 and 1860. The prints document both structural and decorative details of the dome. The prints are arranged in chronological order.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into one series.
Series 1, United States Capitol Dome Drawings, 1855-1862
Biographical / Historical:
The United State Capitol dome is situated above the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The Capitol dome was designed by Thomas Ustick Walter (1804-1887), the fourth Architect of the Capitol. Walter was responsible for adding the north (Senate) and south (House) wings and the central dome of the Capitol from 1854 to 1866. The original dome, built in 1824, was made of wood. It was considered a fire hazard and was not big enough to complement the Capitol building's growing size.[1]
[1] http://www.aoc.gov/cc/capitol/dome.cfm (accessed on April 9, 2010)
Provenance:
This collection was purchased in 1984 by the Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, National Museum of American History (then called the National Museum of History and Technology), from Walter Grossman.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Unrestricted research access on site by appointment.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
12 Cubic feet (36 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1914-1923
Summary:
The collection consists of photographic negatives relating to a valuation study of the New York Central Railroad dating from 1914 to 1923.
Scope and Contents:
Collection consists of over 3,500 photographic negatives relating to a valuation study of the New York Central Railway. These materials include images of bridges, structures, stations, railroad cars, and other subjects. Certain negatives also capture glimpses of everyday life including families outside of company-owned housing, railroad employees at work, busy city scenes, advertisements, automobiles, and in some cases, the surveyors at work. The negatives begin with valuation survey number twenty-seven and end with 145. These negatives date from 1914 to 1923 with the bulk dating from 1916 to 1921. The negatives are arranged sequentially according to their valuation survey (VS) numbers, which denote specific geographic areas along the railway lines. Geographic locations were identified using copies of valuation survey maps from the Pennsylvania State Archives.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Grand Central Terminal Collection (NMAH.AC1071)
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana (NMAH.AC.0060)
James Forgie Papers (NMAH.AC.0986)
Clayton M. Hall Collection of Railroad Photographs (NMAH.AC1168)
Foundation Company Records (NMAH.AC.0974)
Thomas Norrell Railroad Photographs Collection (NMAH.AC.1174)
John H. White, Jr. Railroad Reference Collection (NMAH.AC.0523)
Cummings Structural Concrete Company Records (NMAH.AC.0218)
Provenance:
Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company donated the collection in 1986.
Restrictions:
Collection is opened for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction. Smithsonian Institution owns rights. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.25 Cubic feet (1 box )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Lantern slides
Negatives
Photographs
Place:
Manila (Philippines)
Nagasaki (Japan)
Date:
circa 1945
Summary:
Collection documents the destroyed city of Nagasaki, Japan and bombing in Manila, Philippines, 1945.
Content Description:
Collection contains lantern slides, negatives and print photography of the destroyed city of Nagasaki, Japan and bombing in Manila, Philippines. Images depict street scenes, destroyed buildings and people injured or killed.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection donated byProgressive Architecture, through managing editor, Rita R. Robinson, 1973.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Search this
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (Calif.) Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
5 Film reels
5 Cubic feet (11 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Film reels
16mm films
Motion pictures (visual works)
Reports
Place:
Detroit (Mich.)
Texas
Brooklyn Bridge (New York, N.Y.)
Fremont (Neb.)
Columbus (Neb.)
New York
Boston (Mass.)
Chicago (Ill.)
Death Valley
Date:
1906-2003
bulk 1906-1918
Summary:
Collection documents the engineering firm of Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas through reports prepared for a variety of clients.
Scope and Contents:
These records contain reports (some containing photographs and full size drawings folded) from the New York engineering firm of Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas. Included are typewritten and printed reports for a variety of clients. The bulk of the reports relate to power and transportation. The collection includes five 16mm motion picture films, relating to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three series.
Series 1: Background Materials, 1960-2003
Series 2: Reports, 1906-1918
Series 3: Moving Image, 1960 and undated
Biographical / Historical:
On January 1, 1885, William Barclay Parsons (1859-1932) and his younger brother Henry de Berkeley Parsons founded a consulting engineering firm in New York City. The brothers combined their talents as civil and mechanical engineers to create a firm that would making a lasting mark on designing and constructing infrastructure. Among the firm's most notable projects were the original IRT line of the New York City Subway, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART), the Cape Cod Canal, and the charting the course of a railway in China from Hankow (Wuhan) to Canton (Guangzhou). The firm also designed and built large water supply systems, railroads, hydro-electric dams, refrigeration warehouses, marine terminals, and conducted survey work. Through the years, the firm diversified its engineering competence and knowledge by adding partners: Eugene A. Klapp (b. 1867), chief engineer and bridge specialist; Henry M. Brinckerhoff (b. 1868), a traction engineer; Walter J. Douglas (b. 1872), structural engineer and bridge specialist; and Maurice Quade (1900-1966), structural engineer. The firm had several name changes and became known as Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas with both domestic and foreign offices. Today the company operates in the fields of strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, infrastructure and community planning. Parsons Brinckerhoff was acquired by WSP Global in 2014.
Sources
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Notes, December 1960.
Bobrick, Benson. Parsons Brinckerhoff The First 100 Years. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1985.
Petroski, Henry. "William Barclay Parsons," American Scientist, Volume 96, No. 4, July-August 2008, pp. 280-283.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Streetcars and Subways (AC0060)
Materials at Other Organizations
New York Public Library
William Barclay Parsons papers, 1880-1939
Collection consists of correspondence, lecture notes, and materials used in preparation of Parsons's book, Engineers and Engineering in the Renaissance, published in 1939. Correspondence, 1881-1900, relates to his student days at the Columbia University School of Mines, appointments to various railroads, and activity as Columbia trustee. Notes on lectures about mining at Columbia, 1880-1881, are illustrated with drawings and plates. Materials used in the preparation of Parsons's book include final typescript, proofs, illustrations, maps, notebooks, and other source materials.
Columbia University
Papers, 1899-1915
Correspondence including letters from Grover Cleveland, Gilbert Parker, and printed monographs and magazine articles. Mr. Parsons' diaries of Panama Canal years and World War I have been catalogued as book manuscripts.
Provenance:
The initial collection was donated in 1967, presumably by the firm of Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas, to the Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, National Museum of History and Technology (now the National Museum of American History).
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.45 Cubic feet (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Picture postcards
Photographs
Place:
Erie Canal (N.Y.)
Date:
1908-1912
Content Description:
Collection consists of photographs documenting the reconstruction of the Erie Canal which was later renamed the New York State Barge Canal. There are photographs of unidentified construction sites along the canal system which includes 525 miles of waterways from Lake Erie to the Hudson River with extensions to Cayuga Lake, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario and Seneca lake.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Richard W. Sickler, May 13, 1969.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
0.15 Cubic feet (1 box )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1885-1935
Summary:
Collection documents the Cox & Sons Company, builders of pipe-threading machines.
Content Description:
Collection consists mostly of photographs documenting the Cox & Sons Company, builders of pipe-threading machines.
Arrangement:
Collection is unarranged.
Provenance:
Collection purchased from Walter Grossman, 1981.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
