Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of (NMAH, SI) Search this
Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI Search this
Extent:
2.5 Cubic feet (6 boxes
)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Stereoscopic photographs
Date:
ca. 1867-ca. 1926.
Scope and Contents note:
Approximately 350 stereo cards of engineering subjects, such as bridges, tunnels, lighthouses, canals, quarries, etc., including both U.S. and foreign subjects.
Arrangement:
1 series.
Biographical/Historical note:
Former curator at the National Museum of American History.
Provenance:
Donated to the National Museum of American History's Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering by curator Robert M. Vogel in 1986. Also included in this gift were stereographs of non-engineering subjects, which were transferred to other Museum divisions.
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.
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of (NMAH, SI) Search this
Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI Search this
Extent:
20.4 Cubic feet (3 boxes, 82 folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Notebooks
Scrapbooks
Drawings
Letterpress books
Diaries
Blueprints
Account books
Place:
Upper Peninsula (Mich.)
Date:
1871-1917
Summary:
Tracings on linen of steam engines of all types, pumping, histing, air compressing, mining, material handling, power transmission, mine structures, mining machinery, and buildings by Erasmus D. Leavitt, Jr. for Calumet Heclas, Inc. of Calumet, Michigan.
Scope and Contents note:
These papers contain engineering drawings by Leavitt from the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company including tracings and blueprints of 2000 to 8000 horsepower compound hoisting engines, 1889-1917; hoisting plants, 1891-1901; shaft hoisting gear, 1887-1902; Calumet & Hecla compressor houses, 1877-1882; waterworks; and electric plants. Also included are notebooks containing engine drawings and calculations; account books, 1885; a diary; a letterpress volume of sketches and office memoranda, 1884-1890; scrapbooks.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series by drawing number. Descriptions contain a category designation beginning with a letter. For example, drawings associated with Torch Lake in Michigan are desginated as Category K. In some instances, the drawings are categorized as XY with no further description or are un-numbered.
Series 1: Drawings
A Pumping Engine No. 2
B Boiler House and Gear House
C Gearing for Pump and Man Engine
D Hoisting Engine No. 1, Hecla Mine
E Calumet Mine General
F Calumet Pond Water Works
G Hecla Mine General
H No. 4 Stamp for Calumet Mill
I Calumet & Helca Mine General
J Calumet Hoisting Gear
K Torch Lake
L Hoisting Engine "Superior"
M Miscellaneous Engine Parts
N Pumping Engine "Arcadian"
O Engine "Wabeek"
P Pumping Engine "Ontario"
Q Hoisting Engine "Frontenac"
R Engine "Erie"
S Engine "Hecla"
T Pumping Engine No. 1
U Black Hills Hoisting Gear
V Hoisting Engines "Gratiot", "Houghton" & "Seneca"
W Pumping Engines "Michigan" & "Winnipeg"
X Hoisting Engines "Minong" & "Siscowitt"
Y Hoisting Engines "Mesnard & Pontiac"
Z Hoisting Engines "Hancock" & "Pewabic"
AA Sinking Engines "Delaware" & "Iroquois"
BB Compressor Engine "Mackinac"
CC Compressor Engine "Baraga"
DD Lake Superior Water Works
EE Hoisting Engines "Marquette" & Chippewa"
FF Hoisting Engines "Minnesota" & "Escanaba" and "Illinois" & "Wisconsin"
GG Misc. City of Boston Improved Sewerage Pumping Engine
The Calumet & Hecla Company, which was formed in about 1866, was one of the largest mining operations in the Lake Superior region of upper Michigan. Over 3 billion pounds of copper were removed from its extensive mines by the time operations ceased in 1939. To facilitate the work in both the mines and smelting plants, the company installed some the largest steam engines ever built. The aggregate amounted to over 55,000 horsepower.
Noted 19th century steam engineer Erasmus Darwin Leavitt was hired to design the series of huge multi-cylinder engines. Each had sufficient power to support several operations at one time. While an engine drove one of the hoists, it might also power pumping, conveying, and air compressing machinery. At the peak of operations there were at least 50 steam engines of all sizes providing power to Calumet & Hecla. Falling copper prices during the 1920s and the economic depression of the 1930s ultimately forced the mines to close. The engines were of no further use and their countless tons of cast iron and steel ended up in the scrap drives of World War II.
The collection came to the Smithsonian in 1960 from Calumet & Hecla, Inc. In the course of a reorganization in 1952 mining had been dropped from the company name as the emphasis was on chemicals, foundry work, and forest products. Its remaining mining activites in other areas of Michigan were phased out during the 1960s and in 1968 C&H merged with Universal Oil Prodcuts, Inc. Late in 1970 UOP scrapped what was left of the C&H physical plant and its remaining assests were auctioned off.
Related Materials:
Materials at Other Organizations
Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper COuntry Hihstorical Collections
Calumet and Hecla Mining Company Collection
Provenance:
Collection materials donated by Calumet and Hecla, Inc. in 1960 and by Thomas E. P. Rice, 1977.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The collection is open for research use. One film is tored at an off-site facility 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. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for commercial use. All duplication requests must be reviewed and approved by Archives Center staff.
Collection Citation:
Lockwood Greene Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Sponsor:
Preservation of this collection was made possible in part by a generous gift from CH2M HILL.
History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI Search this
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of (NMAH, SI) Search this
Collection Creator:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Search this
Container:
Box 8, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1915
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Records Collection, 1905-ca. 1970s, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI Search this
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of (NMAH, SI) Search this
Collection Creator:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Search this
Container:
Box 8, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1915
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Records Collection, 1905-ca. 1970s, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
#25, Filler Plant and Waterworks System of Louisville Water Company
Collection Collector:
History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI Search this
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of (NMAH, SI) Search this
Collection Creator:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1907
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas Records Collection, 1905-ca. 1970s, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Engineering and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI. Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1835-1840
Scope and Contents:
Notes, drawings, data on railroad installations and operations, and waterworks
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Engineering Notebook Collection, 1835-1930, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
