Engineering, Building, and Architecture - Overview
Not many museums collect houses. The National Museum of American History has four, as well as two outbuildings, 11 rooms, an elevator, many building components, and some architectural elements from the White House. Drafting manuals are supplemented by many prints of buildings and other architectural subjects. The breadth of the museum's collections adds some surprising objects to these holdings, such as fans, purses, handkerchiefs, T-shirts, and other objects bearing images of buildings.
The engineering artifacts document the history of civil and mechanical engineering in the United States. So far, the Museum has declined to collect dams, skyscrapers, and bridges, but these and other important engineering achievements are preserved through blueprints, drawings, models, photographs, sketches, paintings, technical reports, and field notes.
"Engineering, Building, and Architecture - Overview" showing 30 items.
Page 1 of 3
- No Image Available
Holton Duncan Robinson Papers, 1889-1938
- Notes
- Bridge designer, consulting engineer, and authority on bridge cable construction
- Summary
- Papers documenting the career of bridge designer and engineer Holton Duncan Robinson. The collection includes photographs, including cyanotypes, of bridges under construction; five patents; correspondence; programs; articles; and an 1889 notebook containing calculations
- Cite as
- Holton Duncan Robinson Papers, 1889-1938, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Gift of Ann Robinson Henshaw
- Date
- 1889
- 1889-1938
- 20th century
- 1900-1950
- creator
- Robinson, Holton Duncan 1863-1945
- donor
- Henshaw, Ann Robinson
- Local number
- 2007.3045 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
J. Parker Snow Collection, 1882-1933 (bulk 1930-1933)
- Notes
- Bridge engineer
- Summary
- Snow's engineering notebook, 1882; notes relating to his writings on the history of wooden bridges; drafts and manuscripts for articles he wrote on the development of wooden bridges; and correspondence, especially with engineering journals relating to efforts to get his manuscripts published
- Cite as
- J. Parker Snow Collection, 1882-1933 (bulk 1930-1933), Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1882
- 1882-1933
- bulk 1930-1933
- 20th century
- 1930-1940
- 1850-1900
- creator
- Snow, J. Parker
- collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Local number
- 2007.3098 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Robert Scofield Condon Engineering Papers, ca. 1924-1973
- Notes
- Robert S. Condon, engineer at Continental Can Co., was born in Bloomington, Ill. Graduate engineer, University of Illinois. Married Catherine Behrens, 1924 (d. 1958); they spent 15 years in Rutland, Vermont, where he was a founder of the Fibre Can Machinery Corp., later sold to the Continental Can Co. His second wife was Ilza de Souza Condon. After retirement, Condon continued consulting work; his last project was the "Marvel" pencil pointer or sharpener
- Summary
- Documents and photographs (including prints and negatives) relating to the patents, inventions, and designs of mechanical engineer Robert Scofield Condon. The bulk of the material concerns the development of his small "Marvel" pencil sharpener
- Cite as
- Robert Scofield Condon Engineering Papers, ca. 1924-1973, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1924
- 1924-1973
- ca 1924-1973
- 1920-1980
- 20th century
- author
- Condon, Robert Scofield (engineer) 1896-1973
- donor
- Condon, Robert B
- Subject
- Fibre Can Machinery Corp. Rutland (Vt.)
- Continental Can Co
- Local number
- 1991.8049 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Alexander Binder Company Records, 1910-1965 (bulk 1921-1955)
- Notes
- Clinton B. Alexander patented and sold loose-leaf binders, tape splicers and plummet adjustors for plumb bobs
- Summary
- The collection consists of samples of marketing and sales materials produced by other businesses in the 1920s and 1930s, correspondence between Alexander and his vendors and customers, sales records sorted by year, and artifacts such as binders and material samples related to the production of binders
- Cite as
- Alexander Binder Company Records, 1921-1965, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1921
- 1921-1965
- 1910-1965 bulk 1921-1955
- 20th century
- creator
- Clinton B. Alexander Binder Company Washington, D.C
- Creator
- Alexander, Clinton B
- Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Local number
- 2007.3162 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977
- Notes
- Interviews were conducted 1969-1973 in a cooperative project between the Smithsonian Institution and its Division of Mathematics and the American Federation of Information Processing Societies, with scientists, mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and businessmen who were significant in the development of the computer
- Summary
- Divided into six series: (1) Transcripts; (2) Supplemental Documentation; (3) Patents; (4) John Vincent Atanasoff Material; (5) Audio Tapes; and (6) Videotapes
- Cite as
- Computer Oral History Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1969
- 1969-1977
- 1969-1973, 1977
- 1950-2000
- creator
- American Federation of Information Processing Societies
- interviewee
- Hopper, Grace Murray (mathematician) 1906-
- Acton, Forman
- Adams, Charles
- Aiken, Howard
- Allard, Gerry
- Alrich, John
- Alt, Franz
- interviewee, with Stibitz
- Andrews, Ernest G
- interviewee
- Armer, Paul 1924- (computer technician)
- Atanasoff, John V
- Atchison, William
- Auerbach, Issac
- Bartik, Jean
- Bauer, William
- Beek, Allan
- Bernstein, Mort
- Bigelow, Julian
- Blanch, Gertrude
- Bloch, Richard M
- Bradburn, James
- Brainerd, John G
- Brown, George W
- Brown, Gordon S
- interviewee, with Byron Phelps
- Buchholz, Werner
- interviewee, with I. Bernhard Cohen
- Burns, Robert
- interviewee
- Campaigne, Howard
- Campbell, Robert V
- Canning, R.G
- Cannon, Edward
- Cass, James
- Clippinger, Richard F
- Clem, Mary
- interviewee, with Robert Burns
- Cohen, I. Bernhard
- interviewee
- Coleman, [Ichel?]
- Coombs, John
- Couret, Lynn
- Crawford, Perry O
- Curtiss, John H
- Dederick, [Louis?] S
- interviewee, with Robert Mumma
- Desch, Joseph
- interviewee, with Holbrook
- Dietzhold, Robert
- interviewee
- Dickinson, Arthur H
- Dimsdale, Bernard
- Dodd, Stephen
- Dotts, Richard D
- interviewee, with R. Farrand
- Downey, William
- interviewee
- Eckdahl, Donald
- Eckert, J. Presper (John Presper) 1919-1995
- Eddy, Robert Philip
- interviewee, with Kaufold
- Edwards, Walt
- interviewee
- Elbourn, Robert
- Elkins, Harold
- Estrin, Gerald
- Everett, Robert
- Farrand, William R
- interviewee, with Allan Beek
- Feign, David
- interviewee
- Fein, Louis
- Fenaughty, Alfred L
- Forbes, George
- Forrest, Cameron B
- Forrester, Jay W
- Frankel, Stanley
- interviewee, with Canning
- Garrison, Ken
- interviewee
- Geisler, Murray
- Gill, Stanley
- Givens, Wallace
- Glazer? T
- Goheen, Harry E
- Good, I.J
- Goteib, C.C
- Granholm, Jackson
- Greenwald, Irwin
- Greenwarld, Sidney
- Griswold, Ralph E
- Grosch, Herbert R. J
- Gruenberger, Fred
- Gunning, William
- interviewee, with Wegstein
- Hall, W
- interviewee
- Hagen, Glenn E
- Halstead, Maurice H
- Harmon, Leon
- Harvey, Samuel
- Hazen, Dean Harold
- Herget, Paul
- interviewee, with Joel Mitchell
- Herold, Henry
- interviewee, with Beek
- Hertz, Ted
- interviewee
- Holberton, Betty
- Holbrook, Bernard
- Horn, Robert J
- Horner, Joseph
- Horwitz, Bernhard R
- Householder, Alston S
- interviewee, with Harold R. Skramstad
- Howard, Bernard
- interviewee
- Hurd, Cuthbert R
- interviewee, with Mrs. Huskey
- Huskey, Harry D
- interviewee
- Israel, David R
- Juncosa, Mario
- Kates, Josef
- Kaufold, Leroy R
- Killian, James
- Kilpatrick, Lester
- King, Paul
- Kirsch, Russell
- Korn, Irving
- Kreuder, Norman L
- Lanzarotta, Sandy R
- Larson, Harry
- Legvold, Sam
- Lehmer, Derrick H
- Lovell, Clarence A
- Lowe, John
- Madden, Don R
- Marden, Ethel
- Martin, Richard R
- Mason, Daniel R
- Mauchly, John R
- McPherson, John C
- Mendelson, Jerry
- Menzel, Donald H
- Metropolis, Nicholas C
- Michel, J.G.L. R
- Miller, Frederick G
- Mills, Roger L
- interviewee, with Herold
- Mitchell, Joel
- interviewee
- Mock, Owen
- Morse, Philip B
- Morton, Paul
- Mumford, Louis
- Neisius, Vincent
- Nelson, Eldred
- interviewee, with Pollmyer
- Neovius, G
- interviewee
- Northrop, John
- Palevsky, Max
- Parker, R.D
- Patrick, Robert
- Phelps, Byron R
- Pickrell, D
- Phister, Montgomery
- Polachek, Harry
- interviewee, with Neovius
- Pollmyer, R
- interviewee
- Postley, John A. R
- Quady, Emmett
- Rabinow, Jacob 1910-
- Rajchman, Jan
- Ream, Norman
- Reed, Irving S
- Rees, Mina
- Rhodes, Ida
- Rice, Rex
- Rochester, Nathaniel
- Rogers, Jim
- Rogers, Stanley
- Rosenberg, Milton
- Rosenthal, Paul R
- Rubinoff, Morris R
- Salzer, John M
- Samuel, Arthur L. R
- Sarkissian, Harold
- Schuette, Roger
- Serrell, Robert R
- Skillman, Sherwood R
- interviewee, with Howard
- Skramstad, Harold R
- interviewee
- Slutz, Ralph R
- Smagorinsky, Joseph
- Smith, Charles V.L
- Snyder, Samuel
- Sprague, Richard E
- Steele, Floyd G. R
- interviewee, with Andrews, E.G.
- Stibitz, George
- interviewee
- Strong, Jack
- Tanaka, David
- Taylor, Norman
- Creator
- Toben, Gregory
- interviewee, with Todd-Taussky, Olga
- Todd, John
- interviewee, with John Todd
- Todd-Tausskky, Olga
- interviewee
- Tomash, Erwin
- Torfeh, Mark
- Travis, Irven
- Uncapher, Keith
- von Hippel, Arthur
- von Neumann, John
- Wagner, Frank
- Wang, An R
- Ware, Willis H
- interviewee, with Hall, W
- Wegstein, Joseph Henry
- interviewee
- Wizenbaum, Joe
- Wheeler, R.J
- Wiener, Robert
- Wieselman, Irving
- Wieser, C. Robert
- Wild, Arthur
- interviewee, interview restricted
- Wilkes, Maurice R
- interviewee
- Wilkinson, James H. R
- Williams, Charles
- Wolfe, Philip
- Woo, Way Dong
- Wood, Ben D
- Woodbury, William R
- Woodger, Michael
- Wrench, John W. R
- Youtz, Pat
- Yowell, E.C. R
- Zemanek, Heinz
- Zuse, Konrad
- collector
- Computers, Information and Society, Division of (NMAH, SI)
- interviewees
- Argonne National Laboratories R
- Creator
- Computer History Forum
- Association for Computing Machinery
- Association for Computing Machinery, 8/14/72
- TV Program KQED
- CODASYL Meeting
- COT Meeting
- Fall Joint Computer Conference, 11/17/71
- Fall Joint Computer Conference, 12/6/72
- MIT Club Talks (Brown & Wiener)
- MITRE Meeting
- SHARE XXXVIII
- SHARE Meeting for Pioneers
- SIAM/SIGNUM Meeting
- SIAM-72
- Whirlwind Discussion
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
North American Water and Power Alliance Records, 1964-1990
- Notes
- The North American Water and Power Alliance (NAWAPA) was a large-scale, transcontinental water transfer plan designed by the Ralph M. Parsons Corporation in 1964
- Summary
- The collection contains a promotional video, correspondence, reports, articles, and newsletters, among other materials, which describe NAWAPA and reveal efforts to gain federal government and private sector support for the project, in response to concerns about energy and water resources and the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer in the High Plains states
- Cite as
- North American Water and Power Alliance Records, 1964-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1964
- 1964-1990
- 20th century
- 1950-2000
- creator
- Ralph M. Parsons Corporation (Pasadena, Calif.)
- author
- North American Water and Power Alliance
- collector
- Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Local number
- 2007.3124 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Charles Adler, Jr. Collection, ca. 1920-1980
- Notes
- Adler, professional engineer and inventor, resided in Baltimore, Md., all his life. At 14 he patented an electric automotive brake. After attending Johns Hopkins University and serving briefly in the Army, he joined the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, developing safety devices. In 1928 he developed the first sound-activated (by auto horn) traffic signal. Was granted over 60 U.S. patents (of which he donated 10 to the Government), was a licensed pilot and a member of numerous professional engineers' societies. Member, Maryland State Aviation Commission, 1953-1959; served on the Maryland Traffic Safety Commission from 1952 until his death
- Summary
- Contains much biographical information on Adler and his career. Newspaper clippings, photographs and other memorabilia detail his activities. Adler's published writings include articles in periodicals and newspapers. Numerous patent applications, related correspondence and royalty receipts relate to his inventions
- Cite as
- Charles Adler, Jr. Collection, ca. 1920-1980, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1920
- 1980
- ca 1920-1980
- 20th century
- 1920-1980
- author
- Adler, Charles Jr (engineer inventor) 1899-1980
- donor
- Ascher, Amalie Adler Mrs
- Local number
- 1990.3049 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Lockwood-Greene Records, 1883-2004 (bulk 1915-1930)
- Notes
- Lockwood-Greene is one of the nation's oldest engineering firms, tracing its roots to 1832, when Rhode Island native David Whitman began a machinery repair service. In the years of the early industrial revolution in textile manufacturing, Whitman added mill design services, which began a flourishing consulting business. He traveled throughout New England advising industrialists on the placement, design and construction of factories and the layout of the complicated system of machinery they contained. Whitman died in 1858. Amos Lockwood took over the business which he relocated to Boston. Stephen Greene joined the business in 1882, and the firm's scope expanded to supplying all necessary architectural and engineering services. Greene became president upon Lockwood's death in 1884. Eventually the company designed and built the first factory operated electrically from a remote power plant, as an alternative to steam power. They continued expanding, and eventually were designing a wider variety of structures, including newspaper plants, automotive factories, convention halls and schools. In the 1960s, the company's headquarters relocated to Spartanburg, South Carolina. In 2003, CH2M Hill, a global provider of engineering, construction services, and operations services, acquired the company
- Summary
- The Lockwood-Greene Records are a comprehensive range of documents related to the appraisal, building, construction, design, evaluation, and engineering of facilities for a variety of clients. The material covers the entire period of industrialization of the United States, and, provides a thorough record of the textile industry, both in New England and the South. Some of the textile mills are documented with unusual completeness, showing water and steam power layouts, factory village plans, and landscaping schedules. A broad range of other building typologies is also covered, including projects with public or retail functions, such as early automobile showrooms, hospitals, apartments and private dwellings, churches, and schools
- Cite as
- Lockwood-Greene Records, 1883-2004 (bulk 1915-1930), Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1883
- 2004
- 1883-2004
- bulk 1915-1930
- 1890-1900
- 20th century
- 21st century
- creator
- Lockwood-Greene Company
- designer
- Lockwood, Amos
- Greene, Stephen
- creator
- Whitman, David
- collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Subject
- Greene, Stephen
- Local number
- 1997.0021 (NMAH Acc.)
- 2008.3059 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Records of Wedge Innovations, 1985-1996
- Notes
- The SmartLevel was conceived in 1985 by Andrew G. Butler, who formed Wedge Innovations in 1986 in the basement of his home in order to develop and market this level. The company developed the sensor technology and software necessary to build the WedgeLevel. The heart of this tool was an electronic sensor circuit connected to a microprocessor capable of measuring the tool's orientation
- Summary
- Collection documents the invention and development of a new hand tool, the SmartLevel, an electronic builder's level, including company management and policies. It contains design notebooks, detailed technical drawings, financial statements, correspondence, operational records, advertisements, etc
- Series 1: Corporate Records, 1985-1993, address the overall management of Wedge Innovations and documents its policies
- Series 2: Engineering Records (1985-1994) document the design and development of the SmartLevel, including design notebooks and detailed technical drawings
- Series 3: Financial Records (1986-1992): Wedge's summary financial statements
- Series 4: Marketing Records (1986-1992) document customer and dealer relations through correspondence, operational records, advertisements, photographs, and videotapes
- Series 5: Operations Records (1990-1992) document the manufacturing process and the company's offshore operations
- Series 6: Product Development Records (1987-1992) document the company's intended development of an entire "Smart Tools" line
- Series 7: Corporate Culture series (1985-1996) contains employee photographs and oral history interviews with key Wedge personnel
- Cite as
- Records of Wedge Innovations, 1985-1996, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1985
- 1985-1996
- 1980-2000
- 1950-2000
- 1970-2000
- 1990-2000
- creator
- Wedge Innovations
- interviewer
- Shayt, David H
- donor
- Butler, Andrew G
- Bayley, Brian
- Reeder, Kevin
- Fetter, Rick
- Wisnig, Ronald
- Gunderson, Ken
- Local number
- 1996.3066 (NMAH Acc.)
- 1996.3065 (NMAH Acc.)
- 1995.3072 (NMAH Acc.)
- 1995.3067 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Matthew Mawhinney Industrial Furnace Collection, 1917-1978
- Notes
- Matthew Mawhinney, an engineer specializing in industrial furnace design and operation, collected this material during his career with Salem Engineering Co. and later as a consulting engineer
- Summary
- Several engineering textbooks authored by Mawhinney as well as correspondence relating to his articles in professional journals and presentations to meetings of engineers. His correspondence with industrial companies and photographs of furnaces and other equipment are also included
- Cite as
- Matthew Mawhinney Industrial Furnace Collection, 1917-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1917
- 1917-1918
- 1917-1978
- 1930-1950
- Creator
- Mawhinney, Matthew engineer (collector)
- collector
- Engineering and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Subject
- Salem Engineering Co
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH