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 52 items.
Page 1 of 6
- 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
Cummings Structural Concrete Company Records, 1884-1952
- Notes
- Robert A. Cummings (1866-1937) was a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania consulting civil engineer and an early advocate of reinforced concrete construction
- Summary
- Correspondence and business records documenting Cummings's firm, consulting work, and participation in professional associations, especially the American Society of Civil Engineers, 1892-1893, circa 1900-1939; technical data and publications on soils testing, 1900-1939; and drawings, blueprints, and photographs and glass negatives of construction projects
- Cite as
- Cummings Structural Concrete Company Records, 1884-1952, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1884
- 1884-1952
- 1900-1950
- Creator
- Cummings Structural Concrete Company
- author
- Cummings, Robert A. 1866-1962
- collector
- Engineering and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Subject
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- 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
Division of Transportation: Railroads' Engineering Data, 1912-1949
- Summary
- Includes statistics on electric train operation, drawings, blueprints, technical papers, train classifications, research and development reports, business and financial correspondence (1933, 1939-48, 1940-41), installation and operation instructions, locomotive system test procedures, locomotive operations data and calculations, records of locomotive mileages and part failures, suggested locomotive improvements, locomotive specifications, plans for fire extinguishing systems, tonnage ratings, etc
- Railroads represented are the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, Piedmont and Northern Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, Takata and Company Railroad, Philadelphia and Western Railroad, Sorocabana Railway, and Erie Railroad Company
- Cite as
- Division of Transportation: Railroads' Engineering Data, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1912
- 1912-1949
- 1930-1950
- collector
- Hamily, David
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Subject
- New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad
- Piedmont and Northern Railroad
- Pennsylvania Railroad
- Takata and Company Railroad
- Philadelphia and Western Railroad
- Sorocabana Railway
- Erie Railroad Company
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Chicago Surface Lines Drawings, 1880-1948
- Notes
- The street railway system began in Chicago around 1858 with horse-powered cars. In 1880 cable cars began replacing this slow and expensive method, and in the late 1880s new companies sprang up using the new electric "trolleys". The older companies soon followed. The 1890s and early 1900s saw the consolidation and reorganization of the numerous companies until the Unification Ordinance of 1913, which stipulated that all would come under the management of a single company, the Chicago Surface Lines (CSL). The CSL became the largest street railway system in the world
- Summary
- Blueprints and tracings of the Chicago surface railway system,1886-1926. The 15 blueprints are from the Chicago City Railway Company and the West Chicago Street Railroad Company (1891). The 192 tracings include plans of cars for Chicago Railway (1904-1916), Lake Street Elevated Railroad (1895), and the Chicago City Railway (1908-9). Plans of switches, track layouts, power stations, and other railroad structures for a number of companies, most being for the West Chicago Street Railroad Company (1888-1892). Also a single drawing from the Pennsylvania & West Virginia Railway, 1948
- Cite as
- Chicago Surface Lines Drawings, 1880-1948, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1880
- 1880-1948
- creator
- Chicago Surface Lines
- collector
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI
- creator
- West Chicago Street Railroad Company
- donor
- Chicago Transit Authority
- creator
- Chicago City Railway Company
- Pennsylvania & West Virginia Railway
- Subject
- Chicago Board of Traction Supervising Engineers
- Chicago Consolidated Traction Company
- Chicago Railways Company
- Chicago Union Traction Company
- D.T. Steelwork Company
- Garden City Construction Company
- Gilbert Car Manufacturing Company
- Lake Street Elevated Railroad (Chicago, Ill.)
- North Chicago Street Railroad Company
- United States Construction Company
- 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