Natural Resources

Lithograph of

The natural resources collections offer centuries of evidence about how Americans have used the bounty of the American continent and coastal waters. Artifacts related to flood control, dam construction, and irrigation illustrate the nation's attempts to manage the natural world. Oil-drilling, iron-mining, and steel-making artifacts show the connection between natural resources and industrial strength.

Forestry is represented by saws, axes, a smokejumper's suit, and many other objects. Hooks, nets, and other gear from New England fisheries of the late 1800s are among the fishing artifacts, as well as more recent acquisitions from the Pacific Northwest and Chesapeake Bay. Whaling artifacts include harpoons, lances, scrimshaw etchings in whalebone, and several paintings of a whaler's work at sea. The modern environmental movement has contributed buttons and other protest artifacts on issues from scenic rivers to biodiversity.

Topic: Mining Lamps

Miner's Safety Lamp

This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The "safety" mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters.
Description (Brief)
This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The "safety" mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters. Encasing the flame in glass or metal gauze prevented combustible mine gases (called firedamp) from exploding, as would happen with the open flames of carbide or oil-wick lamps. One problem with glass in safety lamps was the glass cracking, which occurred in this lamp.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MI-1003
catalog number
MHI-MI-1003
accession number
136485

Miner's Cap Lamp

This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the latter half of the 19th century. This is a metal cap lamp with an oval shield between the lamp and the spout.
Description (Brief)
This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the latter half of the 19th century. This is a metal cap lamp with an oval shield between the lamp and the spout. The oval shield was a reflector for the flame, as well as protection for the hat. Interestingly, the reflector is an addition usually not seen until the advent of carbide lamps in the early 20th century.
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7724
catalog number
MHI-MN-7724
accession number
235036

Miner’s Safety Lamp

Ackroyd & Best Ltd. of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania made this Hailwood Improved Lamp in the early 20th century. This safety lamp has a glass enclosure around the flame, interior wire gauze, and exterior bonnet.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Ackroyd & Best Ltd. of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania made this Hailwood Improved Lamp in the early 20th century. This safety lamp has a glass enclosure around the flame, interior wire gauze, and exterior bonnet.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8767
catalog number
MHI-MN-8767
accession number
265669

Miner’s Safety Lamp

The Koehler Manufacturing Company produced this safety lamp during the 20th century.
Description (Brief)
The Koehler Manufacturing Company produced this safety lamp during the 20th century. This lamp employs glass enclosure to protect the flame from extinguishing, wire gauze in the top-interior to keep the flame from escaping, and a metal bonnet exterior that serves both purposes.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8910
accession number
257812
catalog number
MHI-MN-8910

Miner’s Safety Lamp

This Clanny style safety lamp was manufactured by an unknown maker in the latter half of the 19th century. The “safety” mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters.
Description (Brief)
This Clanny style safety lamp was manufactured by an unknown maker in the latter half of the 19th century. The “safety” mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters. The glass prevented the flame from being extinguished, and encasing the flame in metal gauze prevented the flame from escaping the lamp and igniting the combustible gases (called firedamp) in the mine.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9454
catalog number
MHI-MN-9454
accession number
280476

Miner’s Cap Lamp

This oil-wick mining lamp was made by an unknown maker and would have been in use from around 1850-1920. It has as double spout, indicating that it burned "Sunshine" fuel, a mixture of paraffin wax and 3% mineral oil produced by the Standard Oil Company.
Description (Brief)
This oil-wick mining lamp was made by an unknown maker and would have been in use from around 1850-1920. It has as double spout, indicating that it burned "Sunshine" fuel, a mixture of paraffin wax and 3% mineral oil produced by the Standard Oil Company. Called a "Sunshine Lamp," the outer spout served to insulate the wick in the inner spout, thereby conducting enough heat to melt the wax in the Sunshine fuel. This kind of lamp hooked onto a miner’s cap, and produced an open flame.
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8777B
accession number
265669
catalog number
MHI-MN-8777B

Miner's Safety lamp

This Davy lamp was made by J.W. Queen & Company of Philadelphia in the late 19th century. Sir Humphry Davy developed one of many safety lamp designs.
Description (Brief)
This Davy lamp was made by J.W. Queen & Company of Philadelphia in the late 19th century. Sir Humphry Davy developed one of many safety lamp designs. He discovered that if the holes in the metallic gauze enveloping the flame had a depth greater than a diameter, the flame would not pass through. This prevented the combustible gases (called firedamp) from exploding, as would happen with the open flames earlier oil-wick cap lamps.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.059272
catalog number
59272
accession number
15369

Miner's Safety Lamp

This lamp is Hailwood's Improved Safety lamp, manufactured in the early 20th century by Acroyd & Best Ltd., in Pittsburgh, PA. The company later became Hailwood and Ackroyd Ltd.
Description (Brief)
This lamp is Hailwood's Improved Safety lamp, manufactured in the early 20th century by Acroyd & Best Ltd., in Pittsburgh, PA. The company later became Hailwood and Ackroyd Ltd. This lamp employs a metal bonnet with holes in the top, indicating that it was used to test for gas.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7855
catalog number
MHI-MN-7855
accession number
240639

Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp Patent Model

This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by Josiah J. Weinel of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, that received patent number 188,703 on March 20, 1877.
Description (Brief)
This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by Josiah J. Weinel of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, that received patent number 188,703 on March 20, 1877. Weinel claimed as his invention “a miner's lamp with an inner spout that has a thread for securing itself in the spout, with perforations for supplying air to the burner and returning oil to the font.”
Location
Currently not on view
patent date
1877-03-20
patentee
Weinel, Josiah J.
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9749
accession number
088881
catalog number
MHI-MN-9749
patent number
188705

Miner’s Cap Lamp

This oil-wick cap lamp was made by the Grier Brothers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the second half of the 19th century. It has as double spout, indicating that it burned "Sunshine" fuel, a mixture of paraffin wax and 3% mineral oil produced by the Standard Oil Company.
Description (Brief)
This oil-wick cap lamp was made by the Grier Brothers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the second half of the 19th century. It has as double spout, indicating that it burned "Sunshine" fuel, a mixture of paraffin wax and 3% mineral oil produced by the Standard Oil Company. Called a "Sunshine Lamp," the outer spout served to insulate the wick in the inner spout, thereby conducting enough heat to melt the wax in the Sunshine fuel. This kind of lamp hooked onto a miner’s cap, and produced an open flame.
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9573D
catalog number
MHI-MN-9573D
accession number
282791

Miner’s Electric Cap Lamp

The Koehler Manufacturing Company produced this battery-powered cap lamp during the first half of the 20th century.
Description (Brief)
The Koehler Manufacturing Company produced this battery-powered cap lamp during the first half of the 20th century. Inventor Grant Wheat designed this lamp, leading to this type of lamp being called a “Wheat Lamp.” The battery is encased in a self-locking black plastic case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord traveled from the battery to the lamp, which was worn on a mining cap. The red case reads “Wheat/Koehler MFG. CO.”
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8954
accession number
260128
catalog number
MHI-MN-8954

Miner's Safety Lamp

This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The safety mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters.
Description (Brief)
This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The safety mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters. Encasing the flame in glass or metal gauze prevented combustible mine gases (called firedamp) from exploding, as would happen with the open flames of carbide or oil-wick lamps.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7869
catalog number
MHI-MN-7869
accession number
240639

Miner’s Safety Lamp

This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The "safety" mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters.
Description (Brief)
This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design, it was most likely made in the late 19th century. The "safety" mining lamp was a tremendous step forward in preventing mining disasters. Encasing the flame in glass or metal gauze prevented combustible mine gases (called firedamp) from exploding, as would happen with the open flames of carbide or oil-wick lamps. Further innovations included glass around the flame and a metal bonnet.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9763
accession number
304880
catalog number
MHI-MN-9763

Miner's Cap Lamp

This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout.
Description (Brief)
This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8777C
accession number
265669
catalog number
MHI-MN-8777C

Miner’s Safety Lamp

This is a safety lamp manufactured by the Friemann and Wolf Company of Zwickau, Germany in the late 19th century. The Friemann and Wolf Company was a prominent lamp manufacturer that exported their lamps to the U.S.
Description (Brief)
This is a safety lamp manufactured by the Friemann and Wolf Company of Zwickau, Germany in the late 19th century. The Friemann and Wolf Company was a prominent lamp manufacturer that exported their lamps to the U.S. until World War I, when buying German products became unpopular. This lamp is one of the most popular Wolf designs, employing a glass enclosure, wire gauze on the top-interior, and a metal bonnet exterior to protect the flame.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9756B
accession number
304880
catalog number
MHI-MN-9756B

Miner's Electric Cap Lamp

First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp was powered by a battery enclosed in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord, protected by a steel cover at both ends, connected the battery to the cap lamp.
Description (Brief)
First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp was powered by a battery enclosed in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord, protected by a steel cover at both ends, connected the battery to the cap lamp. The battery could power the six-candlepower lamps for 12 hours and was recharged at the end of a miner’s shift.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7872
accession number
240639
catalog number
MHI-MN-7872

Miner's Electric Cap Lamp

First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp was powered by a battery enclosed in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord, protected by a steel cover at both ends, connected the battery to the cap lamp.
Description (Brief)
First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp was powered by a battery enclosed in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord, protected by a steel cover at both ends, connected the battery to the cap lamp. The battery could power the six-candlepower lamps for 12 hours and was recharged at the end of a miner’s shift.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7873
catalog number
MHI-MN-7873
accession number
240639

Miner's Electric Cap Lamp

First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp consisted of a battery encased in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord traveled to the cap lamp, and was protected by a flexible steel cover on its entrance into both the battery and lamp.
Description (Brief)
First manufactured in 1912, the Edison Safety Mining Lamp consisted of a battery encased in a self-locking steel case worn on the miner’s belt. A flexible cord traveled to the cap lamp, and was protected by a flexible steel cover on its entrance into both the battery and lamp. The battery could power the six candlepower lamp for 12 hours and was recharged at the end of a miner’s shift. This lamp has a Model "E" battery with a Model "F" head.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8036
accession number
236603
catalog number
MHI-MN-8036

Miner’s Safety Lamp

Mathieu Louis-Mueseler of Liege, Belgium manufactured this safety lamp around 1864-1904. The lamp was approved for use in Belgian mines, and was an improvement on the Clanny-style lamp due its improved ventilation leading to a brighter flame and less chance of combustion.
Description (Brief)
Mathieu Louis-Mueseler of Liege, Belgium manufactured this safety lamp around 1864-1904. The lamp was approved for use in Belgian mines, and was an improvement on the Clanny-style lamp due its improved ventilation leading to a brighter flame and less chance of combustion. The lamp features a glass enclosure for the flame and metal gauze at the top.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-8824A
catalog number
MHI-MN-8824A
accession number
258906

Miner's Carbide Lamp

This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company of Chicago, Illinois, around 1920. This brand was among the most popular and dependable mining lamps of the early 20th century. After acquiring Shanklin Mfg. Co.
Description (Brief)
This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company of Chicago, Illinois, around 1920. This brand was among the most popular and dependable mining lamps of the early 20th century. After acquiring Shanklin Mfg. Co. and its "Guy's Dropper" brand, the Universal Lamp Company produced two of the three largest lighting brands to survive past World War II.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-7935
catalog number
MHI-MN-7935
accession number
240639

Miner’s Carbide Lamp

This lamp was manufactured by the Justrite Manufacturing Company, in Chicago, Illinois in the first half of the 20th century. Acetylene gas is produced when water from the lamp's upper level encounters the calcium carbide stored in the base via a dripping mechanism.
Description (Brief)
This lamp was manufactured by the Justrite Manufacturing Company, in Chicago, Illinois in the first half of the 20th century. Acetylene gas is produced when water from the lamp's upper level encounters the calcium carbide stored in the base via a dripping mechanism. The amount of water flowing into the calcium carbide container can be controlled, with more water producing more gas and a bigger flame when the lamp is lit.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9546A
catalog number
MHI-MN-9546A
accession number
280476

Miner's Carbide Lamp

This is a carbide mining lamp manufactured by the Friemann and Wolf Company, of Zwickau, Germany around 1910. The Friemann and Wolf Company was a prominent lamp manufacturer that exported lamps to the U.S. until World War I, when buying German items became unpopular.
Description (Brief)
This is a carbide mining lamp manufactured by the Friemann and Wolf Company, of Zwickau, Germany around 1910. The Friemann and Wolf Company was a prominent lamp manufacturer that exported lamps to the U.S. until World War I, when buying German items became unpopular. Worn on a miner's cap, the reflector behind the flame cast a wide range of light, improving the miner’s peripheral vision.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.062401
catalog number
062401
accession number
239748

Miner's Carbide Lamp

This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company of Chicago, Illinois, around 1920. This brand was among the most popular and dependable mining lamps of the early 20th century. After acquiring Shanklin Mfg. Co.
Description (Brief)
This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company of Chicago, Illinois, around 1920. This brand was among the most popular and dependable mining lamps of the early 20th century. After acquiring Shanklin Mfg. Co. and its "Guy's Dropper" brand, the Universal Lamp Company produced two of the three largest lighting brands to survive past World War II.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MI-1074
catalog number
MHI-MI-1074
accession number
310664

Miner’s Safety Lamp

This safety lamp was manufactured by the Everhart Brass Works of Scranton, Pennsylvania in the latter half of the 19th century. This Clanny style safety lamp employs a glass globe surrounding the wick to protect the flame and a wire gauze above to prevent combustion.
Description (Brief)
This safety lamp was manufactured by the Everhart Brass Works of Scranton, Pennsylvania in the latter half of the 19th century. This Clanny style safety lamp employs a glass globe surrounding the wick to protect the flame and a wire gauze above to prevent combustion. Safety lamps were invented in the early 19th century, and are used to this day for gas detection, even as mine lighting has been replaced by electric lights.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.MHI-MN-9407
catalog number
MHI-MN-9407
accession number
271425

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