Transportation

Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.

In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.

In 1940, the American Bantam Car Company of Butler, Pennsylvania constructed 62 quarter-ton, four-wheel-drive trucks. This is one of the prototypes of the famous army vehicle known as the Jeep.
Description
In 1940, the American Bantam Car Company of Butler, Pennsylvania constructed 62 quarter-ton, four-wheel-drive trucks. This is one of the prototypes of the famous army vehicle known as the Jeep. During World War II, when the army was looking for a vehicle to replace the motorcycle as a mechanized form of transportation, it came up with the Jeep. Willys-Overland Motors, the Ford Motor Company, and the Bantam firm produced jeeps in large numbers. According to one newspaper account, about 660,000 were made. Jeeps were incredibly important to the war effort and became for many a symbol of American ingenuity. The museum's Bantam, bearing serial number 1007, was number 7 of the 62. It was delivered to the Army on November 29, 1940, and transferred to the museum in 1944.
Location
Currently on loan
date made
1940
maker
American Bantam Car Company
ID Number
TR.312822
catalog number
312822
accession number
167398
At the dawn of the twentieth century, many people believed that the automobile offered great potential as a practical means of transportation. Once expensive toys, automobiles were becoming faster and more powerful, but several obstacles hindered their widespread use.
Description
At the dawn of the twentieth century, many people believed that the automobile offered great potential as a practical means of transportation. Once expensive toys, automobiles were becoming faster and more powerful, but several obstacles hindered their widespread use. One of the most visible barriers was the extreme difficulty of driving long distances, particularly in the West with its rugged terrain and lack of improved roads. After two attempts by other motorists, H. Nelson Jackson, a physician from Burlington, Vermont, broke the cross-country barrier through sheer determination and perseverance. In the spring and summer of 1903, Jackson and his mechanic, Sewall Crocker, drove this 1903 Winton touring car from San Francisco to New York City. The trip took 64 days, including numerous delays while the two men waited for parts or paused to hoist the Winton up and over a gully. Their achievement changed the way Americans thought about long-distance automobile travel. It now seemed possible -- even desirable -- to move about the country in cars instead of trains. The pioneering 1903 trip inspired two rival teams of motorists, turning the much-publicized journey into a race. Within ten years there were plans for a coast-to-coast highway. By the late 1910s and early 1920s, hordes of vacationing autocampers with touring cars and tents ushered in the era of transcontinental motoring.
date made
1903
contributor
Firestone, Jr., Harvey S.
user
Crocker, Sewall K.
maker
Winton Engine Company
ID Number
TR.312831.01
catalog number
312831
accession number
167685
This gasoline-powered tricycle was built by Louis S. Clarke in 1897. The vehicle is a conventional tricycle equipped with a one- cylinder, air-cooled engine that drives the rear wheels.
Description
This gasoline-powered tricycle was built by Louis S. Clarke in 1897. The vehicle is a conventional tricycle equipped with a one- cylinder, air-cooled engine that drives the rear wheels. The frame consists of standard bicycle parts with additional custom parts designed and fabricated by Clarke. In 1897 Clarke founded the Pittsburg Motor Vehicle Company in Pittsburgh, Pa., and served as president and engineer. The next year the company built its first 4-wheel automobile. In 1899 Clarke changed the company’s name to the Autocar Company, a brand that survives today. This tricycle is often called “Autocar No. 1” due to this history.
The one-cylinder engine has a mechanically operated exhaust valve and an automatic intake valve. On its crankshaft extension is a gear that meshes directly with the ring gear of the differential. No gear changes are provided. A single lever operates both the clutch (located on the crankshaft extension between the engine and the driving gear) and a band brake on the drum of the clutch. There is no throttle, but the engine speed can be varied by means of a spark-advance lever, and there is a fuel-flow regulator on the exhaust-heated, gasoline vaporizer. The main exhaust pipe leads into a small muffler. The gasoline tank is in the frame beneath the saddle, and the batteries and high-tension coil are in a box farther forward in the frame. Bicycle pedals, with the usual sprockets and chain, enable the rider to start the engine and, in event of a breakdown, to propel the vehicle. An overrunning clutch is built into this gearing so that the pedals are not driven by the engine while the tricycle is in motion.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1897
maker
Clarke, Louis S.
ID Number
TR.313142
catalog number
313142
accession number
175802
This tinted lithograph of “Mission and Plain of San Fernando” was originally drawn by an expedition artist Charles Koppel (fl. 1853-1865). It was printed as Plate VI following page 74 in the "Geological Report by W. P.
Description (Brief)
This tinted lithograph of “Mission and Plain of San Fernando” was originally drawn by an expedition artist Charles Koppel (fl. 1853-1865). It was printed as Plate VI following page 74 in the "Geological Report by W. P. Blake (1826-1910), Geologist and Minerologist to the Expedition," as part of Volume V, Part II of the "Report of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson (1825-1882), Corps of Topographical Engineers, Upon the Routes in California to Connect with the Routes Near the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-second Parallels" by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson ... in 1853."
The volume was printed as part of the "Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" in 1856 by A. P. O. Nicholson (1808-1876) in Washington, D.C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1856
publisher
U.S. War Department
printer
Tucker, Beverley
author
Williamson, Robert Stockton
Blake, William Phipps
original artist
Koppel, Charles
graphic artist
unknown
publisher
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
ID Number
GA.10729.38
accession number
62261
This tinted lithograph of “Mirage on the Colorado River” was prepared after an original sketch by ah expedition geologist and artist William P. Blake (1826-1910). It was printed as Plate XII in Volume V, Part II following page 250 in the "Geological Report by W. P.
Description
This tinted lithograph of “Mirage on the Colorado River” was prepared after an original sketch by ah expedition geologist and artist William P. Blake (1826-1910). It was printed as Plate XII in Volume V, Part II following page 250 in the "Geological Report by W. P. Blake, Geologist and Minerologist to the Expedition," as part of Volume V, Part II of the “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853."
The volume was printed as part of the "Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" in 1856 by A. P. O. Nicholson (1808-1876) of Washington, D.C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1856
publisher
U.S. War Department
printer
Tucker, Beverley
expedition leader
Williamson, Robert Stockton
author
Blake, William Phipps
original artist
Blake, William Phipps
graphic artist
unknown
publisher
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
ID Number
GA.10729.32
accession number
62261
This tinted lithograph of “Great Basin from the Summit of Tejon Pass” was produced after an original sketch by expedition artist Charles Koppel (fl. 1853-1865). It was printed as Plate V in Volume V, Part II following page 50 in the "Geological Report by W. P.
Description (Brief)
This tinted lithograph of “Great Basin from the Summit of Tejon Pass” was produced after an original sketch by expedition artist Charles Koppel (fl. 1853-1865). It was printed as Plate V in Volume V, Part II following page 50 in the "Geological Report by W. P. Blake, Geologist and Minerologist to the Expedition," as part of the “Routes in California, to Connect with the Routes near the Thirty–Fifth and Thirty–Second Parallels, Explored by Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers, in 1853."
The volume was printed as part of the "Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" in 1856 by A. P. O. Nicholson (1808-1876) of Washington, D.C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1856
publisher
U.S. War Department
printer
Tucker, Beverley
author
Williamson, Robert Stockton
original artist
Koppel, Charles
Koppel, Charles
graphic artist
unknown
publisher
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
original artist
Koppel, Charles
ID Number
GA.10729.33
accession number
62261
The Homer P. Snyder Manufacturing Company of Little Falls, New York expanded its product line from knitting mill machinery to bicycles in 1898 during the safety bicycle craze. The company remained a leading manufacturer of bicycles in the early twentieth century.
Description
The Homer P. Snyder Manufacturing Company of Little Falls, New York expanded its product line from knitting mill machinery to bicycles in 1898 during the safety bicycle craze. The company remained a leading manufacturer of bicycles in the early twentieth century. Motorcycles offered an appealing transition from bicycles to motorized personal mobility; Schwinn, one of the largest bicycle manufacturers, acquired Excelsior motorcycles in 1911 and Henderson motorcycles in 1917 to exploit the demand. In the late teens and twenties, some manufacturers even designed bicycles that resembled motorcycles to appeal to boys. This 1927 Snyder bike resembles a contemporary motorcycle; it has a tool box shaped like a gasoline tank, an electric headlight with battery compartment, and a luggage rack. Making bicycles look like motor vehicles became a long-lasting trend. From the 1930s to the 1960s, headlights and imitation gasoline tanks on some bicycles had shapes that suggested streamlined automobiles or airplanes, exciting the imagination of children.
date made
1927
maker
Homer P. Snyder Mfg. Co., Inc.
ID Number
TR.309382.01
catalog number
309382
accession number
99530
The ocean liner Leviathan was built as the Vaterland for Germany's Hamburg-American Line in 1914. This model was likely built around then. During World War I the American government seized the ship and operated it as a troopship.
Description
The ocean liner Leviathan was built as the Vaterland for Germany's Hamburg-American Line in 1914. This model was likely built around then. During World War I the American government seized the ship and operated it as a troopship. After a complete reconditioning at Newport News, Virginia in 1922-23, the Leviathan became the flagship of the new United States Lines, which operated it for the U.S. Shipping Board until 1929. Subsequently sold into private hands, the ship ran until 1934. Laid up as a result of high operating costs and low Depression-era patronage, the Leviathan was sold to Scottish shipbreakers in 1938 and dismantled. This model came to the Smithsonian from the New York City offices of the United States Lines in 1952.
date made
ca 1914
used date
1914-1938
ID Number
TR.314250
catalog number
314250
accession number
196508
Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm.
Description
Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm. Pickup trucks have been versatile aids to a wide range of agricultural, personal, and business activities. Early pickup trucks were modified automobiles, but postwar models were larger, more powerful, and able to carry heavier loads. Some postwar pickups were used in building suburban communities. Others were used for recreational purposes such as camping, hunting, and fishing. By the 1990s, many people purchased pickups for everyday driving.
date made
1949
maker
General Motors Corporation
ID Number
1999.0057.01
accession number
1999.0057
catalog number
1999.0057.01
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Barnard & Gibson, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
Manassas, the junction of the Orange and Alexandria and Manassas Gap Railroads, twenty-seven miles from Alexandria, strikes the attention of the visitor at once by its remarkable strength as a military position. High table land, flanked by dense woods, and bounded on all sides by deep, treacherous streams, or precipitous bluffs, no better place could have been selected by the Confederates for a permanent camp from which to harrass an enemy or repel attack, To this point the Southern levies were hastened immediately after the fall of Sumter, and the village of half a dozen houses soon became the centre of a vast came, which, though nearly overwhelmed by the attack of July 21, 1861, remained increasing in strength until March, 1862, when the movements of General McClellan compelled its abandonment. The scene of devastation after the evacuation was terrible.
Of the pleasant village only tottering chimneys were left, surrounded by blackened ruins, and the debris of half-burned cars and storehouses. The forts were dismantled, broken wagons were strewn over the fields, and quartermaster and commissary stores smoked in all directions, presenting one wide area of desolation, but a small portion of which can be represented in a single photograph.
Such material as had not been wholly destroyed by the fire was speedily removed by the Government. Federal camps were established, and with the return of spring much of that which disfigured the landscape utterly disappeared. The view of the adjacent country from this point is very fine, and the historic fields of Bull Run, Gainesville, and Groveton, within a few minutes drive, will forever attract the tourist to this spot.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1862-03
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0334.10
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0334.10
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Timothy H.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
This wagon park represents the transportation of all that portion of the Quartermaster's Department, which included the various field repair shops, carpenters, saddlers, harness-makers, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, wagon builders, and the like, belonging to the Army of the Potomac. When in full operation it was a very extensive establishment, and one of much importance to the army. Thousands of mules and horses were here shod every month, and almost an equal number of disabled wagons, ambulances, &c., repaired, the rough usage to which the trains were subjected breaking down even the strongest-built army wagons. In addition to the repairs done here, there were made tables, seats, and desks, for office furniture, required by the various departments in camp. Indeed, it would be difficult to say what the Quartermaster might not have to construct or mend at a moment's notice. Sometimes Col. Pierce, the officer in charge, would find a whole division of cavalry upon his hands, in the most unexpected manner; just in from a raid or a fight, their own proper depot out of reach, and all in want of shoes to their horses and repairs to their equipments. Then there were lively times at the repair shops; harness-sewers working to distraction, and blacksmiths punishing their anvils day and night, while the cry was "still they come." At other times, while the summer campaigns were in progress, there would be little to do but keep the mules harnessed for a start, and lounge upon the ground, or around the sutler's wagon.
This train numbered about two hundred and forty wagons – no trifling command to move with precision and safety over a country almost destitute of paved roads; but when compared with the entire transportation of the army, it was a small matter. For the carriage of ordnance, commissary and quartermaster stores, the baggage of the troops, and for transporting the sick and wounded, nearly six thousand wagons and ambulances had to be put in motion, requiring at least sixty miles of road to string out upon. Moving upon dirt roads, generally cut up by the wheels of over three hundred guns, the same number of caissons, the accompanying forges and battery wagons, and a pontoon train or two – the labor required by the draught animals was excessive. As for the swearing done by the teamsters, no words can describe its amount, nor can any memory do justice to its variety and originality. But for these immense trains, and their cumbrous movements, many a battle would have remained unfought, an engagement sometimes being absolutely necessary for their preservation. One of these was the battle of Bristow Station, where the rebel army made a flank attack upon the Second Corps, hoping, by a vigorous assault, to drive our men, and cripple the army by destroying its train, moving under cover of the column of infantry.
When collected in one encampment, the sight of the vast parks of wagons was very imposing. On one occasion, two days before the battle of Bristow, almost the entire transportation of the army was accumulated in the vicinity of Bealton, covering the fields in all directions as far as the eye could reach with white covers, all stamped, with the badge of their respective corps, division and brigade.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1863-05
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0283.14
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0283.14
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Timothy H.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
The South Side Railway, between Petersburg and Lynchburg, crosses the Appomattox river and its broad valley, by what is now well known as High Bridge. With one exception, it is the highest structure of the kind on this continent, being one hundred and twenty-eight feet above the level of the river, and two thousand four hundred feet in length.
On the morning of the 7th of April, 1865, the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac, in pursuit of the enemy, came up with them at this point. The Confederates endeavored not only to burn the railroad bridge, but also the common road bridge, which crosses the river a short distance below. The latter was fortunately saved, and but three spans of the former were burned. The picture shows that this damage has since been repaired by the substitution of, a trestle bridge along the sections destroyed. Owing to the great height of the piers, and the haste with which the bridge was repaired, it is now rather insecure, rendering it necessary for the trains to pass over at a very slow rate of speed. At high water the river covered the whole of the flats, and extended above the stone base of the piers.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0283.48
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0283.48
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Alexander Gardner, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.The principal object in this picture is the ruin of what was once one of the finest flour mills of the country.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Alexander Gardner, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
The principal object in this picture is the ruin of what was once one of the finest flour mills of the country. Haxall's Mill had a floor surface of eight acres, and a water-power that never failed. The great preservative qualities of the flour made here procured for it an extended reputation, and rendered it very desirable in the navy, as on shipboard it would keep a couple of years unchanged. On this account large quantities were purchased for the British navy. During the war the mill was kept busy by the rebel government, supplying the wants of the army, and when Richmond was evacuated, fell a prey to the fire, which, in its progress, burned over thirty squares of the business part of the city, consuming many of the public buildings. Crenshaw's Mill on the left of the canal, escaped the torch of the incendiary, and owing to a favorable wind was preserved, as were also the wooden shops on the right.
The canal was of much value in bringing supplies to the Confederate capital, thus relieving the overworked railroads. From its position it was very difficult to permanently injure it. Wyndham reached it during Stoneman's raid in 1863, but for want of powder to blowup the aqueduct, did only temporary damage. Sheridan in the spring of 1864, again destroyed a portion of it, which was not repaired until after the surrender of Lee.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1865-04
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0283.42
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0283.42
The stiff wood and metal frame of velocipedes resulted in a rough ride, garnering them the “boneshaker” moniker. Propelled by pedals attached to the front axle, velocipedes were the historical antecedent to the high-wheeler and safety bicycle later in 19th century.
Description
The stiff wood and metal frame of velocipedes resulted in a rough ride, garnering them the “boneshaker” moniker. Propelled by pedals attached to the front axle, velocipedes were the historical antecedent to the high-wheeler and safety bicycle later in 19th century. This velocipede bears a brass plate that reads "J. Shire, Patent Reallowed May 10, 1879, Detroit, Mich." The plate is somewhat curious as the only patent granted to John Shire was patent number 216,231 which he applied for on May 6, 1879 and was granted June 3, 1879. Shire’s patent was an “improvement in velocipedes” that mainly related to an adjustable hammock-seat on the cycle.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1879
ID Number
TR.248087
accession number
47898
catalog number
TR.248087
This model was built for its inventors (two brothers from Montana) by a Chicago firm, run by J. T. H. Paterson, Proprietor. Raw materials were loaded into one side and mixed concrete unloaded on the other.Regal Model and Tool Works (122 S. Clarke Street, Chicago, Illinois, J. T.
Description
This model was built for its inventors (two brothers from Montana) by a Chicago firm, run by J. T. H. Paterson, Proprietor. Raw materials were loaded into one side and mixed concrete unloaded on the other.
Regal Model and Tool Works (122 S. Clarke Street, Chicago, Illinois, J. T. H. Paterson, Proprietor) built this model for two inventors, who were brothers from Montana. This cement mixer was patented.
Date made
ca 1910
ID Number
MC.316501
catalog number
316501
accession number
224662
The Bell Gasoline Saver was manufactured by the Bell Gasoline Saver Company, Inc. of Washington, DC around 1917. The device screwed into the intake manifold and had a ball valve on each end.
Description
The Bell Gasoline Saver was manufactured by the Bell Gasoline Saver Company, Inc. of Washington, DC around 1917. The device screwed into the intake manifold and had a ball valve on each end. The upper valve could be adjusted by a set-screw to prevent the ball from being sucked into the engine. Bell claimed that the optimal airflow allowed for carbon elimination, more power, and less gasoline consumption.
As more and more Americans took to the wheel, they often tinkered with their cars so that they more effectively suited their needs, or to overcome early automobiles' very obvious limitations. A users could buy kits that converted Model T's into a stationary engine, lights, turn signals, anti-theft devices, and a host of other products that the makers of auto accessories touted as essential and useful. Although not all of them worked, or were successful, some of these early add-ons, became standard features on later cars.
date made
ca 1915-1920
Associated Name
Page, Robert Newton
Saunders, Edward Watts
maker
Bell Gasoline Saver Company, Inc.
ID Number
1986.0971.01
accession number
1986.0971
catalog number
1986.0971.01
86.0971.01
accession number
1986.0971
This is a Model D-77 balloon-tire Schwinn Panther girl's bicycle made by Arnold, Schwinn and Co., Chicago, Illinois in 1953.
Description
This is a Model D-77 balloon-tire Schwinn Panther girl's bicycle made by Arnold, Schwinn and Co., Chicago, Illinois in 1953. Balloon-tire bicycles for girls and boys, introduced by Schwinn in 1933, intrigued millions of young Americans with the promise of personal mobility, and appealed to their imaginations with features that simulated automobiles and motorcycles. A typical model had long fenders, whitewall tires, streamlined styling, and a dummy gasoline tank containing a battery-powered horn. Mechanical features included internal-expanding brakes and shock-absorbing spring forks. Sales of children's balloon tire bicycles increased after World War II and remained strong until the late 1950s. Schwinn was an innovator and one of the largest makers of bicycles at the time.
date made
1953
maker
Arnold, Schwinn and Co.
ID Number
1986.1021.01
accession number
1986.1021
catalog number
1986.1021.01
This three-spring delivery wagon was purchased from a collection in Baltimore, Maryland. It was collected to help build the museum's examples of common commercial horse drawn wagons used at the turn of the 20th century.
Description
This three-spring delivery wagon was purchased from a collection in Baltimore, Maryland. It was collected to help build the museum's examples of common commercial horse drawn wagons used at the turn of the 20th century. This type of wagon was used to deliver all kinds of light goods to homes and businesses. The wagon’s striping and scroll work was repainted in 1978 using the original patterns on the wagon. There is a label on the wagon marked "M. Martin, builder, Raspeburg, Md." Max Martin was a wheelwright, carriage, and wagon builder in Raspeburg, Maryland around 1914.
date made
ca 1900
maker
Martin, M.
ID Number
TR.336470
accession number
1978.0988
catalog number
336470
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and transportation tokens. The center of the token has been removed to leave the shape of a “W.”
Obverse: The legend reads: GOOD FOR ONE FARE
Reverse: The legend reads: GOOD FOR ONE FARE
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1411
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1411
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1894
ID Number
TR.181658 [dup1]
catalog number
181658
accession number
35051
Founded in 1904 by wealthy financier Andrew Carnegie in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission (CHFC) exists to honor acts of individual civilian heroism in the United States and Canada.
Description
Founded in 1904 by wealthy financier Andrew Carnegie in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission (CHFC) exists to honor acts of individual civilian heroism in the United States and Canada. It is still active today; recipients include both the living, the dead, and persons directly affected by the loss of a heroic relative.
The emotional impact on the general public of the April 1912 loss of the ocean liner Titanic was astonishing, and the continually updated story lasted for months in the contemporary newspapers. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Commission felt inspired to honor all the heroes who had risked their lives in the rescue of the 700 passengers, so at their April 26, 1912 meeting they authorized a nine-oz. 22-k gold medal to be struck, mounted in an elaborate bronze base, inscribed and presented to the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian accepted the gift and displayed it before adding it to the National Numismatic Collection in the National Museum of American History.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1912
maker
Flanagan, John
ID Number
NU.13650
accession number
54893
catalog number
13650
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and transportation tokens. There is a triangle punched out of the center.
Obverse: The legend reads: CHI. SO. BEND & NO. IND. RY. CO.
Reverse: The legend reads: GOOD FOR ONE FARE/ R. R. SMITH/ VICE PRES.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
referenced
Chicago, South Bend & Northern Indiana Railway Company
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1344
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1344
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token in 1906. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token in 1906. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and transportation tokens. The token has a circular hole in the center.
Obverse: The legend reads: MUNICIPAL TRACTION CO./ CLEVELAND.
Reverse: The legend reads: 3 CENT TICKET 1906.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1906
referenced
Municipal Traction Company
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1345
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1345
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this transportation token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and transportation tokens. There is a star shape punched out in the center.
Obverse: The legend reads: CHI. SO. BEND & NO. IND. RY. CO.
Reverse: The legend reads: GOOD FOR ONE FARE/ R. R. SMITH/ VICE PRES.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
referenced
Chicago, South Bend & Northern Indiana Railway Company
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1341
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1341

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