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 21 items.
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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
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
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
James Kip Finch Collection, ca. 1723-1961
- Notes
- Fitch was a civil engineer
- Summary
- Autograph letters received or collected by Finch. Signers include many prominent scientists and engineers
- Date
- 1723
- 1961
- ca 1723-1961
- 18th century
- 19th century
- 20th century
- collector
- Finch, James Kip
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Washington Society of Engineers Records, 1905-1969
- Notes
- A professional society of engineers founded in November of 1905
- Summary
- The collection documents work conducted by the Washington Society of Engineers. A large portion of the papers are from the offices of Charles E. Remington, Former Treasurer of the Society. The collection includes administrative records, organizational information, financial records, business records such as meeting minutes, general correspondence, reprints, records of programs and events, academic papers, and reference files on members and activities of the Society
- Date
- 1905
- 1988
- 1905-1969
- 20th century
- donor
- Washington Society of Engineers
- Ellenberger, William J
- author
- Remington, Charles E
- collector
- Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Local number
- 2007.3086 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
P.J. Bier Papers, 1915-1970
- Notes
- Engineer, Colorado, who worked for the Bureau of Reclamation from 1923 to 1954
- Summary
- The collection documents Bier's work with the Bureau of Reclamation on dams and power stations in Colorado and Mexico. It includes project files, reports, correspondence, notes, blueprints and technical drawings
- Cite as
- P.J. Bier Papers, 1915-1970, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1915
- 1915-1970
- 20th century
- creator
- Bier, P. J
- 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
- Subject
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Local number
- 2007.3087 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Marion John Hartung Mechanical Engineering Lab Reports, 1906-1907
- Notes
- Mechanical engineer, was president of the Maywood Chemical Works
- Summary
- Two bound volumes of mechanical engineering lab reports, written by Marion John Hartung while attending Cornell University. The reports describe experiements, procedures followed, equipment used, test data, and cyanotypes of equipment
- Cite as
- Marion John Hartung Mechanical Engineering Lab Reports, 1906-1907, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1906
- 1906-1907
- 1900-1910
- creator
- Hartung, Marion John 1886-1978
- 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
- 1983.0627 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Bartlett Hayward Company Records, 1882-1950
- Notes
- The Bartlett-Hayward Company of Baltimore, Maryland, was founded in 1840 as Hayward and Friend, stove manufacturers. The company eventually expanded into the foundry, machinery, erection, and engineering fields and began manufacture of gas holders in 1876. It merged with Koppers Company in 1937
- Summary
- These records deal chiefly with the manufacture, erection, and sale of gas holders. They include record books of drawings, 1882-1906, 1912, 1918; design calculation books; 1904-1935; trade literature, 1945; order books, 1920-1921; order progress reports, 1926-1929, 1946-1950; specifications, calculations and data; notes; shipping records; records of drawing costs; lists of materials needed; a card file listing owner, location, and dimensions of gas holders built by the company, 1883-1946; a record of employee injuries, 1929; and photographs of coupling engines, gas holders and their erection, gas works, and plants
- Cite as
- Bartlett-Hayward Company Records, 1882-1950, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1864
- 1864-1883
- 1882-1950
- 19th century
- 1860-1890
- author
- Bartlett-Hayward Company
- Koppers Company
- collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Local number
- 2007.3095 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Greville Bathe Papers, 1933-1967
- Notes
- Philadelphia engineer and historian
- Summary
- Papers contain archival materials comprising Bathe's research on Oliver Evans (1755-1819), an American engineer engaged in the development of steam engines. The collection includes copies of letters, design drawings, pamphlets and a book written by Evans, patents, a scrapbook, articles, genealogical information, Evans' will, and writings by Bathe on Evans, including his book about him. Correspondence with libraries and other scholars is included, as are papers relating to the book such as reviews, notebooks, papers relating to the printing and publishing. There is also research material on American engineer Jacob Perkins, for Bathe's books Citizen Genet (1946), Horizontal Windmills (1948), and Ship of Destiny...Merrimac (1951), and assorted trade catalogs and materials pertaining to Bathe's manufacturing companies in London and Philadelphia. A photograph album compiled by Bathe containing photographs and sketches of models built by Bathe is also included
- Date
- 1867
- 1968
- 1933-1967
- 19th century
- author
- Bathe, Greville
- Creator
- Evans, Oliver 1766-1819
- collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Subject
- Perkins, Jacob 1766-1849
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
J. G. Berger Papers, circa 1929-1936, 1952
- Notes
- New Jersey consulting engineer
- Summary
- These papers contain engineering reports from the estate of J. C. Berger, New Jersey consulting engineer, chiefly concerning highway relocation and railroad crossing appraisals
- Date
- 1929
- 1952
- circa 1929-1936, 1952
- 20th century
- 1920-1960
- author
- Berger, J. G
- collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of [former name], NMAH, SI
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
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