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.


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Untitled (not processed)
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- Clayton M. Hall Collection of Railroad Photographs
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.1168
- Donor
- Hall, Clayton M.
- Processing Information
- Originally processed by the Division of Work and Industry. Additional processing by the processing team of the Archives Center, January 2013; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, archivist. Finding aid written by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.
- Biographical / Historical
- Clayton Morris Hall (1896-1986) was born September 24, 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the son of Clayton Coleman Hall and Camilla Ridgely Morris. On his maternal side he was descended from Robert Bowie, governor of Maryland from 1803-1806 and again from 1811-1812. His father was an insurance actuary with Maryland Life Insurance Company but was also a published writer on Maryland history, who received an honorary master's degree from Johns Hopkins in 1902. Clayton Hall grew up in Baltimore and attended Johns Hopkins University, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1918 and his doctorate in 1922 following his service in World War I. In 1923 he published his translation of The Life of Augustine by Nicolaus of Damascus. He joined the faculty of Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, where he taught the classics. In 1925, he joined the faculty of Rutgers University, Princeton, New Jersey as a professor of classics. Along with Dr. William H. Kirk, he organized the classics program at Rutgers in the late 1920s. He retired from Rutgers in 1962. He was a member of the Archeological Institute of America, the American Philological Association, and Phi Beta Kappa. In 1933, he married Llewellyn Parsons Hogan (1908-1989), daughter of Jefferson Hogan of Baltimore, Maryland and Rye, New York. They had two daughters, Llewellyn Parsons Hall and Elizabeth Morris Hall. Hall retired from the faculty of Rutgers College of Arts and Sciences in 1962. For most of his life in Princeton, he lived at 27 Boudinot Street. Hall died in New Jersey in July 1986. Not much is known about Hall's fascination with railroad photography. He developed an interest in photography at an early age and pursued his hobby until the end of his life. He created his collection over the course of forty years and took photographs throughout the United States. He used at various times a Graflex, a Carl Zeiss-Ikon, a Graphic (all using Tessar-formula lenses) and a Kalart Press, with a C.P. Goerz convertible lens. He offered his collection to the Smithsonian in 1971. He did not include any color negatives because of their "perishable nature." The gift was finalized in 1972.
- Date
- 1936-1966, undated
- Provenance
- The collection was donated by Clayton M. Hall of Princeton, New Jersey in 1972.
- Custodial History
- Transferred to the Archives Center in 2009 from the Division of Transportation (now part of the Division of Work and Industry), National Museum of American History.
- Extent
- 1 cubic foot (3 boxes)
- Summary
- A collection of black and white photographic negatives depicting railroad scenes and locomotives in the United States and Canada, taken by Clayton M. Hall of Princeton, New Jersey.
- Restrictions
- The collection is open for research.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Arrangement
- The collection is arranged into two series. Series 1, Photographic Negatives, 1936-1966, undated Series 2, Photographic Prints, 1986
- Scope and Contents
- The collection consists of approximately 445 (3 inches by 4 inches) photographic negatives of railroad trains taken by Clayton M. Hall of Princeton, New Jersey. The majority of these images are of steam locomotives in service at rail stations and rail yards. The collection primarily documents eastern railroad lines, especially the Baltimore and Ohio, Boston and Maine, Central of New Jersey, and the Pennsylvania, but also includes views of railroads in New Mexico and Canada. A printed guide to the negatives exists in the Archives Center's reading room along with video disc #38105 of all of the photographs in this collection. This guide has detailed information on the prints in this collection. Some envelopes contain two negatives. Series 1, Photographic Negatives, 1936-1966, undated, is arranged numerically by negative number and then alphabetically by the name of railroad. These numbers were assigned by the National Museum of American History in 1986. There are a few exceptions when the negative number does not correspond with the usual alphabetical placement of the railroad pictured. There are two dates on the negative sleeve. Under the heading "Year" is the date of the construction of the locomotive pictured. The date listed under "Photo Description" is the date the photograph was taken by Hall. The date recorded in the finding aid data is the one listed under "Photo Description"; if no date was recorded then it is listed as "undated".The locomotives depicted range in construction date from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century. There are sometimes two negatives in a sleeve depicting the same subject but with slight differences. Series 2, Photographic Prints, 1986, contains the later prints (3 and one-half inches by 5 inches) made directly from Hall's negatives by the Division of Work and Industry in 1986. They are arranged numerically by the negative number.
- Genre/Form
- Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- 20th century
- Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
- Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three-hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
- Donor
- Hall, Clayton M.
- Topic
- Railroad trains
- Railroads -- 20th century
- Transportation
- Locomotives
- Railroad stations
- Citation
- Clayton M. Hall Collection of Railroad Photographs, 1936-1966, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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Untitled (not processed)
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- William E. Woodard Patents
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0125
- Author
- Woodard, William E., 1873-1942 (inventor)
- Processing Information
- Processed by Robert S. Harding, 1985.
- Biographical / Historical
- William E. Woodard (1873-1942) was directly responsible for many developments in steam locomotive design. As an inventor of locomotive equipment, he held patents on various mechanical features of steam locomotive and electric locomotive design. He worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Cramp's Shipyard, the Dickson Locomotive Works, the Schenectady Locomotive Works, the American Locomotive Works (1900-1916), and, finally, the Lima Locomotive Works (1916-1942); during the same period he worked as a consultant to the Franklin Railway Supply Company. At the Lima Locomotive Works, he was vice president in charge of design until his death in 1942.
- Date
- 1909 - 1949
- Provenance
- The collection was donated by George H. Woodard, on July 21, 1984.
- Custodial History
- Transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Transportation, now known as the Division of Work and Industry, on November 8, 1984.
- Extent
- 3.3 cubic feet (6 boxes)
- Summary
- The collection consists of United States, Canadian, Mexican and other foreign patents issued to William E. Woodard from 1909 to 1949. The patents are for Woodard's developments in steam and electric locomotive design.
- Restrictions
- The collection is open for research use.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Arrangement
- The collection is organized into four series. Series 1, United States Patents, 1909-1945 Series 2, Canadian Patents, 1909-1946 Series 3, Mexican Patents, 1922-1925 Series 4, Patents From Other Foreign Countries, 1926-1941
- Scope and Contents
- The collection includes United States, Canadian, Mexican, and other foreign patents issued to William E. Woodard for developments in steam and electric locomotive design.
- Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
- Author
- Woodard, William E., 1873-1942 (inventor)
- Names
- Baldwin Locomotive Works.
- Topic
- Railroads
- Patents
- Inventions -- 20th century
- Inventors -- 1890-1960
- Locomotives
- Transportation
- Citation
- William E. Woodard Patents, 1909-1949, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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Untitled (not processed)
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- Mr. and Mrs. Arthur D. Dubin Pullman Palace Car Co. Car Construction and Registration Books
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0158
- Creator
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI.
- Biographical/Historical note
- In 1867 George Mortimer Pullman (1831-1897) and Ben Field organized the Pullman Palace Car Co. "This company became the world's greatest car-building and car-repairing enterprise, with plants located at Pullman, Illinois (now part of Chicago), and many other places in North and South America and even in Europe,"--Hubbard Freeman in the "Encyclopedia of North American Railroading." These registers and records pertain to the manufacturing end of the company--the Chicago works at Pullman, Illinois.
- Processing Information
- Collection processed by NMAH Staff.
- Date
- 1875-1911.
- Ownership and Custodial History
- Transferred from the Division of Transportation, 1980, 1984
- Extent
- 2.6 cubic feet (8 boxes)
- Restrictions
- THIS COLLECTION HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO COLLECTION AC0181.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Scope and Contents note
- Records of construction by plant. Includes orders, dates of construction, customers and costs for passenger, dining and freight cars.
- Genre/Form
- Ledgers (account books)
- Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
- Creator
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI.
- Topic
- Railroads
- Transportation
- Place
- Illinois
- Citation
- Mr. and Mrs. Arthur D. Dubin Pullman Palace Car Co. Construction and Registration Books, 1875-1911, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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Untitled (not processed)
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- Wagon-maker's Account Book
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0151
- Creator
- Ayres, F. (wagon-maker)
- Sneden, James T. (wagon-maker)
- Source
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI.
- Processing Information
- Collection processed by Catherine Keen, 2010
- Date
- 1834-1869
- Provenance
- Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
- Custodial History
- Transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Transportation in 1984.
- Extent
- 0.15 cubic feet (1 box)
- Restrictions
- Collection is open for research.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Scope and Contents
- The ledger contains 82 handwritten pages detailing daily transactions. Many entries suffer from illegibility and poor spelling. Most items concern repair of various parts of wagons and sleighs, often with payment in the form of grain and other farm products.
- Genre/Form
- Account books -- 19th century
- Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
- Creator
- Ayres, F. (wagon-maker)
- Sneden, James T. (wagon-maker)
- Source
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI.
- Former owner
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI.
- Topic
- Wagon manufacturing
- Transportation
- Place
- Vermont
- Citation
- Wagon-maker's Account Book, 1834-1869, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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Untitled (not processed)
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- Containerization Oral History Collection
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0639
- Creator
- Harlander, Leslie
- Gibson, Andrew
- Donovan, Arthur
- Cushing, Charles
- Boylston, John
- Seiberlich, Carl
- Pfeiffer, Robert
- Powell, Stanley
- Richardson, Paul
- Seaton, Bruce
- Horvitz, Wayne
- Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.
- Katims, Ron
- Morrison, Scott
- Biographical / Historical
- This project consists of oral history interviews with individuals who initiated and implemented the post-World War II revolution in the transportation industry known as containerization. This technological and organizational revolution, a product of American innovation and entrepreneurship, has transformed the way cargos are loaded and moved on ships, trains, trucks, and barges. The introduction of trailer-sized containers as the units for loading cargo abroad ships has transformed commercial shipping. Loading items abroad ship in boxes, barrels, and bags, a system known as break-bulk, was replaced by containerization. Containerization is one of the fundamental technologies in modern society.
- Processing Information
- Collection processed by Alison Oswald, 2000.
- Date
- 1995-1998.
- Provenance
- Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.,NMAH, Dept of History, 12th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W., Room 1016, MRC 604, Washington, D.C. 20560.,Made for NMAH.,00/00/00.,1999.3073.
- Ownership and Custodial History
- Oral history created by Arthur Donovan and the Lemelson Center.
- Extent
- 0.5 cubic feet
- Restrictions
- Collection is open for research.
- Audio cassettes:,Original tapes not available to researchers.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Arrangement
- Divided into 2 series: (1) Original audio cassettes; (2) Transcripts. Unarranged.
- Scope and Contents note
- Original audio cassettes and transcripts of oral history interviews with individuals involved in the transportation industry known as containerization: Arthur Donovan, interviewer.
- Genre/Form
- Transcripts
- Oral history -- 1990-2000
- Interviews -- 1980-2000
- Audio cassettes -- 1990-2000
- Rights
- Restricted against copying until August 2002: The transcriptions cannot be photocopied and the sound recordings cannot be excerpted or copied until that date.
- Creator
- Harlander, Leslie
- Gibson, Andrew
- Donovan, Arthur
- Cushing, Charles
- Boylston, John
- Seiberlich, Carl
- Pfeiffer, Robert
- Powell, Stanley
- Richardson, Paul
- Seaton, Bruce
- Horvitz, Wayne
- Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.
- Katims, Ron
- Morrison, Scott
- Topic
- Transportation -- 1990-2000
- Transportation equipment industry -- 1990-2000
- Ships -- Cargo -- 1990-2000
- Shipping -- 1990-2000 -- United States
- Shipment of goods -- 1990-2000
- Containers -- 1990-2000
- Containerization -- 1990-2000
- Container ships -- 1990-2000
- Container industry -- 1990-2000
- Citation
- Containerization Oral History Collection 1995-1998, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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- Frank H. Waring Papers
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0895
- Collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Creator
- Waring, Frank H., 1925-
- Biographical / Historical
- Transportation analyst, consultant and planner. Had over fifty years of experience in urban and intercity rail and highway transportation for private companies and public agencies on a national and international level.
- Processing Information
- Collection processed by Adrienne Cain; supervised by Alison Oswald, April 2007.
- Date
- 1912-1997.
- Provenance
- Donated by Frank H. Waring to the Archives Center in 2005.
- Extent
- 4 cubic feet (4 boxes)
- Restrictions
- Unrestricted research access on site by appointment.,Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection descriptions
- Arrangement
- Divided into 9 series: Series 1,The Waring Group, Incl Business Plans, 1976-1989; Series 2, Project Reports, 1949-1989; Series 3, Proposals, 1979-1988; Series 4, Studies, 1979-1983; Series 5, Other, 1964-1987, and undated; Series 6, Blueprints and maps, 1951, 1952, 1989; Series 7, Subject files, ca. 1923-1997; Series 8, Photographs, ca. 1931-1935, 1963, 1965; Series 9: Miscellaneous, 1951-1996.
- Scope and Contents
- Reports and project proposals on which Waring worked during the course of his consulting career. The subject matter includes railroad tariffs and rail abandonment to coal transportation. There are seven folders of Waring's personal papers relating to projects completed between 1981 and 1989. Miscellaneous objects include blueprints, photographs and a personal address book.
- Genre/Form
- Blueprints -- 1950-2000
- Reports
- Rights
- Fees for commercial reproduction.
- Reproduction restricted due to copyright or trademark.
- Collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Creator
- Waring, Frank H., 1925-
- Collector
- History of Technology, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Names
- RHM Consultants, Inc.
- Virginia and Maryland Railroad Company
- Waring Group, Inc.
- Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company
- Topic
- Railroads
- Railroads -- 20th century
- Transportation -- History
- Citation
- Frank H. Waring papers, 1912-1997, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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Campaign speeches are useful, at that
- Description (Brief)
- This pen-and-ink comic art drawing by Rube Goldberg from 1924 features the concept of using “windy” political speeches as free energy.
- Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was an engineer before he was a comic artist. After receiving an engineering degree, he started his career designing sewers for the City of San Francisco, but then followed his other interest and took a job as a sports cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle. After moving to New York in 1907 Goldberg worked for several newspapers, producing a number of short-lived strips and panels—many of which were inspired by his engineering background, including his renowned invention cartoons. In the late 1930s and 1940s he switched his focus to editorial and political cartoons and in 1945 founded the National Cartoonists Society. The Reuben, comic art’s most prestigious award, is named after him.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1924-10-31
- original artist
- Goldberg, Rube
- ID Number
- GA.23492
- catalog number
- 23492
- accession number
- 299186
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Lithograph of "Cascades of the Columbia"
- Description
- The lithographic firm of Sarony, Major & Knapp (1857–1867) of New York printed this lithograph of “Cascades of the Columbia” originally drawn by John M. Stanley (1814–1872) of Detroit (1834–1840, 1864–1872) and Washington, D.C. (1850–1860). The illustration was printed as Plate XLV in the “General Report” of volume XII of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Narrative Final Report of Explorations for a Route for a Pacific Railroad, near the Forty–Seventh and Forty–Ninth Parallels of North Latitude, St. Paul to Puget Sound”. The volume was printed in 1860 by Thomas H. Ford in Washington, D.C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date of book publication
- 1860
- graphic artist
- Sarony, Major, & Knapp
- original artist
- Stanley, John Mix
- graphic artist
- Sarony, Major, & Knapp
- original artist
- Stanley, John Mix
- author
- Stevens, Isaac Ingalls
- printer
- Ford, Thomas H.
- graphic artist
- unknown
- publisher
- U.S. War Department
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command
- ID Number
- GA.24834
- catalog number
- 24834
- accession number
- 1978.0612
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Road Scraper Patent Model, 1892
- Description
- This is a patent model for a road scraper assigned to the Western Wheeled Scraper Company in 1892.
- As the good roads movement gathered strength in the 1890s, inventors generated a host of patent applications for machines that improved roads using horse-drawn scrapers and graders.
- date made
- 1892
- patent date
- 1982-12-16
- patentee
- Western Wheeled Scraper Company
- ID Number
- MC.251194
- catalog number
- 251194
- accession number
- 48865
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Road Scraper Patent Model
- Description
- John D. Libey of Lima, Indiana submitted this model with his patent for a scraper that received patent number 529,925 on November 27, 1894. Designed for road work, the scraper could be operated by one man. A two-horse team pulled the scraper that picked up a yard of earth and took it away.
- As the good roads movement gathered strength in the 1890s, a host of patent applications were received for machines that, using horses, helped maintain the surfaces of the nation's roadways.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1894
- patent date
- 1894-11-27
- ID Number
- MC.311047
- catalog number
- 311047
- accession number
- 136522
- patent number
- 529925
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Model of a Cement Mixer
- 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- ca 1910
- ID Number
- MC.316501
- catalog number
- 316501
- accession number
- 224662
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Road Scraper Patent Model
- Description
- Hiram W. Ball submitted this model with his patent for an “improvement in road scrapers” that received patent number 221,273 on November 4, 1879. The horse drawn drag scraper incorporated a catch that allowed the scoop to dump its load without having to raise the handle.
- As the good roads movement gathered strength in the 1890s, a host of patent applications were received for machines that, using horses, helped maintain the surfaces of the nation's roadways.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1879
- patent date
- 1879-11-04
- inventor; patent holder
- Ball, Hiram W.
- inventor
- Ball, Hiram W.
- ID Number
- MC.319432
- catalog number
- 319432
- accession number
- 237906
- patent number
- 221,273
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Dague's Road Scraper Model
- Description
- This model depicts a road scraper manufactured by Dague's Grader Company, Danville, Illinois, and patented on the 30th Dec 1879 by E. D. Dague.
- This model is a demonstration model, presumably used as a selling tool. Company advertising claimed that “Dague's Celebrated Road Scraper and Leveller ...will do more work than FOUR ordinary Dump Scrapers, and will Leave the Surface Level, and only requires the services of One Man and one pair of horse to operate it with ease.”
- As the good roads movement gathered strength in the 1890s, a host of patent applications were received for machines that, using horses, helped maintain the surfaces of the nation's roadways.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1879
- patent date
- 1879-12-30
- maker
- Dague, E. D.
- ID Number
- MC.321175
- catalog number
- 321175
- accession number
- 243133
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Weber Road Scraper
- Description
- George J. Weber submitted this model for an “improvement in wheeled scrapers” that received patent number 216,588 on June 17, 1879. The road scraper was horse drawn and self-dumping.
- As the good roads movement gathered strength in the 1890s, a host of patent applications were received for machines that, using horses, helped maintain the surfaces of the nation's roadways.
- date made
- 1879
- patent date
- 1879-06-17
- inventor
- Weber, George J.
- ID Number
- MC.329174
- catalog number
- 329174
- accession number
- 277275
- patent number
- 216,588
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Bone Dice
- Description
- Gambling usually was banned aboard whaling ships, on the grounds that it could cause too much strife among the crew. But “bones” or dice were easily concealed from a ship’s officers, and crews found out-of-the-way places to spend their free time wagering their earnings, tobacco, or other assets.
- date made
- 1800s
- ID Number
- AG.024849.1
- accession number
- 1875.4423
- catalog number
- 24849.1
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Scrimshaw Whale Bone Food Chopper
- Description
- Simply carved and without any engraving, this food chopper, or mincer, was made in two pieces from a sperm whale’s jawbone. Its blunted, curved blade was used to chop soft foods such as bread dough, fruits, sausage, and animal fats. This example was donated by former Secretary of the Institution Spencer F. Baird (1823–1887) to the Smithsonian, where it became one of the earliest objects in the maritime collections.
- date made
- 1800s
- purchased
- 1876-11-30
- ID Number
- AG.024909
- catalog number
- 24909
- accession number
- 2009.0157
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Bone Fid
- Description
- Made of hard wood, bone, or ivory and tapering to a point, fids were used mostly for ropework, such as splicing. On deck, they were also used for breaking knots that might be frozen from overtightening, wet weather, or other conditions. In a pinch, one could also serve as a temporary belaying pin to tie off a line, or even as a weapon.
- date made
- 1800s
- ID Number
- AG.025650
- catalog number
- 025650
- accession number
- 4798
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Whale Bone Seam Rubber
- Description
- Seam rubbers were part of a sail maker’s tool kit. They were used to smooth and flatten the seams of heavy canvas sailcloth, where two pieces were joined or the edges were hemmed before they were sewn. This unusually large example was probably carved from the panbone, part of a whale’s jaw.
- date made
- 1800s
- ID Number
- AG.025793
- accession number
- 4957
- catalog number
- 025793
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Whalebone Thimble Eye
- Description
- This rope-strapped thimble carved from whalebone would have had a light rope through the eye for rigging, perhaps on a whaleboat.
- These miniature items also served as children’s toys or curiosities back home. Toys in the form of miniature working ship parts were easy and quick for sailors to carve, and they did not require much skill to make. They also served as potent reminders of where and what the men were doing during their long absences from their friends and families.
- date made
- 1800s
- ID Number
- AG.025801
- catalog number
- 025801
- accession number
- 2009.0182
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Whaler's Mincing Knife
- Description
- Whaling crews used mincing knives to cut the blubber strips into thin slices down to, but not through, the thick whale skin. This process increased the surface area of the blubber and helped it melt faster in the try-pots. Cut in this fashion, the sections of whale blubber and skin were known as “bible leaves” because they resembled the pages of a book.
- date made
- 1876
- collected
- 1876
- ID Number
- AG.025912
- accession number
- 005019
- catalog number
- 025912
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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