Natural Resources
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.
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Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp was made by the Maple City Manufacturing Company of Monmouth, Illinois around 1901-1917. 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. The lamp would then be worn on a miner’s cap, with the reflector granting a much strong light than previous lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788E
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788E
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp was made by an unknown maker during the early 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. This lamp is worn on a cap with a reflector to direct and focus the light. The cap pictured here is object AG*MHI-MN-9442A.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9442B
- accession number
- 263098
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9442B
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This mining lamp is a “Guy’s Dropper” model made by the Shanklin Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Illinois, first manufactured in 1913. The lamp is named after its inventor, Frank Guy, a miner from Springfield. Frank Guy partnered with George and Edgar Shanklin to produce this lamp, and the lamp saw tremendous success through World War I. The Shanklin Mfg. Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Company in 1932, who continued to make "Guy's Dropper."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MI-1115.2
- accession number
- 1978.0288
- catalog number
- MHI-MI-1115.2
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This Victor model carbide mining lamp was manufactured by the Justrite Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois around 1920. This lamp was designed by William Frisbie and features his patented Polygon system. 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-8788B
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788B
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company. Auto-Lite carbide mining lamps were produced from 1913 through 1960, most following the design Jacob Sherman patented in 1924. This lamp’s design places its manufacture date in the early 1920’s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8214
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8214
- accession number
- 240547
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp was made by the Maple City Manufacturing Company of Monmouth, Illinois around 1901-1917. 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. The lamp would then be worn on a miner’s cap, with the reflector granting a much strong light than previous lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788D
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788D
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company. Auto-Lite carbide mining lamps were produced from 1913 through 1960, most following the design Jacob Sherman patented in 1924. This lamp’s design places its manufacture date in the early 1920’s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9546B
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9546B
- accession number
- 280476
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide lamp was made by an unknown maker during the early 20th century. The lamp’s reflector is bent and the hook for the cap is missing.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788G
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788G
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp was manufactured by the Justrite Manufacturing Company, in Chicago, Illinois in the first half of the 20th century. This lamp is notable for its reflector, a “matchless” design with a lighter built into the reflector to spark and ignite the acetylene gas. Instead of having a polished brass reflector like many lamps, this reflector is aluminum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MI-1114
- accession number
- 1978.0288
- catalog number
- MHI-MI-1114
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This mining lamp is a “Guy’s Dropper” model made by the Shanklin Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Illinois, first manufactured in 1913. The lamp is named after its inventor, Frank Guy, a miner from Springfield. Frank Guy partnered with George and Edgar Shanklin to produce this lamp, and the lamp saw tremendous success through World War I. The Shanklin Mfg. Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Company in 1932, who continued to make "Guy's Dropper.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8213
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8213
- accession number
- 240547
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- 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-8788A
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788A
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp was made by the Baldwin Company of New York City during the early 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. The lamp would then be worn on a miner’s cap, with the reflector granting a much strong light than previous lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788C
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788C
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This mining lamp is a “Guy’s Dropper” model made by the Shanklin Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Illinois, first manufactured in 1913. The lamp is named after its inventor, Frank Guy, a miner from Springfield. Frank Guy partnered with George and Edgar Shanklin to produce this lamp, and the lamp saw tremendous success through World War I. The Shanklin Mfg. Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Company in 1932, who continued to make "Guy's Dropper."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MI-1115.1
- accession number
- 1978.0288
- catalog number
- MHI-MI-1115.1
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp was manufactured by the Justrite Manufacturing Company, in Chicago, Illinois during the 1930s. 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. This Justrite lamp features an Air Cooled Grip, with spacing between the rubber barrier and hot metal allowing the grip to stay cool.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8788F
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8788F
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
