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 early 20th century carbide mining lamp has an unknown manufacturer. Carbide lamps produced a much brighter and cleaner flame than previous lamps. 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-7938
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7938
- accession number
- 240639
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This is an Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp, produced by the Universal Lamp Company in Chicago, Illinois, around 1930. Auto-Lite mining lamps were produced from 1913 through 1960, most following the design Jacob Sherman patented in 1924. This particular lamp likely dates to around 1930, as evidenced by the rubber bumper grip on the base and two lines of lettering on the top.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9772A
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9772A
- accession number
- 304880
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This Baldwin carbide mining lamp was made by the John Simmons Company around 1915. 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-MT-311989
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-311989
- accession number
- 157348
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This “bulging waist” 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MT-311987
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-311987
- accession number
- 157348
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This “Half-Shift” carbide mining lamp was made by the Baldwin Company of New York City around 1908. 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-MT-311988
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-311988
- accession number
- 157348
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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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-9415
- accession number
- 271412
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9415
- 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-MN-7934
- accession number
- 240639
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7934
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This carbide mining lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but would have been made in 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-7937
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7937
- accession number
- 240639
- 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 in Chicago, Illinois, around 1930. Auto-Lite mining lamps were produced from 1913 through 1960, most following the design Jacob Sherman patented in 1924. This particular lamp is dated to the mid-1920’s because of the octagonal base and large On/Off lettering on the top.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9772B
- accession number
- 304880
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9772B
- 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MT-311986
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-311986
- accession number
- 157348
- 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-9234
- accession number
- 268055
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9234
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This full shift 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8800A
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8800A
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This is Auto-Lite Carbide Mining Lamp was 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-7731
- accession number
- 234625
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7731
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Safety lamp
- 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.MHI-MN-7761
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7761
- accession number
- 235037
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Miner's Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp is made by the Dewar Manufacturing Co. of Brooklyn, New York, who produced carbide mining lamps from around 1914 until it was bought by the Wolf Safety Lamp Co. in the late 1930’s. Dewar was known for its “I-T-P” (It’s Trouble Proof), Sun Ray, and Dew-R-Lite lamp brands. This particular lamp is a Dew-R-Lite, probably manufactured in the late 1920's.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8941A
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8941A
- accession number
- 240639
- 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 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This half shift 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8800B
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8800B
- 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 of Chicago, Illinois. 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. This particular lamp is noteable for the octagonal base and large On/Off lettering on the top.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9712
- accession number
- 299568
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9712
- 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 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-7933
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7933
- accession number
- 240639
- 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8776
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8776
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
