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.
8
Page 1 of 1
-
Miner’s Cap
- Description (Brief)
- The miner’s cap is made of canvas with a metal and cardboard lamp bracket attached to the front. The lamp bracket likely would have held an oil-wick cap lamp. The small paper label attached to the bracket reads MINING AND / METALLURGY DEPT. / LAFAYETTE COLLEGE / EASTON, PA." The National Museum of American History received many objects in its mining and metallurgy collection from Lafayette College.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8783
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8783
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap
- Description (Brief)
- This canvas miner’s cap was manufactured by Thomas Lloyd & Sons of Houtzdale, Pennsylvania. The cap has a leather brim with a leather and metal lamp bracket. The bracket likely held either a carbide lamp or an oil-wick cap lamp. Before head protection became mandatory in industrial workplaces, miner’s caps served as a way to mount their lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9576A
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9576A
- accession number
- 282791
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap
- Description (Brief)
- This canvas miner’s cap has a leather lamp bracket secured to its front with six metal nails. Two union buttons attached to right side. A Lehigh Navigation Coal Company label is attached to the front of the cap. The larger button with the American Flag and numbers "11" and "1928" in center reads: "UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA / WORKERS UNION". The smaller button of red, white, and blue reads: "THRIFT ARMY / LIEUTENANT / CARBON CO. / SCHOOLS." The label has writing from the donor that reads “My first mine cap. / before safety helmet / with Working uniform button / to be worn to so[sic] that / member paid dues / that month.” The hat was owned by John Miller who lived on 160 West Church Avenue in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1928
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9457
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9457
- accession number
- 277980
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Helmet
- Description (Brief)
- This plastic miner’s helmet would have been in use during the first half of the 20th century, after 1915. The helmet has a leather and metal lamp bracket attached to the front which would have likely held an oil-wick lamp.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9235B
- accession number
- 268055
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9235B
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap
- Description (Brief)
- This canvas miner’s cap was made by the T.R. Jones Company of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. The cap has a leather brim with a jagged design on the sides. A metal and cardboard lamp bracket sits on the front of the cap, and likely would have held either an oil-wick or carbide lamp.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9793
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9793
- accession number
- 304880
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap
- Description (Brief)
- This canvas miner’s cap was manufactured by Thomas Lloyd & Sons of Houtzdale, Pennsylvania. The cap has a leather brim with a leather and metal lamp bracket. The bracket likely held either a carbide lamp or an oil-wick cap lamp. Before head protection became mandatory in industrial workplaces, miner’s caps served as a way to mount their lamps.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9576B
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9576B
- accession number
- 282791
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap and Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This cotton miner’s cap has a leather brim with a leather lamp bracket holding a carbide lamp. A small union pin that reads “United Mine Works of America @ 1934, Working Button” is attached to the side of the cap. Before head protection became mandatory in industrial workplaces, miner’s caps served as a way to mount their lamps.
- The union pin on this mining cap speaks to the personal connections miner’s had with their cap. A miner chose their headgear, and took it with them to work where it was worn all day and used for decades. It wasn’t uncommon for miner’s to personalize their helmet with stickers or their caps with pins.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9526A
- accession number
- 277982
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9526A
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap with Carbide Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This cap was made by an unknown maker around the early 20th century. The cap is made of soft cotton canvas with a leather bill, and leather 'L' on the front for the attachment of the lamp. A carbide lamp (object number AG*MHI-MN-9442B) is attached to the cap.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9442A
- accession number
- 263098
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9442A
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
