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.
421
Page 17 of 22
-
Hanging Open Mining Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp was made by an unknown maker around middle of the 19th century. This open hanging lamp is one of the earliest examples of American mine lighting. The lamp is relatively unrefined, simply a reservoir of oil with a wick that produced a large amount of smoke, heat, and oil drippings.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MT-310685
- accession number
- 125257
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-310685
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp was made by an unknown maker during the 19th century. The oil-wick lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and remained in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting light was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. This oil-wick lamp has a long hollow handle with twine in the interior, lacking the hook that would allow lamps like this to have been worn on a miner’s cap.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8811
- accession number
- 265669
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8811
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This is a copper oil-wick cap lamp made by J&A McDougall of Pittston, Pennsylvania likely in the latter half of the 20th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1881
- ID Number
- AG.059073
- catalog number
- 059073
- accession number
- 014851
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The tag calls this a “boss lamp,” and the hook on this lamp is larger than most, and was likely used to hold the lamp rather than hook it onto a cap.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MT-3378
- accession number
- 014851
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-3378
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by Henry F. Pearce of Hyde Park, Pennsylvania that received patent number 258,803 on May 30, 1882. Pearce claimed as his invention “a cap for a miner's lamp having a lining arranged to form a space and having the annularly-located perforations, whereby none of the perforations in the lining directly communicate with the vent in the cap” to prevent the escape of the oil through the vent and the closing of the vent by the gumming of oil or sediment.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1882-05-30
- patentee
- Pearce, Henry F.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9746
- accession number
- 088881
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9746
- patent number
- 258802
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by W. G. Dowd of Scranton, Pennsylvania that received patent number 90,434, on May 25, 1869. The patent filing is for the wick raiser on this lamp seen on the outside of the spout. Dowd claimed as his invention “a wire bent over the outer edge of the wicktube with its outer portion sliding in the guide, and its inner portion bent to form an eye to which are hung the fork,” so as to raise the wick by the sliding of the wire.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1869-05-25
- patentee
- Dowd, W. G.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9744
- accession number
- 88881
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9744
- patent number
- 090434
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This "Sunshine Lamp," has an unknown manufacturer but would have been in use from 1850 to around 1920. This lamp is called a Sunshine lamp because it burned "Sunshine" fuel produced by the Standard Oil Company (a mixture of paraffin wax and 3% mineral oil). This lamp's chain and hook indicate that it was hung rather than worn on the cap.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.062399
- catalog number
- 062399
- accession number
- 239748
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by Edward Gough, of Allentown, Pennsylvania that received patent number 229,117 on June 22, 1880. In his patent filing, Gough claimed as his invention “an improvement in lamps with the combination of a cast-metal body or can with a neck, provided with studs, of the cast metal cover, having notches and interior annular groove” constructed to secure the top to the lamp. The chain is usually attached to the top so it wouldn’t get separated from its lamp.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1880-06-22
- patentee
- Gough, Edward
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9742
- accession number
- 088881
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9742
- patent number
- 229117
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
"Hanging Betty" Miner's Tunnel Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This miner’s tunnel lamp was known as a hanging Betty. The hanging Betty was used in the early 19th century, and was an improvement on the hanging open lamp. A wick holder was added to channel the wick drippings back into the bowl, and an oil cover was added to confine heat, decrease smoke, and make the oil burn more efficiently. German immigrants living in Pennsylvania called this kind of lamp “besser” meaning better, which produced the nickname Betty.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-7939
- accession number
- 240639
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7939
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by Josiah J. Weinel of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, that received patent number 188,703 on March 20, 1877. Weinel claimed as his invention “a miner's lamp with an inner spout that has a thread for securing itself in the spout, with perforations for supplying air to the burner and returning oil to the font.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1877-03-20
- patentee
- Weinel, Josiah J.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9749
- accession number
- 088881
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9749
- patent number
- 188705
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Oil-Wick Miner’s Lamp Patent Model
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick lamp is a patent model constructed by John Q. Lee of Plymouth, Pennsylvania that received patent number 176,650, dated April 25, 1876. The patent claims as its invention “A lamp-top composed of two thicknesses, and united by having one piece turned up and over the projecting flanges of the other, thereby dispensing with the use of solder.” A soldered top could come undone from the heat of the flame.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- patent date
- 1876-04-25
- patentee
- Lee, John Q.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9755
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9755
- accession number
- 088881
- patent number
- 176650
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp's manufacturer is unknown, but based on its design it was most likely made in the latter half of the 19th century. This is an oil-wick cap lamp, where the font contained a fuel consisting of lard and oil, the proportions subject to what was most affordable and available to miners at the time. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap and the spout bezel protected the cap from wick drippings.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-7727
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7727
- accession number
- 235038
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9552
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9552
- accession number
- 280476
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9406
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9406
- accession number
- 271417
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This lamp is an oil-wick cap lamp. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and remained in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting light was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8012
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8012
- accession number
- 233426
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location. This lamp has the inscription “J.C. MARSHALL'S PATENT JAN 4th 1876” on one side, and "CHARLES WAGNER" on the other.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9643
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9643
- accession number
- 288162
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-8777H
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-8777H
- accession number
- 265669
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner's Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- The lamp was manufactured by J. Anton and Son of Monongahela, Pennsylvania between 1905 and 1918. J. Anton and Son marketed their lamps under the trade name of U.S.A. Eagle, and there is an image of an eagle impressed on the lamp. The long spout has a circular bezel to protect the cap.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-7726
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-7726
- accession number
- 235038
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap, or hooked onto any other suitable location.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MN-9235A
- accession number
- 268055
- catalog number
- MHI-MN-9235A
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Miner’s Cap Lamp
- Description (Brief)
- This oil-wick cap lamp was made by an unknown maker during the second half of the 19th century. The oil-wick cap lamp was first invented in Scotland in 1850 and in use until the 1920’s. The font contained a mix of fat and oil for fuel, and a wick was inserted into the spout. The resulting flame was much brighter and more efficient than the candles it replaced. The hook enabled the lamp to be worn on a cap.
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-MT-3369
- accession number
- 280127
- catalog number
- MHI-MT-3369
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Pages
Filter Your Results
Click to remove a filter:
- data source
-
topic
- Ecology 421
- Industrialization 421
- Mining Lamps 301
- Mining Helmets 36
- On the Water exhibit 35
- Transportation 33
- Fishing 24
- Art 21
- Contemporary United States 19
- Clothing and dress 17
- Development of the Industrial United States 17
- Dress accessories 17
- Whaling 11
- Civil War and Reconstruction 9
- Food 4
- Health & Medicine 4
- Amusements 3
- Sports 3
- Furnishings 2
-
object type
- mining lamp 319
- lamp, safety, mining 125
- lamp, oil, cap, mining 45
- lamp, cap, miner's 34
- lamp, carbide, mining 26
- Models 23
- Patents 21
- lamp, carbide, cap, mining 17
- lamp, oil, cap, miner's 15
- Swrimshaws 13
- helmet, mining 11
- cap, mining 8
- lamp, cap, mining 7
- lamp, hand, oil wick type, miner's 6
- lamp, mining 5
- Harpoons 4
- Ivory (tooth component) 4
- hat, miner's 4
- Dice 3
- Lamp, Mining 3
- date
- place
-
set name
- Industry & Manufacturing 421
- Work 420
- Work and Industry: Mining 355
- Mining Lamps 301
- National Museum of American History 55
- On the Water 53
- Work and Industry: Maritime 39
- Mining Helmets 36
- On the Water exhibit 35
- Cultures & Communities 34
- Transportation 33
- Art 21
- Clothing & Accessories 17
- Work and Industry: Agriculture and Natural Resources 12
- Work and Industry: Fisheries 12
- Food 4
- Health & Medicine 4
- Popular Entertainment 3
- Sports & Leisure 3
