Records, circa 1927-1973 and undated

Object Details

Notes
The collections of the Division of Transportation date back to 1885, in the Section of Steam Transportation in the Department of Arts and Industries. For an administrative history of this unit and its successors through the Division of Engineering, Department of Engineering and Industries, see record unit 297.
In 1938 the Section of Transportation and Civil Engineering was established in the Division of Engineering. Frank A. Taylor served as Curator of the Division of Engineering, 1932-1948, and had direct responsibility for the Museum's transportation collections. (Taylor was away on war duty from 1943 until 1946, but retained his title.) In 1947 the Section was divided into two units: the Section of Marine Transportation and the Section of Land Transportation. Taylor served as Department Head and had specific curatorial responsibility for the Section of Marine Transportation until 1954, when Kenneth M. Perry was named an Associate Curator of the Department and was assigned the Marine Section until 1965. Smith Hempstone Oliver directed the Section of Land Transportation as Associate Curator, 1946-1956.
In 1957 a new Division of Transportation was created as one of several divisions in the Department of Science and Technology. In 1969 Transportation was assigned to the Department of Industries in the National Museum of History and Technology.
The Division of Transportation documents the evolution of rail, marine, and road transportation in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present. Its collections include locomotives, streetcars, motor vehicles, bicycles, carriages, motorcycles, and various vessels and vehicles which capture three centuries of transportation history. Curators of the Division have included Howard I. Chapelle, Curator, 1957-1967; John H. White, Jr., Assistant Curator, 1958-1961, Associate Curator, 1961-1966, Curator, 1966- ; Melvin H. Jackson, Associate Curator, 1966-1968, Curator, 1969- ; George W. Hilton, Associate Curator, 1966-1968, Curator, 1968- ; and Donald H. Berkebile, Assistant Curator, 1973- .
For a description of the record series of which these materials are a part, refer to "Forms part of" above.
Organization
(1) Correspondence, circa 1927-1973; (2) memoranda, 1951-1952, 1955-1973; (3) administrative records, 1955-1972 and undated; (4) exhibit records, 1958-1969 and undated
Summary
These records chiefly document the operations of the Division of Transportation from its creation in 1957, and the operations of the Section of Land Transportation, 1946-1957. Lesser amounts of records relate to the administration of the land transportation collections prior to 1946 and to the marine transportation collections before 1957.
Repository Loc.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
Data Source
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Date
1927
1927-1973
circa 1927-1973 and undated
Local number
SIA RU000239
Creator
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Transportation
Subject
Chapelle, Howard Irving
Berkebile, Donald H
Hilton, George Woodman
Jackson, Melvin H
Oliver, Smith Hempstone
Perry, Kenneth M
White, John H. 1933-
Taylor, Frank A (Frank Augustus) 1903-2007
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Section of Land Transportation
United States National Museum Section of Transportation and Civil Engineering
United States National Museum Department of Arts and Industries
United States National Museum Division of Engineering
United States National Museum Department of Engineering and Industries
United States National Museum Section of Marine Transportation
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Science and Technology
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Industries
Type
Manuscripts
Collection descriptions
Physical description
23 cu. ft. (23 record storage boxes)
See more items in
Correspondence 1927-1985 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Transportation]
Memoranda 1951-1989 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Transportation]
Divisional Records 1955-1978 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Transportation]
Exhibition Records 1958-1969 [National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of Transportation]
Topic
Transportation--History
Museum curators
Record ID
siris_arc_216803
Usage
CC0
View Finding aid