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12th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20560
WWW: http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/nmah/nmah.htm
National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C. 20560
(202) 357-3270
WWW: http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/nmah/archives/a-1.htm
Guide to Manuscript Collections in the National
Museum of History and Technology
(Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1978).
BAROMETER COMPARISON RECORD BOOKS, 1888-1896,
1899-1905
(3 items).
This collection contains two volumes of figures
and notes comparing barometers used in branch offices of the National
Weather Service with standard instruments. Also included is one
volume of special comparisons and notes on various meteorological
instruments including barometers, hygrometers, manometers, and
sunshine recorders.
ARRANGEMENT: Chronologic. FINDING AIDS: None.
URIAH A. BOYDEN PAPERS, 1823-1879
(18 cubic feet; 0.510 cubic meter)
These papers document the activities of Uriah
A. Boyden, Boston civil engineer. Included are correspondence
letterpress copybooks, 1846-1857; notebooks, 1838-1870; records
of experiment, clippings and newspapers, 1846-1875; photographs,
1845; diary, 1851; financial records and time books, 1826-1828,
1831-1873; cash books 1823-1866; translations, 1828-1833, 1850-1879;
drawings and patents, 1829, 1834, 1838-1843; and legal documents,
1835-1840, 1843, 1846, 1851-1868 concerning mills and mill dams,
1826-1827, 1830-1847, 1852-1855; mill turbines, 1843-1860, 1873;
meteorological research, 1838-1874; wells and water supplies,
1836, 1851, 1869; railroads and highways; American Association
for Advancement of Science, 1849-1879. Also included are drawings
and sketches of New England textile mill turbines, 1846-1859.
ARRANGEMENT: By type of material and chronologic
thereunder. FINDING AIDS: Preliminary inventory.
DRAPER FAMILY COLLECTION, circa 1829-1856,
1879-1882, 1892-1912 (3 cubic feet; 0.085 cubic meter).
The Draper family made a number of important contributions to American science in the 19th and early 20th centuries. John William Draper (1811-1882), primarily a chemist, did pioneer work in photography and on the chemical effects of radiant energy. He took the first photograph of the moon in 1839-1840 and the first photograph of the diffraction spectrum. Draper's three sons also did notable work. John C. Draper (1835-1885) was a noted physician and chemist. Henry Draper (1837-1882) was an early astronomical photographer and also did work on stellar spectra and spectrum analysis. Daniel Draper (1841-1931) was a meteorologist and established the New York Meteorological Observatory (NYMO) in Central Park in 1868. He served as its first director until 1911.
This collection contains publications of the
University of City of New York, with which the Drapers were associated,
1835, 1838, 1852; reprints of John William Draper, 1844-1845,
1853, 1869-1870, 1872-1873, 1877; a reprint of M. Melloni, "Radiation
of Incandescence and Elementary Colors," 1882; publications
of the New York Meteorological Observatory (NYMO), 1876; photographs
of NYMO; and correspondence, addressed to Daniel Draper, acknowledging
receipt of publications from NYMO, circa 1892-1908.
ARRANGEMENT: Unarranged. FINDING AIDS: available.
SELECTED BOX NUMBERS AND ENTRIES:
Series 1: Draper Family 1829-1936
1A. Doc. #6: Certificate, election of Daniel
Draper as member of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia
(1880).
1B. Daniel Draper: Certificate of Completion
issued 1862, from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science
and Art, founded 1858.
"Nuovo Sismoscopio elettrico a doppio
effetto," del Dr. G. Agamennone, Roma. (n.d.)
Anemoscope et Anemometre a Transmission libre...
Mecaniciens-Constructeurs du Bureau Central de Météorologie
A Rome. (n.d.)
Meteorological correspondence from Tokyo, Japan
to Daniel Draper: "Traduction-Observatoire Météorologique
Central, Tokio, le 1 er Septembre 1895, du Japon." (A note
written in Japanese is included).
Meteorological report from France to Daniel
Draper, "Congres International de Météorologie."
Ministere du Commerce, Paris, Republique Française, 10-16
Septembre, 1900.
Two photographs of Daniel Draper, (n.d.); two
unidentified photographs (n.d.).
Two large meteorological maps by Daniel Draper,
drawn in color on two pieces of cloth; one map shows a meteorological
chart of the world (n.d.); the other shows a meteorological chart
of North America (n.d.).
Doc. #15 Wall map of South America, No. 4,
by M.F. Maury, L.L. D., University Publishing Company N.Y., copyright
1872.
Oversize scrapbook, Daniel Draper, half filled
with newspaper clippings of steamship reports, weather reports,
meteorological news, etc., and loose clippings, 1874-1880.)
Certificate, Doctor of Philosophy (Daniel Draper)
from the University of the City of New York (1880?) (in Latin).
Series 2: John W. Draper (1811-1882) -- Daniel's Father
Meteorological Journal, 1841-1863. (with personal
notes, charts, articles, etc., between covers).
Meteorological Notes (1835-1841)
Photographs of John W. Draper (n.d.) and Daniel
Draper? (n.d.); Pamphlet on the International Self-Humidifying
Incubator, (1910?); Meteorological chart, 1877/78.
Meteorological Journal, 1863-1881 with miscellaneous
loose pages, including meteorological notes and calculations,
prayers, clipping, etc.
Series 3: Henry Draper, 1837-1882 -- Daniel's brother
Photography of Meteorological Instrument, (n.d.).
Series 4: Daniel Draper, 1841-1931
Daniel Draper, Annual Report of the N.Y.
Meteorological Observatory, Central Park, N.Y., 1876.
Three daily Meteorological Journals (1878,
1879, Jan. 1877-Dec. 1882).
Account Book, 1880's.
Account Book, 1890's.
Copy of biographical article on Daniel Draper
in Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States,
vol. II. Boston MA: James H. Lamb Co., 1899, 1900, pp. 514-16.
Inventory of Meteorological Observatory, ending
June 30, 1906.
Daniel Draper, copy of article on: "Relative
Merits of the Various Types of Registering Maximum and Minimum
Thermometers." (n.d., but ca. 1893, Chicago Meteorological
Congress, U.S.W.B. I 11).
"Dr. Daniel Draper's Contributions to
Meteorology," Scientific American 42 (1880): 2-3.
Biographical note on Daniel Draper.
"Can We foretell the Weather?," Harper's
New Monthly Magazine. (n.d.)
Public Resolution-No. 9 from the Headquarters
of the Army (Authorization for taking meteorological observations)
March 15, 1870.
"Report of the Director of the New York
Meteorological Observatory," Department of Public Parka,
City of N.Y., Dec. 31, 1878 (1879). Two copies.
Daniel Draper, "Self-recording Mercurial
Barometer," American Meteorological Journal 1 (1884-5).
Meteorological and engineering notes, 1874-1888
(including hand drawn illustrations of meteorological instruments).
Correspondence, 1870-1871 (not individually
indexed).
Meteorological correspondence, 1901-1912 (not
individually indexed).
Notebook: Meteorological and engineering notes,
Hastings, Sept. 4, 1859.
H.H.C. Dunwoody, "Signal Service Tables
of Rainfall and Temperature Compared with Crop Production,"
Professional Papers of the Signal Service X (Washington,
D.C.: U.S. War Department, 1882.
"Report of the N.Y. Meteorological Observatory
of the Department of Public Parks, Central Park, N.Y. City."
Daniel Draper, Ph.D., Director, New York, 1893.
Daniel Draper drawing of meteorological instruments.
Letter from Antonia C. Maury to "Uncle
Dan" regarding instruments Draper invented.
JULIEN PIERRE FRIEZ PAPERS, 1887-1894, 1896-1898
(1 cubic foot)
Julien Pierre Friez (1852-1916) was born in France and came to the United States at the age of 15. He worked with Robert Henning in Ottawa, Illinois on telegraphy equipment, circa 1868; later he was a foreman for Ottomar Mergentheler, circa 1880-1890. After leaving Mergentheler, Friez moved to Baltimore where he set up Belfort Laboratories and began a manufacture of scientific instruments. He later acquired an interest in meteorology and did important work on the design and manufacture of meteorological recording instruments.
These papers contain five letterpress books
of outgoing correspondence of Julien P. Friez from 1687-1894 and
1896-1898. The correspondence, with friends and business associates,
deals mainly with meteorology and Friez's friends and business
activities in Baltimore. Pasted into some of the volumes are
photographs, newspaper clippings, obituaries, and historical notes
concerning Friez, his family personal life, and business. Also
included are other photographs, a portrait and a diploma from
the 1894 Columbian Exposition.
ARRANGEMENT: (1) Outgoing correspondence, 1887-1894,
1896-1898; (2) miscellany. FINDING AIDS: Some volumes are indexed
by correspondent.
JOSEPH SMAGORINSKY, Oral History, May 19,
1971. Interview conducted by Richard R. Mertz.
DIBNER LIBRARY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES
National Museum of American History, MRC 630
14th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20560
Tel: 202-357-1568
Manuscripts of the Dibner Collection (Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Libraries, 1985)
National Museum of American History
Division of Physical Sciences
(202) 357-2482
On the museum's collection of instruments see W.E.K. Middleton, Catalog of Meteorological Instruments in the Museum of History and Technology (Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1969).
JAMES CURLEY PAPERS, 1835-41, 1857-89 (3 vols.)
James Curley (1796-1889) was a Roman Catholic
priest and director of the Georgetown College Observatory. His
notebooks contain meteorological observations and notes, and several
loose pages with similar notes and figures. Cf. related papers
in the Georgetown University Library.
PHYSICAL SCIENCES PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
(25 cubic feet; 0.708 cubic Meter)
Contains photographs and slides of individuals
or artifacts prominent in the history of physics, mathematics,
chemistry, astronomy, time-keeping, surveying and geodesy, weights
and measures, and meteorology. Also included are photographs
of museum exhibits, and trade cards and labels of instrument makers.
ARRANGEMENT: (1) Subject file; (2) biographical file, alphabetical by subject. FINDING AIDS: None.
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