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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 34

Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary

Correspondence, 1887-1907

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary
Title:Correspondence
Dates:1887-1907
Quantity:24.38 cu. ft. (43 document boxes) (144 microfilm reels)
Collection:Record Unit 34
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

Shortly after Samuel Pierpont Langley became Secretary, a new system of dividing outgoing correspondence into subjects was devised as follows (some of the units are not represented in the Archives, hence the gaps in series numbers): 1) General, 59 volumes, 1892-1907; 2) Museum, 18 volumes, 1892-1907; 4) Ethnology, 7 volumes, 1892-1907; 5) National Zoological Park, 9 volumes, 1890-1907; 6) Astrophysical Observatory, 14 volumes, 1892-1907; 8) Publication Requests, 3 volumes, 1900-1907; 11) Assistant in Charge of Office, 8 volumes, 1891-1907; 12) New Museum, 1 volume, 1903-1907; 13) Advisory Committee on Printing and Publication, 1 volume, 1906-1907; 20) Aerodromics, 10 volumes, 1891-1907; 25) Hodgkins, 6 volumes, 1892-1907. All are chronologic within divisions. There are also copies of Museum Business Letters, 2 volumes, 1888-1889, and Internal and Confidential Correspondence, 9 volumes, 1887-1906. Volumes are indexed individually. Additional finding aids to this correspondence exist in the form of card indexes, one of which is bound. A second index, combining incoming and outgoing correspondence for the period, provides access mostly by proper name and usually contains an abstracted version of the letter. Deterioration of the letterpress correspondence has affected the legibility of the microfilm edition. A volume list follows.

Descriptive Entry

Shortly after Langley became Secretary, a new system of dividing outgoing correspondence into subjects was devised as follows (some of the units are not represented in the Archives, hence the gaps in series numbers): 1) General, 59 volumes, 1892-1907; 2) Museum, 18 volumes, 1892-1907; 4) Ethnology, 7 volumes, 1892-1907; 5) National Zoological Park, 9 volumes, 1890-1907; 6) Astrophysical Observatory, 14 volumes, 1892-1907; 8) Publication Requests, 3 volumes, 1900-1907; 11) Assistant in Charge of Office, 8 volumes, 1891-1907; 12) New Museum, 1 volume, 1903-1907; 13) Advisory Committee on Printing and Publication, 1 volume, 1906-1907; 20) Aerodromics, 10 volumes, 1891-1907; 25) Hodgkins, 6 volumes, 1892-1907. All are chronologic within divisions. There are also copies of Museum Business Letters, 2 volumes, 1888-1889, and Internal and Confidential Correspondence, 9 volumes, 1887-1906.

Volumes are indexed individually. Additional finding aids to this correspondence exist in the form of card indexes, one of which is bound. A second index, combining incoming and outgoing correspondence for the period, provides access mostly by proper name and usually contains an abstracted version of the letter. Deterioration of the letterpress correspondence has affected the legibility of the microfilm edition. A volume list follows.

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Access Restriction

(1) Deteriorating letterpress affects legibility; (2) record unit partially microfilmed.

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This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 34, Smithsonian Institution, Office of the Secretary, Correspondence

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Container List

Box 1

General, 1892-1907 (Series 1)

Reel 1, Volume Number 1.1, January 2, 1892-April 4, 1892

Box 1 of 44

Reel 2, Volume Number 1.2, April 5, 1892-July 14, 1892

Box 1 of 44

Reel 3, Volume Number 1.3, July 16, 1892-November 18, 1892

Box 1 of 44

Reel 4, Volume Number 1.4, November 19, 1892-February 4, 1893

Box 1 of 44

Box 2

Reel 5, Volume Number 1.5, February 6, 1893-May 11, 1893

Box 2 of 44

Reel 6, Volume Number 1.6, May 12, 1893-August 30, 1893

Box 2 of 44

Reel 7, Volume Number 1.7, August 31, 1893-December 6, 1893

Box 2 of 44

Reel 8, Volume Number 1.8, December 9, 1893-February 20, 1894

Box 2 of 44

Box 3

Reel 9, Volume Number 1.9, February 21, 1894-May 14, 1894

Box 3 of 44

Reel 10, Volume Number 1.10, May 15, 1894-September 29, 1894

Box 3 of 44

Reel 11, Volume Number 1.11, October 2, 1894-December 31, 1894

Box 3 of 44

Reel 12, Volume Number 1.12, January 2, 1895-March 7, 1895

Box 3 of 44

Box 4

Reel 13, Volume Number 1.13, March 4, 1895-June 3, 1895

Box 4 of 44

Reel 14, Volume Number 1.14, June 4, 1895-October 23, 1895

Box 4 of 44

Reel 15, Volume Number 1.15, October 24, 1895-December 31, 1895

Box 4 of 44

Reel 16, Volume Number 1.16, January 2, 1896-March 12, 1896

Box 4 of 44

Box 5

Reel 17, Volume Number 1.17, March 13, 1896-June 20, 1896

Box 5 of 44

Reel 18, Volume Number 1.18, June 22, 1896-November 16, 1896

Box 5 of 44

Reel 19, Volume Number 1.19, November 17, 1896-December 31, 1896

Box 5 of 44

Reel 20, Volume Number 1.20, January 2, 1897-March 11, 1897

Box 5 of 44

Box 6

Reel 21, Volume Number 1.21, March 12, 1897-May 18, 1897

Box 6 of 44

Reel 22, Volume Number 1.22, May 19, 1897-July 20, 1897

Box 6 of 44

Reel 23, Volume Number 1.23, July 21, 1897-October 2, 1897

Box 6 of 44

Reel 24, Volume Number 1.24, October 4, 1897-December 10, 1897

Box 6 of 44

Box 7

Reel 25, Volume Number 1.25, December 11, 1897-January 26, 1898

Box 7 of 44

Reel 26, Volume Number 1.26, January 27, 1898-February 26, 1898

Box 7 of 44

Reel 27, Volume Number 1.27, February 26, 1898-April 14, 1898

Box 7 of 44

Reel 28, Volume Number 1.28, April 14, 1898-June 25, 1898

Box 7 of 44

Box 8

Reel 29, Volume Number 1.29, June 25, 1898-October 27, 1898

Box 8 of 44

Reel 30, Volume Number 1.30, October 29, 1898-January 14, 1899

Box 8 of 44

Reel 31, Volume Number 1.31, January 16, 1899-March 14, 1899

Box 8 of 44

Reel 32, Volume Number 1.32, March 9, 1899-May 10, 1899

Box 8 of 44

Box 9

Reel 33, Volume Number 1.33, May 11, 1899-October 9, 1899

Box 9 of 44

Reel 34, Volume Number 1.34, October 9, 1899-January 26, 1900

Box 9 of 44

Reel 35, Volume Number 1.35, January 27, 1900-June 18, 1900

Box 9 of 44

Reel 36, Volume Number 1.36, June 19, 1900-December 21, 1900

Box 9 of 44

Box 10

Reel 37, Volume Number 1.37, December 24, 1900-March 30, 1901

Box 10 of 44

Reel 38, Volume Number 1.38, April 2, 1901-June 27, 1901

Box 10 of 44

Reel 39, Volume Number 1.39, June 28, 1901-November 6, 1901

Box 10 of 44

Reel 40, Volume Number 1.40, November 7, 1901-January 3, 1902

Box 10 of 44

Box 11

Reel 41, Volume Number 1.41, January 3, 1902-April 9, 1902

Box 11 of 44

Reel 42, Volume Number 1.42, April 10, 1902-August 28, 1902

Box 11 of 44

Reel 43, Volume Number 1.43, August 29, 1902-January 14, 1903

Box 11 of 44

Reel 44, Volume Number 1.44, January 15, 1903-May 9, 1903

Box 11 of 44

Box 12

Reel 45, Volume Number 1.45, May 11, 1903-October 10, 1903

Box 12 of 44

Reel 46, Volume Number 1.46, October 11, 1903-January 12, 1904

Box 12 of 44

Reel 47, Volume Number 1.47, January 13, 1904-March 19, 1904

Box 12 of 44

Reel 48, Volume Number 1.48, March 24, 1904-June 22, 1904

Box 12 of 44

Box 13

Reel 49, Volume Number 1.49, June 23, 1904-October 13, 1904

Box 13 of 44

Reel 50, Volume Number 1.50, October 13, 1904-December 31, 1904

Box 13 of 44

Reel 51, Volume Number 1.51, January 1, 1905-March 8, 1905

Box 13 of 44

Box 14

Reel 52, Volume Number 1.52, March 9, 1905-June 14, 1905

Box 14 of 44

Reel 53, Volume Number 1.53, June 15, 1905-October 20, 1905

Box 14 of 44

Reel 54, Volume Number 1.54, October 23, 1905-January 31, 1906

Box 14 of 44

Box 15

Reel 55, Volume Number 1.55, February 1, 1906-April 25, 1906

Box 15 of 44

Reel 56, Volume Number 1.56, April 26, 1906-July 31, 1906

Box 15 of 44

Reel 57, Volume Number 1.57, August 1, 1906-October 27, 1906

Box 15 of 44

Box 16

Reel 58, Volume Number 1.58, October 29, 1906-February 12, 1907

Box 16 of 44

Reel 59, Volume Number 1.59, February 28, 1907-March 1, 1907

Box 16 of 44

Box 17

Museum, 1892-1907 (Series 2)

Reel 60, Volume Number 2.1, January 2, 1892-April 9, 1892

Box 17 of 44

Reel 61, Volume Number 2.2, April 11, 1892-January 21, 1893

Box 17 of 44

Reel 62, Volume Number 2.3, January 23, 1893-August 5, 1893

Box 17 of 44

Box 18

Reel 63, Volume Number 2.4, August 9, 1893-June 27, 1894

Box 18 of 44

Reel 64, Volume Number 2.5, June 27, 1894-December 29, 1894

Box 18 of 44

Reel 65, Volume Number 2.6, January 3, 1895-December 26, 1895

Box 18 of 44

Box 19

Reel 66, Volume Number 2.7, January 3, 1896-December 31, 1896

Box 19 of 44

Reel 67, Volume Number 2.8, January 5, 1897-July 1, 1897

Box 19 of 44

Reel 68, Volume Number 2.9, July 1, 1897-February 2, 1898

Box 19 of 44

Box 20

Reel 69, Volume Number 2.10, February 1, 1898-July 12, 1898

Box 20 of 44

Reel 70, Volume Number 2.11, July 8, 1898-March 13, 1899

Box 20 of 44

Reel 71, Volume Number 2.12, March 14, 1899-December 22, 1899

Box 20 of 44

Box 21

Reel 72, Volume Number 2.13, December 26, 1899-January 24, 1901

Box 21 of 44

Reel 73, Volume Number 2.14, January 25, 1901-December 30, 1901

Box 21 of 44

Reel 74, Volume Number 2.15, December 30, 1901-June 30, 1903

Box 21 of 44

Box 22

Reel 75, Volume Number 2.16, July 2, 1903-May 11, 1905

Box 22 of 44

Reel 76, Volume Number 2.17, May 15, 1905-July 17, 1906

Box 22 of 44

Reel 77, Volume Number 2.18 [actually 11.1], July 18, 1906-February 28, 1907

Box 22 of 44

Box 23

Ethnology, 1892-1907 (Series 4)

Reel 78, Volume Number 4.1, January 29, 1892-December 19, 1894

Box 23 of 44

Reel 79, Volume Number 4.2, January 2, 1895-December 24, 1895

Box 23 of 44

Reel 80, Volume Number 4.3, January 2, 1896-December 26, 1896

Box 23 of 44

Box 24

Reel 81, Volume Number 4.4, January 4, 1897-January 8, 1900

Box 24 of 44

Reel 82, Volume Number 4.5, January 9, 1900-December 15, 1902

Box 24 of 44

Reel 83, Volume Number 4.6, December 15, 1902-April 21, 1905

Box 24 of 44

Reel 84, Volume Number 4.7, April 27, 1905-February 28, 1907

Box 24 of 44

Box 25

National Zoological Park, 1890-1907 (Series 5)

Reel 85, Volume Number 5.1, May 5, 1890-January 28, 1892

Box 25 of 44

Reel 86, Volume Number 5.2, January 23, 1892-December 21, 1894

Box 25 of 44

Reel 87, Volume Number 5.3, January 7, 1895-December 5, 1895

Box 25 of 44

Reel 88, Volume Number 5.4, January 2, 1896-December 31, 1896

Box 25 of 44

Box 26

Reel 89, Volume Number 5.5, January 5, 1897-August 28, 1899

Box 26 of 44

Reel 90, Volume Number 5.6, August 30, 1899-September 28, 1900

Box 26 of 44

Reel 91, Volume Number 5.7, November 5, 1900-June 2, 1902

Box 26 of 44

Box 27

Reel 92, Volume Number 5.8, June 4, 1902-July 18, 1905

Box 27 of 44

Reel 93, Volume Number 5.9, July 20, 1905-February 28, 1907

Box 27 of 44

Box 28

Astrophysical Observatory, 1892-1907 (Series 6)

Reel 94, Volume Number 6.1, January 2, 1892-January 13, 1893

Box 28 of 44

Reel 95, Volume Number 6.2, January 17, 1893-April 12, 1894

Box 28 of 44

Reel 96, Volume Numbers 6.3-5, April 13, 1894-December 15, 1896

Box 28 of 44

Reel 97, Volume Number 6.6, January 12, 1897-July 29, 1898

Box 28 of 44

Box 29

Reel 98, Volume Number 6.7, July 30, 1898-February 2, 1900

Box 29 of 44

Reel 99, Volume Number 6.8, February 5, 1900-June 7, 1900

Box 29 of 44

Reel 100, Volume Number 6.9, June 8, 1900-February 11, 1901

Box 29 of 44

Reel 101, Volume Number 6.10, February 12, 1901-February 13, 1902

Box 29 of 44

Box 30

Reel 102, Volume Number 6.11, February 15, 1902-December 15, 1902

Box 30 of 44

Reel 103, Volume Number 6.12, December 16, 1902-June 1, 1904

Box 30 of 44

Reel 104, Volume Number 6.13, June 3, 1904-January 15, 1906

Box 30 of 44

Reel 105, Volume Number 6.14, January 16, 1906-February 28, 1907

Box 30 of 44

Box 31

Publication Requests, 1900-1907 (Series 8)

Volume Numbers 8.1, 8.2, 8.4-8.7 and 8.9-8.18 do not exist [never filmed]

Reel 106, Volume Number 8.3, September 4, 1900-February 21, 1901

Box 31 of 44

Reel 107, Volume Number 8.8, November 17, 1902-January 22, 1903

Box 31 of 44

Reel 108, Volume Number 8.19, January 17, 1907-February 28, 1907

Box 31 of 44

Box 32

Assistant in Charge of Office, 1891-1907 (Series 11)

Reel 109, Volume Number 11.1 [actually 2.18], October 19, 1891-February 28, 1893

Letter from Secretary Samuel P. Langley to Solomon G. Brown concerning employment and layoffs. Langley informed Brown that while there will be layoffs, Brown will not be a part of them. Brown had worked at the Smithsonian since 1852. [Image no. SIA2016-011467]
Box 32 of 44

Reel 110, Volume Numbers 11.2-3, March 1, 1893-December 31, 1894

Box 32 of 44

Reel 111, Volume Number 11.4, January 1, 1895-July 31, 1895

Box 32 of 44

Reel 112, Volume Number 11.5, August 1, 1895-December 31, 1895

Box 32 of 44

Box 33

Reel 113, Volume Number 11.6, January 3, 1896-December 30, 1896

Box 33 of 44

Reel 114, Volume Number 11.7, January 2, 1897-October 30, 1899

Box 33 of 44

Reel 115, Volume Number 11.8, October 31, 1899-February 27, 1907

Box 33 of 44

Box 34

New Museum, 1903-1907 (Series 12)

Reel 116, Volume Number 12.1, March 20, 1903-February 23, 1907

Box 34 of 44

Advisory Committee on Printing and Publication, 1906-1907 (Series 13)

Reel 117, Volume Number 13.1, January 20, 1906-February 26, 1907

Box 34 of 44

Box 35

Aerodromics, 1891-1907 (Series 20)

Reel 118, Volume Number 20.1, April 16, 1891-March 24, 1893

Box 35 of 44

Reel 119, Volume Number 20.2, March 25, 1893-June 6, 1894

Box 35 of 44

Reel 120, Volume Number 20.3, May 31, 1894-October 5, 1895

Box 35 of 44

Reel 121, Volume Number 20.4, January 2, 1895-December 30, 1895

Box 35 of 44

Box 36

Reel 122, Volume Number 20.5, January 2, 1896-December 26, 1896

Box 36 of 44

Reel 123, Volume Number 20.6, January 4, 1897-May 14, 1898

Box 36 of 44

Reel 124, Volume Number 20.7, May 14, 1898-July 24, 1899

Box 36 of 44

Box 37

Reel 125, Volume Number 20.8, July 25, 1899-May 20, 1902

Box 37 of 44

Reel 126, Volume Number 20.9, May 26, 1902-February 9, 1904

Box 37 of 44

Reel 127, Volume Number 20.10, February 10, 1904-February 28, 1907

Box 37 of 44

Box 38

Hodgkins, 1892-1907 (Series 25)

Reel 128, Volume Number 25.1, January 11, 1892-April 11, 1894

Box 38 of 44

Reel 129, Volume Number 25.2, April 16, 1894-December 31, 1894

Box 38 of 44

Reel 130, Volume Number 25.3, January 2, 1895-December 27, 1895

Box 38 of 44

Box 39

Reel 131, Volume Number 25.4, January 9, 1896-December 22, 1896

Box 39 of 44

Reel 132, Volume Number 25.5, January 5, 1897-October 10, 1901

Box 39 of 44

Reel 133, Volume Number 25.6, October 21, 1901-February 23, 1907

Box 39 of 44

Box 40

[No longer exists]

Box 40 of 44

Box 41

Copies of Museum Business Letters, 1888-1889, and Internal and Confidential Correspondence, 1887-1906

Reel 134, Volume Number 1, Museum Business Letters, February 29, 1888-December 28, 1888

Box 41 of 44

Reel 135, Volume Number 2, Museum Business Letters, January 3, 1889-December 27, 1889

Box 41 of 44

Collected Records: Smithsonian Institution Lunar Photography, 1890-1893

Box 41 of 44

Box 42

Reel 136, Volume Number 1, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, February 7, 1887-May 31, 1888

Box 42 of 44

Reel 137, Volume Number 2, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, May 31, 1888-July 3, 1889

Box 42 of 44

Reel 138, Volume Number 3, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, August 27, 1889-June 24, 1891

Box 42 of 44

Reel 139, Volume Number 4, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, To the Assistant Secretary, Chief Clerk, Curator of Exchange, Editor, August 28, 1899-March 16, 1893

Box 42 of 44

Box 43

Reel 140, Volume Number 5, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, Letters to G. Brown Goode, December 12, 1890-June 26, 1896

Box 43 of 44

Reel 141, Volume Number 6, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, September 17, 1891-May 31, 1895

Box 43 of 44

Reel 142, Volume Number 7, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, June 5, 1895-October 19, 1903

Box 43 of 44

Box 44

Reel 143, Volume Number 8, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, September 14, 1903-January 27, 1906

Box 44 of 44

Reel 144, Volume Number 9, Internal and Confidential Correspondence, June 18, 1887-April 27, 1891

Box 44 of 44

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