Reference Request
Record Unit 7003, Langley, Samuel P, 1834-1906, Samuel P. Langley Papers, 1867-1906
Collection Overview
General Information About This Collection | |
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Repository: | Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu. |
Creator: | Langley, Samuel P, 1834-1906 |
Title: | Samuel P. Langley Papers |
Dates: | 1867-1906 |
Quantity: | 12.88 linear meters and oversize. |
Collection: | Record Unit 7003 |
Language of Materials: | English |
Summary: | These papers document important aspects of Langley's scientific and administrative career. Most of the material documents the progress of his aeronautical research from his first flying model of 1891 through the failure of his Aerodrome A of 1903. Also, information files housed in the National Air and Space Museum Library include secondary accounts and photographs relating to Langley's aeronautical studies. Related materials in the NASM Library include the Stephen M. Balzer papers, 1898-1902, which consist of correspondence with Langley and his associate, Charles M. Manly, regarding Balzer's aerodrome engines. |
Descriptive Entry
Samuel P. Langley (1834-1906) was the third Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Apparently, many of Langley's papers were accidentally burned after his death. Langley papers in the Smithsonian are housed in the Smithsonian Archives and the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). The Allegheny Observatory holds papers from Langley's years there, from which copies of Langley's correspondence, 1867-1887, have been made for this collection.
These papers document important aspects of Langley's scientific and administrative career. Most of the material documents the progress of his aeronautical research from his first flying model of 1891 through the failure of his Aerodrome A of 1903. Also, information files housed in the National Air and Space Museum Library include secondary accounts and photographs relating to Langley's aeronautical studies. Related materials in the NASM Library include the Stephen M. Balzer papers, 1898-1902, which consist of correspondence with Langley and his associate, Charles M. Manly, regarding Balzer's aerodrome engines.
Materials in this collection consist of publications, including a bound collection of writings, and original manuscripts of many of Langley's publications, 1869-1905; diaries and shorthand notebooks, mostly kept by Langley's secretary, 1889-1905; bolograph curve and line spectrum readings; microfilm and photocopies of Langley's outgoing correspondence from the Allegheny Observatory, 1867-1887; astrophysical research correspondence; scrapbooks, 1890-1903; aeronautical research, including correspondence, wastebooks, and notes of Langley and Manly and their assistants, E. C. Huffaker, L. C. Maltby, B. L. Rhinehart, and R. L. Reed; and oversize aerodrome drawings and bolometer readings.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Allegheny Observatory.
- Balzer, Stephen M.
- Huffaker, Edward C.
- Maltby, L. C.
- Manly, Charles Matthews, 1876-1927
- Reed, R. L.
- Rinehart, Bentley L.
- Smithsonian Institution
Subject
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7003, Langley, Samuel P, 1834-1906, Samuel P. Langley Papers
Container List
Box 1
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1891-1901
Box 1 of 38
Box 2
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1897-1905
Box 2 of 38
Box 3
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1889-1891
Box 3 of 38
Box 4
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley - Reports, 1887-1905
Box 4 of 38
Box 5
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1869-1882
Box 5 of 38
1900 Solar Eclipse Expedition of APO [Astrophysical Observatory], 1904
Box 5 of 38
Total Solar Eclipse of July 29, 1878, Observations at Pike's Peak, Colorado, and Experiments in Aerodynamics by Samuel P. Langley, 1891
Box 5 of 38
The Internal Work of the Wind, by Samuel P. Langley, 1893
Box 5 of 38
Samuel P. Langley's Private Copy of Experiments in Aerodynamics, 1891
Box 5 of 38
Box 6
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1883-1889, Numbers 69-104
Box 6 of 38
Box 7
Collected Writings of Samuel P. Langley, 1883-1889, Numbers 690-104
Box 7 of 38
Box 8
Photocopies of Letterpress Book from Allegheny Observatory, pages 1-352
Box 8 of 38
Box 9
Photocopies of Letterpress Book from Allegheny Observatory, pages 353-479
Box 9 of 38
Box 10
Miscellaneous correspondence, reports, articles and ephemera. Mostly concerns Langley's appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian in 1887, but also includes materials on his aerodynamics research.
Box 10 of 38
Notices and Reviews of Works by Langley
Box 10 of 38
Material relating to Langley as made available to Mr. White for preparation of his "tribute" published in Smithsonian publications
Box 10 of 38
Publications by Langley and List of Books Read by Langley
Box 10 of 38
Lecture on Air by Langley
Box 10 of 38
The Internal Work of the Wind by Langley
Box 10 of 38
Box 11
Publications and Articles (3 folders)
Box 11 of 38
Newspaper Clippings
Box 11 of 38
Publications and Articles (4 folders)
Box 11 of 38
Box 12
Publications and Articles (4 folders)
Box 12 of 38
Newspaper Clippings Concerning Langley
Box 12 of 38
Box 13
Program for Dinner given by the American Railway Guild in Honor of the Permanent Commission of the International Railway Congress, 1905
Box 13 of 38
Constitution and By-Laws of the Metropolitan Club, 1904
Box 13 of 38
Diary of "O & F" Work for Smithsonian, 1899
Box 13 of 38
Diary of "O & F" Work for Smithsonian, 1900
Box 13 of 38
Diary of "O & F" Work for Smithsonian, 1901-1902
Box 13 of 38
Box 14
Notebooks. Includes G.B. Wells, "O & F" Account, 1900; Address Book for Langley (kept by G.B. Wells), 1900; and Notebook of Expenses, 1900; Appointment Book, 1905.
Box 14 of 38
The Strollers Constitution and By-Laws
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1889-1891
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1891-1892
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1893
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1893-1894
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1895
Box 14 of 38
Diary, 1900
Box 14 of 38
Box 15
Diary, 1893
Box 15 of 38
Diary, 1897
Box 15 of 38
Diary, 1899
Box 15 of 38
Diary, 1900
Box 15 of 38
Diary, 1898
Box 15 of 38
Box 16
Diary, 1901
Box 16 of 38
Diary, 1902
Box 16 of 38
Diary, 1903
Box 16 of 38
Diary, 1904
Box 16 of 38
Diary, 1905
Box 16 of 38
Box 17
Newspaper Clippings Regarding Langley's Death, 1906
Box 17 of 38
Correspondence, 1906. Some of these letters were written by Samuel P. Langley shortly before his death. Most correspondence is between John W. Langley with the Smithsonian concerning Langley's effects.
Box 17 of 38
Langley Memorial Remarks and Correspondence
Box 17 of 38
Langley Memorial Remarks and Lists of Invited Guests
Box 17 of 38
Box 18
Spectrum Reports, 1898 (4 folders)
Box 18 of 38
Box 19
Personal correspondence, 1889-1897
Box 19 of 38
Personal correspondence, 1890
Box 19 of 38
Personal correspondence, 1882-1898. Much of this concerns Langley's experiments.
Box 19 of 38
Personal correspondence, 1886-1889
Box 19 of 38
Correspondence concerning the Estate of William Thaw, 1891
Box 19 of 38
Personal correspondence, 1895. Copy book of outgoing correspondence.
Box 19 of 38
Account Book 1888-1906
Box 19 of 38
Personal correspondence, 1866-1869
Box 19 of 38
Box 20
Outgoing correspondence, 1904-1906
Box 20 of 38
Outgoing correspondence, 1886-1893
Box 20 of 38
Outgoing correspondence, 1893-1900
Box 20 of 38
Box 21
Card Index of People Langley Knew (3 folders)
Box 21 of 38
Invitations to Langley Memorial
Box 21 of 38
Box 22
Unidentified Correspondence, 1889-1904
Box 22 of 38
Receipts and Experiment Charts. Appear to concern velocity and aerodynamic studies.
Box 22 of 38
Correspondence Regarding Solar Eclipse, January 1, 1889
Box 22 of 38
Private Letters on Samuel P. Langley Matters, 1906
Box 22 of 38
Box 23
Langley Bird Research and Aeronautics Correspondence and Notes
Box 23 of 38
Langley Correspondence in reference to Aerodrome
Box 23 of 38
Langley - Data on his Aerodrome (3 folders)
Box 23 of 38
Box 24
Solar Eclipse Images (3 folders)
Box 24 of 38
Smithsonian Institution Fire (1865). Annotated envelope.
Box 24 of 38
Article on Aeronautics by O. Chanute
Box 24 of 38
1900 Solar Eclipse Expedition of the Astrophysical Observatory, 1904
Box 24 of 38
The Astrophysical Observatory by Samuel Langley, 1897
Box 24 of 38
Box 25
Yearly Time Book - Aerodrome Work, 1902
Box 25 of 38
Yearly Time Book - Aerodrome Work, 1903
Box 25 of 38
Notes and Correspondence Regarding Aerodrome Work
Box 25 of 38
Scrapbook Containing a Summary of Principal Events re: to Langley's Aerodromic Work in the Order of Dates Beginning with 1897
Box 25 of 38
Associations to which Langley Belonged
Box 25 of 38
Receipts for Letters Sent by the Secretary
Box 25 of 38
Box 26
Letters about Langley's Illness
Box 26 of 38
Letters Regarding Cyrus Adler's Biographical Sketch of Langley
Box 26 of 38
Langley's Memoirs (incomplete)
Box 26 of 38
Langley Biography
Box 26 of 38
Newspaper Clippings. Includes photographic portrait of Langley.
Box 26 of 38
Time-Service Matter
Box 26 of 38
Publication of New Astronomy
Box 26 of 38
Letters to Langley
Box 26 of 38
Cyrus Adler Correspondence Regarding Langley
Box 26 of 38
Subscriptions for Langley Portrait
Box 26 of 38
Box 27
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, pages 329-479
Box 27 of 38
Box 28
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. I, pages 1-328
Box 28 of 38
Box 29
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. I, c. 1887-1891
Box 29 of 38
Box 30
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. II, c. 1884-1898
Box 30 of 38
Box 31
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. III, pages 2-417
Box 31 of 38
Box 32
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. II, c. 1885-1887
Box 32 of 38
Box 33
Photocopies of Allegheny Observatory Letterpress Book, Vol. III, c. 1886-1887
Box 33 of 38
Box 34
Drawings and Tables Regarding Pressure Recorder
Box 34 of 38
Box 35
Langley Correspondence, 1895-1897 (Accession 91-008)
Box 35 of 38
Huffaker's Report on Whirling Table, 1895
Box 35 of 38
Experiments on Soaring Speed
Box 35 of 38
Drawing of Langley Aerodrome
Box 35 of 38
Box 36
Langley Aerodrome Photographs
Box 36 of 38
Eclipse Photographs, Wadesboro, North Carolina, May 28, 1900
Box 36 of 38
Allegheny Observatory Photographs
Box 36 of 38
Box 37
"Wastebook" (5-512). Contains photographs (signed by T. W. [Thomas William] Smillie) and technical descriptions of Aerodromes.
Box 37 of 38
Box 38
Wind Tunnel Data from Allegheny Observatory, 1888-1890
Box 38 of 38
Wind Tunnel Data Disks, 1888
Box 38 of 38
Wind Velocity Tests, c. 1890
Box 38 of 38
Propeller Hub Technical Drawing
Oversize
Balloon Experiment Drawing
Oversize
O&F Account Cyanotype
Oversize
Aerodrome Exhibition Poster
Oversize
Placard Describing Langley's Aircraft (possibly used in an exhibit)
Oversize
Mechanical Drawings (4 on linen, 1 cyanotype, 1 paper)
Oversize
Chalk Drawing of Sun/Eclipse/Solar Corona (possibly by Langley)
Oversize
Gouache Drawings of Sunspots (?)
Oversize
"Official Secretarial Portrait (photographic) of Langley"
Oversize
Charts Showing Location of Houseboat, Flight Paths
Oversize
"Lunar Halo and Meteor Observed at Fort Dodge, Iowa," January 20, 1885
Oversize
"Configuration of the Heavens at the Death of President James A. Garfield," September 19, 1881
Oversize
"Nativity Chart of James A. Garfield" and "Configuration of the Heavens at the Birth of Howard B. Hess," 1882
Oversize
"Annual Eclipse of the Sun," June 15, 1885
Oversize
"Graphs on Linen Draft Paper - Plate II," c. 1880s
Oversize
"Sifting Train," 1888
Oversize
Diagram of Screen Used in Spectrometer - "Energy and Vision"
Oversize
- Finding Aid encoded on: 9-9-2014
- Contact us at osiaref@si.edu