Agency history, 1904-1995

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Subject

  • Bishop, Philip W
  • Gilbert, Chester Garfield
  • Schlebecker, John T
  • Daniel, Pete
  • Sharrer, G. Terry
  • Walcott, Charles D (Charles Doolittle) 1850-1927
  • Reed, Fred C
  • Watkins, William N
  • Mitman, Carl Weaver 1889-
  • Lewton, Frederick L (Frederick Lewis) 1874-1959
  • Hoffman, John Nathan 1923-1982
  • Kendall, Edward C
  • Houston, Charles O (Charles Orville) 1918-2001
  • Richards, Abraham
  • Walther, R. G (Robert G.)
  • Wessel, Thomas R
  • United States National Museum Department of Mineral Technology
  • United States National Museum Department of Mechanical Technology
  • United States National Museum Section of Agricultural History
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Industrial Cooperation
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Agriculture and Wood Products
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Manufactures and Heavy Industries
  • National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Extractive Industries
  • National Museum of American History (U.S.) Division of the History of Technology
  • National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Agriculture and Mining
  • United States National Museum Division of Mineral Technology
  • United States National Museum Division of Mechanical Technology
  • United States National Museum Department of Arts and Industries
  • United States National Museum Division of Engineering
  • United States National Museum Division of Crafts and Industries
  • United States National Museum Division of Textiles
  • United States National Museum Department of Engineering and Industries
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Science and Technology
  • Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Arts and Manufactures
  • National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Department of Industries
  • National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Division of Manufacturing

Category

Agency History

Notes

  • This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
  • Guide to the Smithsonian Archives, 1996
  • Annals of the Smithsonian Institution, 1984-1995
  • The Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources had its origins in a Department of Mineral Technology created in the United States National Museum in 1904. It became a Division in 1913, along with a Division of Mechanical Technology, reporting to the Department of Arts and Industries. In 1931 the two divisions were made sections in a new Division of Engineering. In 1938 they were attached to a new Division of Crafts and Industries, remaining there until the creation of the Museum of History and Technology in 1957.
  • In 1932 a Section of Agricultural History had been created as part of the Division of Textiles. In 1938 it was also attached to the Division of Crafts and Industries, Department of Engineering and Industries, where it remained until 1957.
  • In a 1957 reorganization, a new Department of Science and Technology inherited a Division of Agriculture and Wood Products from the old Division of Crafts and Industries. At the same time, a new Department of Arts and Manufactures housed a Division of Industrial Cooperation, which included the study of mining. In 1961 the Division of Industrial Cooperation was renamed the Division of Manufactures and Heavy Industries. A Department of Industries was created in 1969, along with the Division of Agriculture and Mining (formerly Agriculture and Forest Products). In 1976 Agriculture and Mining and the Division of Manufacturing merged to form a Division of Extractive Industries. In 1985 the Division of Extractive Industries became the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and in 1995 Agriculture and Natural Resources was absorbed into a newly created Division of the History of Technology.
  • Staff have included Charles D. Walcott, Honorary Curator, 1904-1912; Chester Garfield Gilbert, Curator, 1912-1919; Carl Weaver Mitman, Assistant Curator, 1915-1919, Curator of Mineral and Mechanical Technology, 1921-1931; Frederick L. Lewton, Curator, 1921-1946; Fred C. Reed, Associate Curator, 1947-1951; William N. Watkins, Associate Curator, 1951; Edward C. Kendall, Associate Curator, 1952-1965; John T. Schlebecker, Curator, 1965-1984; Philip W. Bishop, Curator, 1957-1966; Charles O. Houston, Associate Curator, 1960-1962; John Nathan Hoffman, Associate Curator, 1966-1981, Curator, 1982; Pete Daniel, Curator, 1984-1994; and G. Terry Sharrer, Museum Specialist, Assistant Curator, 1973-1979, Associate Curator, 1980-1982, and Curator, 1983-1994; Abraham Richards, Museum Specialist; Robert G. Walther, Museum Technician; and Thomas R. Wessel, Museum Technician.
  • For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of " above.

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1904
  • 1904-1994
  • 1904-1995

Topic

  • Mining
  • Mineral industries
  • Agriculture
  • History
  • Mining engineering
  • Mineral industries--History
  • Agriculture--History

Form/Genre

Mixed archival materials

Local number

SIA AH00248

Full Record

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