Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Transportation Nitrate Negatives

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0790
Creators:
Finney, Bill
White, Roger
Dates:
1925-1930.
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.2 Cubic feet
1 box
Repository:
Nitrate negatives depicting street views with automobiles and railroad cars, in several areas of the country. Many are numbered and dated in ink on the negative. The groups are: views of Newark, Ohio, by Bill Finney, March 19, 1926; Huntington, West Virginia, 1927; Cumberland, Md., by Bill Finney, Oct. 28, 1925; and "Baltimore, Md.--Sharp St. Looking South from Camden St. / for Police Dept. / Oct. 21, 1930.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This is a group of forty-three (43) cellulose nitrate negatives (8" x 10", 5" x 7", and smaller)depicting streets and railroad tracks with buildings such as houses, stores, and other commercial establishments. In many cases vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and railroad cars from about 1925-1930 appear in the images. Dates on the photographs include 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1930, and the unidentified images appear to have been made within the same date range. Most of the photographs apparently were taken by Bill Finney of Concord, New Hampshire. The locales depicted include Baltimore and Cumberland, Maryland; Newark, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; and areas in New England.

Arrangement

Arrangement
1 series. Numerically arranged.

Administration

Author
David E. Haberstich
Location of Originals
Prints from the negatives were made by OIPP for Roger White prior to the transfer of the negatives and are in the NMAH transportation collection files.
Immediate Source of Acquisiton
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Processing Information
Processed by David E. Haberstich, 2003. The headings below are transcriptions from the original envelopes (all of which have deteriorated and crumbled due to brittleness from exposure to the nitrate fumes). All original envelopes have been discarded, but the envelope captions were photocopied: the xerographic copies are filed in the collection control file.
Ownership and Custodial History
These negatives were collected by the NMAH Division of Transportation because of the subject matter depicted. They were transferred to the Archives Center by Roger White of the transportation collections (formerly Division of Transportation), primarily because of the self-destructing nature of the nitrate composition of the film. Before the transfer, White obtained copies of all the images for his office files.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
Advance appointment required, as original negatives are stored in a freezer. Researchers should use copies. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Preferred Citation
Transportation Nitrate Negatives, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Automobiles -- 1920-1930 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cumberland (Md.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Streets -- Maryland -- Baltimore Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newark (Ohio) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Streets -- Maryland Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Streets -- Ohio Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Streets -- West Virginia Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baltimore (Md.) -- 1920-1930 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Railroads Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Huntington (W. Va.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Railroads -- Trains Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- Nitrate -- 19th-20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Transportation Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu