Descriptive Entry

The National Museum Building Construction Records, 1894 - 1919 (bulk 1903 - 1911), document the process and methods used to construct the National Museum Building that is now known as the National Museum of Natural History. These records primarily refer to the management of the construction aspects of the project, documenting specifications for services and supplies, proposals received as bids to meet these specifications, and contracts that were issued to companies to deliver the supply or service. There is correspondence to and from the Superintendent of Construction, Bernard R. Green, concerning the management of the contracts, orders issued, discussion with inspectors, and companies that were not fulfilling their contracts. A portion of this correspondence and material concerns the process of documenting the failure of two companies, Frank F. Graham and Thompson-Starrett Co., to fulfill their contracts for the project. Additionally, there is accounting and administrative information on the project workers, applications for employment, daily reports, expenses for items, and the receipt of shipments of materials, primarily for cut granite.