Descriptive Entry

These records include records of the Buildings Management Department and its predecessors, including subject files, photographs, plans, reports, sketches, drawings, blueprints, memoranda, and correspondence concerning maintenance, financial matters, labor and supply costs, visitors, receptions, exhibitions, guard forces, and buildings maintained by the Department.

Annual reports from the Superintendent of Buildings and Labor (1902-1946) contain maintenance reports of the Division; financial statements broken down by maintenance, labor, and supply costs; salary of staff positions; visitor reports of the United States National Museum and Smithsonian Institution Building; special visitors, receptions and exhibitions in the USNM; and watch force reports. Buildings maintained by the Division included the Smithsonian Institution Building, Arts and Industries Building, Museum of Natural History Building, Ninth Street Annex, Emery Building, and South Shed. There is a table of contents for each report beginning with the annual report of 1907. Reports are arranged in chronological order.

Buildings and museums represented in this collection include: Anacostia Museum, Barney Studio House, Belmont Conference Center, National Museum of History and Technology, National Museum of Natural History, National Collection of Fine Arts, National Portrait Gallery, National Air and Space Museum (formerly the National Air Museum), Arts and Industries Building, Freer Gallery of Art, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Radiation Biology Laboratory, Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Smithsonian Institution Building, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center, and Silver Hill Facility.

Historical Note

The Buildings Management Department (BMD) and its predecessors operated, maintained, and protected the Smithsonian's offices, museums, and research facilities in the Washington, D.C., area. They provided security for museum collections, and information, direction, and assistance to Smithsonian visitors. In performing these duties, the Department supplied engineering, design, fabrication, repair, communication, transportation, special mechanical, and safety services.

Henry Horan was the first Superintendent of Buildings, holding that position from 1880 to 1896. In 1896, J. Elfreth Watkins became Chief of the newly created Division of Buildings and Superintendence. Another reorganization in 1902 gave Watkins the title of Superintendent and James S. Goldsmith that of Supervisor of Construction. In 1904, the Division of Construction and Labor was created. The title was changed to Buildings and Labor in 1915, Buildings and Grounds in 1954, and Buildings Management Department in 1958. Goldsmith was Superintendent from 1904 to 1935; Royal H. Trembly held the position from 1935 to 1943; and Lawrence L. Oliver held it from 1943 to 1957. Oliver became Buildings Manager in 1958 and was succeeded by Andrew F. Michaels in 1959. In 1965 the title was changed to Director of Buildings Management Department and Michaels held the position until 1973. In 1973, the Buildings Management Department was reorganized into a number of newly created offices.