Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, circa 1950-1969

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0252
Creators:
National Museum of History and Technology. Division of Political History
Dates:
circa 1950-1969
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
3 cu. ft. (6 document boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These records consist of general correspondence, primarily public inquiries, particularly concerning the First Ladies' Hall and objects associated with presidents and other prominent figures; administrative files pertaining to exhibits and the operation of the Department of Civil History and MHT; annual reports of the Divisions of Civil History and Political History; curators' research reports; and examinations and reports concerning objects submitted to the Division for historical authentication.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Some of the earliest objects in the Smithsonian documenting American political history came to the United States National Museum (USNM) from the United States Patent Office in 1883. These objects consisted of a collection of George Washington relics originally purchased by the United States Congress as well as Washingtoniana exhibited at and transferred from the Patent Office.
These objects were the responsibility of various divisions in the USNM until 1949 when the Division of Civil History, Department of History, assumed curatorial responsibility. When the Museum of History and Technology (MHT) was set up in 1957, the Division of Political History, Department of Civil History, became responsible for the objects. In 1969 MHT was renamed the National Museum of History and Technology, and the Division of Political History became part of the Department of National and Military History.
From 1950 to 1969, curators in the Division of Political History and its predecessor, the Division of Civil History, included Margaret B. Klapthor, assistant curator, 1949-1951, and associate curator, 1952- ; Charles G. Dorman, assistant curator, 1957-1960; Anne W. Murray, assistant curator, 1957-1964, and associate curator, 1965-1967; Herbert R. Collins, assistant curator, 1961- ; Wilcomb E. Washburn, curator, 1965; Keith E. Melder, associate curator, 1965- ; and Claudia B. Kidwell, assistant curator, 1965-1967.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 252, National Museum of History and Technology. Division of Political History, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Clark, A. Howard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Belote, Theodore T. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Klapthor, Margaret Brown Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Murray, Anne Wood Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dorman, Charles G. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washburn, Wilcomb E. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Collins, Herbert Ridgeway, 1932- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Melder, Keith E. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kidwell, Claudia Brush Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). First Ladies Hall Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of Civil History Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Division of Civil History Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Section of Historical Relics Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Section of American Costume Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Division of Cultural History Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Hall of American Costume Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Growth of the United States (Exhibition) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Politics and culture Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Presidents -- United States Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
First ladies Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum curators Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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