Archival Research Catalog (ARC)

Historical Documents Online: Search Hints for Selected Topics

Civil and Mechanical Engineering


  • Selected Photographs from the Kansas City District and the St. Louis District of the Office of the Chief of Engineers 1789 - 1988
    70 photographs from the Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, and St. Paul districts of the Office of Chief of Engineers have been digitized. The digitized items date from 1890-1970. These materials are held by the National Archives at Kansas City, MO.

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 70 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter 77 in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Select the Location filter marked NARA's Central Plains Region (Kansas City)
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 285978, Title: "President Franklin D. Roosevelt and party. Near Minneiska, Minnesota., 08/08/1934"

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  • Selected Photographs Relating to Federal Construction
    20 photographs relating to Federal construction have been digitized. The digitized images include the United States Mint in Denver, CO, and photographs documenting construction work on Federal highway projects in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, South Dakota, and Texas. These materials are held by NARA's Rocky Mountain Region (Denver, CO).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 20 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Bureau of Public Roads in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the Location filter marked NARA's Rocky Mountain Region (Denver)
    7. .
    8. Press the Go button.
    9. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 293493, Title: "View taken September 26, 1935, looking west from Cherokee Street, 09/26/1935"

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  • Selected Photographs from the Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District
    70 photographs have been digitized. These images relate to river, harbor, and coastal defense work projects. The images document the management of waterways and water pollution control, flood control programs, dredging of harbors and waterways, hydrology, storm damage reporting, ground water investigations, testing of breakwaters and dams, clearing of obstructions to navigation's and studies of port and terminal facilities. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region(Riverside, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 70 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter General Administrative Files in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link for General Administrative Files.
    8. Scroll down to the part of the description that says Includes 10 file units. Click the link to view all file units. Within the file units, click on the Includes link to view the digitized items for each file unit.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 295304, Title: "View showing steamboat 'Cochan' on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona. This picture was taken in 1900 by Mr... L. C. Easton, formally employed by this office"

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  • U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, Civil Works Project Photos, and Correspondence Relating to Specific River and Harbor Improvements
    65 photographs have been digitized from the Civil Works Project Photos, ca. 1892 - ca. 1952 series. The photos are primarily those taken during and after the construction of dams, although there are some photos of Corps "Floating Plants" (i.e. ships owned and operated by the Corps) and of area floods. The correspondence relates to specific river and harbor improvements. Included among the correspondence are a few maps, charts, graphs, blueprints and photographs as supporting documentation for specific projects.

    87 photographs have been digitized from the Civil Works Projects Photographs, ca. 1900 - ca. 1952 series. These photos were taken of the Civil Works projects from the Office of the Chief of Engineers civil works projects for the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. All these materials are held by NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 158 digitized images:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Seattle District in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Select the Location filter for NARA's Pacific Alaska Region, (Seattle).
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 298742, Title: "Wrangell harbor, Alaska. Dredge at work in harbor, ca. 1923 - ca. 1928."

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  • Photographs of Projects, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Galveston Division, 1900 - 1953
    15 photographs have been digitized from this series. The series includes black and white photographs mounted on cardboard of Fort Crockett (1902-1906, 1917), Fort San Jacinto (1902-1906, 1942), Fort Travis (1902-1905), and the Galveston Sea Wall (1900-1925, 1951-1953) These materials are held by NARA's Southwest Region (Fort Worth, TX).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 15 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Galveston District in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 278143, Title: "No. 3, Sea Wall, From West of Rapid Fire Battery, Fort Crockett, 07/31/1905"

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  • Papers of Louis M. Howe, 1913 - 1936
    1 document, D.K. Major letter to Robert Fechner regarding funding for the Civilian Conservation Corps, dated April 5, 1933 has been digitized from this collection. The collection consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, reports, processed material, press releases, speeches, drafts of articles, and news clippings. These files are present for 1913-21 and 1928-36, but files for the intervening years will be found filed among the papers of Franklin D. Roosevelt. These materials are held by the Franklin D Roosevelt Library(Hyde Park, NY).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 1 digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter D. K. Major letter in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 194778, Title: "D. K. Major letter to Robert Fechner regarding funding for the Civilian Conservation Corps., 04/05/1933"

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  • Federal Aid Project Files, 1919 - 1955
    35 photographs have been digitized from these series. The digitized items relate to the Bureau of Public Roads' Portland Office, Olympia State Office, and Salem Office. Case files may contain copies of the route report, project agreement, project statement, sketch map, resolutions, other agreements, inspection reports, final voucher, and right-of-way information. Some files contain construction photos. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 35 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Bureau of Public Roads in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the Location filter for NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle) .
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 298257, Title: "Alsea Rier Crossing Station 60, Sec. 9 1-150 ft. Housed Howe truss and 1-50 ft. Housed pony Truss. Highwater line at top of pier sheeting, note rip rap at end of embankment., ca. 1923."

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  • Lewis Hine Photographs for the Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933
    190 photographs from this series have been digitized from this photographic survey of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) projects. Mountaineer families forced to vacate their homes and lands because of the construction of Norris Dam, rock drilling at the dam site, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers, industries in Kingsport, and examples of local folk crafts and culture. These materials are held by NARA's Still Picture Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 190 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Lewis Hine AND Tennessee in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 532640, Title: "Lonely farm home near Bulls Gap, Tennessee, 10/22/1933", Local Identifier: NWDNS-142-H-16

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  • Kodak Negative File, 1933 - 1976
    1,800 photographs have been digitized from this series of approximately 531,000 negatives.  Photographs include the following scenes: power generation facilities; Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) buildings; agricultural projects; Civilian Conservation Corps Camps; steam plants; nuclear plants; and TVA events. In addition, the photos depict family homes, farms, and mills in TVA construction areas, and in some cases, includes pictures of the families themselves. Also included are photos of towns, streets, churches, schools, courthouses and graveyards, all of which were relocated. These materials are held by NARA's Southeast Region (Atlanta, GA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 1,800 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Tennessee Valley Authority. Information Office in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 2000.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 279850, Title: "Kelley's Mill, Savannah, TN, 1936"

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  • Narrative Reports of Individual Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camps, May 1935 - September 1938
    15 multi-page documents have been digitized from this Department of the Interior, Grazing Service series. Note that only a portion of these documents have been digitized and made available online. These materials are held by NARA's Rocky Mountain Region (Denver, CO).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 15 multi-page digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter A Narrative Report AND Camp in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the Location filter for NARA's Rocky Mountain Region (Denver) .
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 292855, Title: "A narrative report compiled by Camp Superintendent Harry Warr on Camp DG-13, Secret Valley, Litchfield, California, 1937"

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  • Selected Photographs from the Fortification Files of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
    8 photographs from this series have been digitized. The digitized images relate to the construction of the harbor defenses in and around San Francisco Bay. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 8 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Coastal Defense in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 296366, Title: "No. 89A Fort Funston, Calif., Gun Tube No.1, Rigging for backing load to entrance of reservation., 04/14/1937"

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  • Civilian Conservation Corps Photographs and Related Correspondence, 1939 - 1941
    115 photographs from this series have been digitized. This series shows Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) personnel and their activities on Bureau of Reclamation projects. The digitized images include photographs of crews working on canals pouring cement, preparing reservoirs, excavating for roads, cleaning their quarters, and planting and harvesting crops for food. These materials are held by NARA's Rocky Mountain Region (Denver, CO).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 112 digitized images, plus 3 related digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Civilian Conservation Corps Division Supervising Engineer in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.
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    ARC Identifier: 293557, Title: "CCC Camp BR-73 Boise Project: Photo showing a truck signaling device perfected at Camp BR-73 Boise Project., 12/02/1939"

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  • Selected Photographs from the St. Paul and Chicago Districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
    107 photographs have been digitized from these series. The digitized images include improvement projects on the Mississippi River; construction and use of the Illinois-Mississippi Canal; work relating to the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers; harbor improvement projects at Lake City and St. Paul, Minnesota; and operations and maintenance files relating to the Mississippi River Nine Foot Channel Project. These materials are held by NARA's Great Lakes Region (Chicago).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 107 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Basic search screen.
    3. Enter Corp of Engineers in the Keywords box.
    4. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    5. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    6. Select the Location filter marked NARA's Great Lakes Region (Chicago).
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 282332, Title: "Photograph with caption "Locomotive Sterling". Sept. 30, 1901., 09/30/1901"

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