Philadelphia Area Archives

Start Over Form Contracts

General correspondence relating to Civil Works projects originating under the Wilmington and Philadelphia Engineers, 1907-1943 (bulk) 1871-1948 (inclusive)

Extent:: 113.0 linear feet
Abstract:: The Philadelphia District of the Army Corps of Engineers was established in 1866, to manage the water resources of the Delaware River Basin, and of the Atlantic Coast from the Manasquan Inlet of New Jersey to the southern boundary of Delaware. The “General correspondence relating to Civil Works projects originating under the Wilmington and Philadelphia Engineers” collection houses correspondence, blueprints, maps, bids, photographs and reports dating from 1871 to 1948 [bulk 1907-1943]. This collection relates to civil engineering projects in the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey area, such as: dredging of rivers, creeks and harbors; flood control; removing wrecks; bridge building and maintenance; dam building and maintenance; and relocations of roads, cemeteries and railroad lines.

Held at: National Archives at Philadelphia [Contact Us]

Nursing History Small Collections, 1856-2008 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.87 linear feet
Abstract:: The Bates Center's Small Collections are various, unrelated accessions that have been individually assigned collection numbers. Many of the Small Collections consist of a single folder.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing [Contact Us]

Independence Seaport Museum collection on New York Shipbuilding Corporation, 1919-1964 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.5 linear feet (4 containers, 1 volume)
Abstract:: The New York Shipbuilding Corporation (NYS) was founded in 1899 by Henry G. Morse (1850-1903), who served as the company’s first president. The company held significant government contracts during both World Wars, and built ships for the United States Navy, Coast Guard, and Emergency Fleet Corporation as well as the Department of Commerce and Labor. During the 1930s, the company built luxury ocean liners, such as the Manhattan and the Washington for the United States Lines, and also built ships for Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading Railroad, Standard Oil and American Export Lines. During its tenure, the New York Shipbuilding Corporation constructed over 500 ships. NYS completed its last ship in 1967 and went out of business shortly thereafter. The collection houses small caches of documentation relating to the history and operations of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation from 1919 to 1964. Of note, is an oversized scrapbook of newspaper clippings about the New York Shipbuilding...(see more)

Held at: Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library [Contact Us]

George R. Bennett Independent Order of Odd Fellows papers, 1926 february 1-1931 january 16 (inclusive)

Extent:: 8 item (8 pages)
Abstract:: Collection of letters, certificates, and contract related to the Crystal Fount Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 10, in Milford, Delaware, compiled by Grand Representative of Delaware George R. Bennett from 1926 to 1931.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

William Saroyan contracts for Sweeney in the Trees, 1941 (inclusive)

Extent:: 6 item (27 pages)
Abstract:: Letters and contracts related to William Saroyan's Sweeney in the Trees from 1941.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Bernard Shaw papers, 1887-1947 (inclusive)

Extent:: 56 item
Abstract:: This collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, a contract, receipts, proofs, and inscriptions by the Irish playwright Bernard Shaw.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Carl Haverlin papers relating to Carl Sandburg, 1909-1964 (inclusive) 1947-1963 (bulk)

Extent:: .7 linear foot (circa 535 items)
Abstract:: This collection consists of the Carl Sandburg files kept by BMI president and radio pioneer Carl Haverlin (1899-1985) spanning the years 1909-1964. During Haverlin's years at BMI he developed a close working relationship and friendship with Carl Sandburg.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Jack Butler Yeats correspondence, 1934-1955 (inclusive)

Extent:: 61 item (1 box)
Abstract:: The Jack Butler Yeats Correspondence is a collection of fifty-one letters from the Irish painter and illustrator to Kilham Robarts and other members of the Society of Authors, with some copies of letters he had written to MacMillan & Co. and their responses to Yeats.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Sam Shepard collection, 1968-1979 (inclusive)

Extent:: .3 linear foot (7 items)
Abstract:: The Sam Shepard collection is a group of seven incidental items spanning the dates 1968-1979, related to the dramatic work of this American playwright, which includes three playscripts, two programs, a contract, and a poster.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Richard Hoffman David Mamet collection, 1975-2002 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.5 linear foot (2 boxes) and 1 oversize removal
Abstract:: A collection of materials related to American playwright and screenwriter David Mamet, assembled by theater collector and book dealer Richard Hoffman.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Ashhurst family papers, 1818-1909 (inclusive)

Extent:: .3 linear foot (1 box) and 1 oversize removal
Abstract:: Personal and business papers of three generations of the Philadelphia-based Ashhurst family, including Richard Ashhurst (1784-1861); sons John Ashhurst (1809-1892) and Lewis Richard Ashhurst (1806-1874), partners with their father in the drygoods firm Richard Ashhurst & Sons; as well as the legal papers of Richard L. Ashhurst (1838-1911?).

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Donald Callender papers, 1968-2008 (inclusive) 1974-1999 (bulk)

Extent:: 24 linear foot (24 boxes)
Abstract:: This collection documents the for-profit and nonprofit work of Donald W. Callender, Jr., an industrial archaeologist whose career in the greater Delaware-Pennsylvania-New Jersey area has involved maintenance and restoration of railroads and rail cars. In addition, Callender was involved in the establishment of a regional living history museum, the leadership of historic preservation organizations, and efforts to restore the Wilmington Waterfront and increase tourism to the city. The collection also documents his personal interest in sailing and tall ships and his involvement in the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Richard McCann papers, 1920s-2008 (inclusive) 1978-2005 (bulk)

Extent:: 13.2 linear foot (16 boxes)
Abstract:: The Richard McCann papers document the personal life and professional career of this American author, poet, and educator. The collection includes McCann's early creative writing; teaching materials; reviews, essays, and critical writing; personal and professional correspondence; and extensive drafts of McCann's poetry and fiction. McCann's fiction has autobiographical roots, often drawn from family relationships and personal experiences, as illustrated in photographs and family memorabilia also included in the collection.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Theatre Guild, Inc. collection regarding William Saroyan's Love's Old Sweet Song, 1939-1940 (inclusive)

Extent:: .3 linear foot (1 box)
Abstract:: The Theatre Guild Inc. collection regarding William Saroyan's Love's Old Sweet Song consists of .3 linear feet of material dating between 1939 and 1940 and includes a playscript, contracts, and a photograph from Broadway production of the play directed by American author, playwright, and composer of Armenian descent William Saroyan and American actor, playwright, and producer Eddie Dowling.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

World fairs and expositions collection, 1851-1967 (inclusive) 1893 (bulk)

Extent:: 0.6 linear feet (2 boxes) and 5 oversize box
Abstract:: This artificial collection comprises a variety of types of material documenting world fairs and expositions, spanning the dates between 1851 and 1967, with the bulk of the collection dating from the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Material consists of printed matter and ephemera, including newspapers, programs, invitations, maps, brochures, viewbooks, advertisements, stationery, contracts, bonds, trade cards, and a scrapbook; photographs and prints; and realia souvenirs.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Delaware Theatre Company records supplement, 1983-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:: 12.5 linear foot (11 boxes)
Abstract:: Educational and community outreach programs are the main focus and the bulk of this supplement to the Delaware Theatre Company records, with a large component consisting of the files of the Director of Education & Community Engagement, C. J. Conway.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Delaware Theatre Company records 2019 supplement, 1978-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:: 33.3 linear foot (34 boxes) and 1 audio cassette
Abstract:: The Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) was founded in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1978 with a mission to create theater of the highest professional quality in Delaware and thereby enrich the area through artistic programming, education and community service. The DTC records 2019 supplement comprises the organization's administrative and financial records, production files, press, and reviews from 1978-2015.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Conard-Pyle Company records supplement, 1868-2000 (inclusive) 1910-2000 (bulk)

Extent:: 13.3 linear foot (14 boxes)
Abstract:: The Conard-Pyle Company records supplement includes substantial additions to the series in the original collection, as well as records which constitute three new series related to the Atlantic Coast Nurseries, Inc., printed material, and Robert Pyle's professional papers.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Austin Dobson collection, 1762-1999 (inclusive) 1861-1962 (bulk)

Extent:: 8.3 linear foot (9 boxes), 7 oversize box, and 4 oversize removal
Abstract:: The Austin Dobson collection comprises approximately six linear feet plus oversize material of correspondence, manuscripts, proofs, contracts, royalty statements, artwork, photographs, wills, genealogies, periodicals, clippings, scrapbooks, copper plates, and printed ephemera. The collection documents the work and life of English author and civil servant (Henry) Austin Dobson (1840-1921) and the management of Dobson's estate and literary legacy by his youngest son, Alban Dobson (1885-1962) and his son, Christopher Dobson (1916-2005), primarily during the period between the author's death in 1921 and Alban Dobson's death in 1962.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

William G. Thompson Briarwood Writers' Alliance correspondence and publicity records, 1964-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:: 8 linear foot and 1 oversize box
Abstract:: William G. Thompson as President of the Briarwood Writers' Alliance, Inc., represented more than 150 writers, poets, and performers by booking lectures and readings at educational institutions, literary gatherings, and community events.

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]

Writghtsville and York Railroad Company contracts and receipts, 1836-1837 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1 volume
Abstract:: An oversize volume comprising the contracts and receipts of payment for the construction of the Wrightsville to York Railroad line spanning one year from 1836 to 1837.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Vera Dreiser papers, 1899-1961 (inclusive) 1928-1952 (bulk)

Extent:: 13 linear feet (31 boxes)
Abstract:: Vera Dreiser (circa 1908-1998) was a psychologist who practiced first in New York from 1947 to 1961, and later in California until her retirement in 1972. She is the niece of novelist Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) and of composer Paul Dresser (1858-1906). This collection is comprised of materials from Vera Dreiser's personal and professional life as well as materials related to the musical and literary estates of Paul Dresser and Theodore Dreiser.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Marian Anderson papers, circa 1900-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:: 450 boxes
Abstract:: The Marian Anderson Papers are comprised of correspondence; business records and contracts; manuscript and typescript biographical materials; notes, journals, calendars, and financial documents; programs and publicity materials; awards and honorary degrees; clippings; scrapbooks; memorabilia; and some materials belonging to her sisters Alyse Anderson and Ethel De Preist, her mother Anna D. Anderson, and her husband, Orpheus H. Fisher. As a result of a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) project, "Discovering Marian Anderson," selections of material from this and other Marian Anderson collections may be viewed online.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Leopold Stokowski papers , 1916-1994 (inclusive)

Extent:: 47 boxes (+ 1 map drawer)
Abstract:: Some personal papers of Leopold Stokowski, including correspondence to and from Stokowski, notebooks, calendars, bank statements, royalty statements, insturance records, and contracts; this includes some correspondence and contracts related to Stokowski's tenure as conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra (bulk 1937-1946). Also includes writings by and about Stokowski, obituaries, programs, photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, awards, memorabilia, and issues of three newsletters devoted to Stokowski. Also includes administrative correspondence of the former curator of the Leopold Stokowski Collection at the Curtis Institute of Music, Dr. Edwin E. Heilakka, 1980-1994.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Edwin Forrest collection, circa 1815-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:: 39 linear feet (76 boxes)
Abstract:: The Edwin Forrest Collection provides some documentation of the business career of Edwin Forrest (nineteenth-century American actor, noted for his Shakespearean roles), focusing in the main on the latter part of his career (the 1860s and 1870s). Though some private personal correspondence is housed in the collection, predominant is correspondence concerning various aspects of Forrest's finances; these are arranged by major investments or interests.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Herbert R. Northrup collection of Boulwarism research materials, 1904-1990 (inclusive)

Extent:: 22 boxes
Abstract:: This collection primarily contains material relating to contract negotiations between General Electric (GE) and the International Union of Electrical Workers (IUE) and the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), and the resulting case before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Northrup used this material to examine GE's employee relations policies and the implications of Boulwarism for two articles and a subsequent book. Also included in the collection is a box of personal and financial correspondence belonging to Lemuel R. Boulware and Northrup's business correspondence when he worked in the private sector as a consultant, as well as his time at GE.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Chaim Potok papers, 1954-2002 (inclusive)

Extent:: 233 boxes
Abstract:: The papers document the literary career, professional endeavors, rabbinical work, and personal life of 20th-century writer Chaim Potok. The collection comprises personal and professional correspondence, writings, lectures, sermons, research, drawings, promotional material, contracts, memorabilia, and letters from admirers. Potok's writing process can be traced from conception to publication: from notebooks for ideas, outlines, hand-written drafts, and annotated typescripts and galleys. Some works took on many forms and required several collaborations: one example, The Chosen, his first novel, published in 1967, was adapted into a film, a musical, and a play. There are over 1500 correspondents, including colleagues, family members, and friends. Potok's working and social relationships are demonstrated in letters with his editor, Robert Gottlieb, and with scholars such as Jonas C. Greenfield, Moshe Greenberg, and Nahum M. Sarna. Other correspondents include writers Elie Wiesel,...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Waldo Frank papers, 1879-1977 (inclusive)

Extent:: 63 linear feet (132 boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Abstract:: The papers document the literary career and the personal and professional life of twentieth-century American novelist and writer Waldo David Frank. Comprising correspondence, writings, publicity, writings by others, memorabilia, photographs, scrapbooks, and clippings spanning from 1879 to 1977, the collection contains 132 boxes and 3565 folders. The correspondence documents Frank's personal and professional relationships with writers, editors, artists, friends, and family. Letters from friendships with other writers and artists such as Jean Toomer, Sherwood Anderson, Alfred Stieglitz, Lewis Mumford, Van Wyck Brooks, and Hart Crane document congenial collaborations, sharing of ideas, and disagreements. The writings contain his notebooks, major works, articles, essays, and early writings tracing Frank's works and ideas of society and culture with psychological and social themes of man and his environment. Frank's passion for the culture and study of Spain, Latin America, and...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

S. Day Pastrycook and Confectioner, Fancy Bread & Biscuitmaker records, 1822-1873 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.33 linear feet (1 box)
Abstract:: Samuel Day (born 1806 or 1807 in Middlesex, England) owned and operated his own business, S. Day Pastrycook and Confectioner, Fancy Bread & Biscuit Maker, located in Strood and Rochester, Kent County, England. This collection includes Day's contract of indenture, apprenticeship rules, recipes, and detailed records of clients' orders dating from 1850 to 1873.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Philadelphia Orchestra 1966 Latin American Tour collection, 1961-1966 (inclusive)

Extent:: 0.6 linear feet (2 boxes)
Abstract:: In the 1960s, the Philadelphia Orchestra was led by music director Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985), who, with his predecessor, Leopold Stokowski, brought the Philadelphia Orchestra to international attention. The concert promoter, Oscar Humberto Alcazar Vega, determinedly spent five years planning for the Philadelphia Orchestra to tour Central and South America. This collection documents the Philadelphia Orchestra's 1966 Latin American Tour and includes material created and collected during the planning, from 1961 to 1966, as well as the tour which took place from May to June 1966.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Theodore Dreiser papers, circa 1890-1965 (bulk dates 1897-1955) (inclusive) 1897-1955 (bulk)

Extent:: 244 linear feet (503 boxes)
Abstract:: Contains 22 series, including correspondence (118 boxes); legal matters (7 boxes); writings (260 boxes), comprising books, essays, short stories, poems, plays, screenplays, radio scripts, addresses, lectures, interviews, introductions, and prefaces; journals edited by Dreiser (6 boxes); notes (9 boxes); diaries (5 boxes); biographical material (1 box); memorabilia (41 boxes), comprising scrapbooks, photographs (many of which are available online), art work, promotional material, postcards, and miscellanea; financial records (5 boxes); clippings (23 boxes); works by others (12 boxes); and oversize materials (2 boxes). Also includes materials regarding various family members: brother Paul Dresser (8 boxes of correspondence, sheet music and lyric sheets, clippings and memorabilia, and two plays written by Dresser); second wife Helen Dreiser (4 boxes of diaries and other writings); and niece Vera Dreiser (2 boxes of correspondence).

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

Blair and Lee Family Papers, 1640-1946 (inclusive) 1812-1920 (bulk)

Extent:: 474 boxes and 253 linear feet
Abstract:: The collection consists of the personal and family papers of five members of the Blair and Lee families of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia -- Francis Preston Blair (1791-1876); his daughter, Elizabeth Blair Lee (1818-1906); her husband, Samuel Phillips Lee (1812-1897); their son, Blair Lee (1857-1944, Princeton Class of 1880); and his cousin, Andrew Alexander Blair (1848-1932) -- reflecting their various political, journalistic, naval, family, business, legal, and domestic interests.

Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

Struthers Burt Papers, 1911-1954 (bulk) 1845-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:: 33 boxes
Abstract:: Struthers Burt was a noted poet, prose writer and rancher in the first half of the twentieth century. The collection includes various copies of some of Burt's own works, correspondence with family and friends from his days at Princeton University, and assorted materials about his family and genealogy.

Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]