Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology Records
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 3936
Records of the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology (IHTIA), an organization affiliated with West Virginia University, including reports and research papers regarding the history of industrial technology and preservation of historical sites, particularly within West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region. This collection also includes photographs, negatives, and photo mechanical transfers of historical sites in these regions. For a more complete list of IHTIA projects represented in this collection, please see the "Project Descriptions" note.
Addendum of 2022 (boxes 148-153) contains IHTIA materials found at the Bicentennial House following the departure of the West Virginia University Press from the building in 2022. These materials include documents and photographs from IHTIA recordation projects, including the St. Nicholas Central Breaker, Fairmont Industrial Guide, LaVale Toll House, Little Crossings Bridge, Park Gap Lane Truss Bridge, Crab Run Lane Truss Bridge, West Virginia Independence Hall, the Muskingum Navigation; and Croton Aqueduct (all boxes 148-149); Joanna Furnace (box 151); IHTIA Technical Reports for the Alexander Campbell Mansion and the Trump-Lilley Farm (box 150); and Battle of Blair Mountain Historic Structures documentation base maps (box 152). Additionally, there are IHTIA press release materials for Emory Kemp’s Benedum Distinguished Scholar Award lecture “Links in a Chain” and for the release of the Cement Mills Along the Potomac monograph (box 148). Also included in this addendum are Dr. Thomas Swiftwater Hahn’s 1983 photographs and negatives of historic Jefferson County, West Virginia buildings, structures and remains, and his hand-written Potomac River Valley cement mills notes (box 153). Hahn was an adjunct member of the IHTIA.
All or part of this collection is stored offsite. Please make an appointment prior to visiting.
Researchers may access born digital materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
The creation of the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology (IHTIA) was spurred in part by the work of Dr. Emory L. Kemp, a West Virginia University civil engineering professor and an internationally renowned covered bridge expert, to restore the Philippi Covered Bridge, which was severely damaged by fire in 1989. He was selected for the restoration by then Governor Gaston Caperton, who also hoped for the restoration of West Virginia’s other seventeen covered bridges. When Caperton’s original plans did not come to pass, WVU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Research William E. Vehse and Dr. Kemp created the idea of an institute to oversee the restoration of the Philippi Covered Bridge and the other seventeen bridges and its funding.
Concurrent with the announced Philippi Covered Bridge restoration, a grass roots effort was begun to save the High Gate Carriage House. James E. Watson, son of pioneer coal baron James Otis Watson, built the High Gate Mansion and Carriage House in 1910-1913. In the mid-1950s, the Ross Funeral Home purchased the mansion and opened a mortuary in the house. By the late 1980s, the carriage house, formerly a nursing home, was now unused. In the spring of 1989, a national fast-food chain announced plans to purchase and demolish the High Gate Carriage House, replacing it with a drive-in restaurant. These plans were met with local opposition and led to the formation of the Friends of High Gate, a non-profit organization to save the carriage house. US Representative Alan Mollohan, who lived nearby, was interested in historic preservation, but more importantly desired to see the historic carriage house saved and preserved. The friends group received congressional aid from Mollohan’s office and were able to purchase and save the property from development.
At this time, Mollohan approached Kemp about the preservation of the High Gate Carriage House property. Kemp undoubtably suggested that the High Gate Carriage House needed to be recorded to HABS Standards as one of the first steps in its preservation but would require funding. The documentation of High Gate Carriage House led to the initial federal funding of the IHTIA.
The Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology was founded by an act of the United States Congress in 1989. Under its founding act, IHTIA was authorized to document, preserve, and interpret historically significant sites relating to the nation’s industrial engineering and technology history, but it was also established as advisory group to Congress. In the late 1980s, industrial sites, such as Cambria Irons Works in Johnstown, Pennsylvania became units of the National Park Service, and many other industrial sites were being proposed. The IHTIA was created partially to advise Congress on which of these proposed parks should be included in the National Parks system. The industrial site evaluation charge was never fully realized, and IHTIA focused on its larger mission of the history of technology and industrial archaeology. The IHTIA was part of West Virginia University's Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
At first, IHTIA’s federal funding was very strong. This funding was complimented by an abundance of sponsored research projects and the future seemed bright. By the mid-1990s, however, things began to change with Vice President Al Gore’s changes to government, when the IHTIA’s budget became targeted as "wasteful federal spending." As a result, the IHTIA budget became part of HAER’s budget. This was coupled with the Historic American Engineering Record's (HAER; a partial funding source for IHTIA) declining funding, which led to a portion of IHTIA’s budget being appropriated by HAER. Following the 2001 September 11 attacks, funding dried up for Cultural Resource Management projects. During the early 2000s, the declining federal budget and the dearth of sponsored work, along with inadequate leadership, plagued IHTIA until it finally closed its doors in circa 2006.
Sources:
Authors recollections. Lee R. Maddex, IHTIA historian
Oral interview with Dr. Billy Joe Peyton, former IHTIA Associate Director, 2023 December 22
CRM Vol. 23 No. 4, 2000, p. 42
Please see control folder for a more in-depth history of the IHTIA.
74.04 Linear Feet (46 document cases, 5 in. each; 6 document cases, 4 in. each; 15 document cases, 2.5 in. each; 16 record cartons, 15 in. each; 8 flat storage boxes, 1.5 in. each (7 large, 1 small); 9 flat storage boxes, 3 in. each; 6 large flat storage boxes, 3.5 in. each; 2 small flat storage boxes, 2.5 in. each; 2 rolled storage boxes, 4 in. each; 23 rolled storage boxes, 5 in. each; 21 rolled storage boxes, 6 in. each; 1 index card box, 12 in.; oversize folders in map cabinets, 31 in.)
3.74 Gigabytes (427 files, file types include .wpd, .wps, .jpg, .doc, .jpg, .txt, .docx, .tif, .xls, .wav)
English
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
A large portion of bridge related content was created by Emory Kemp, Director of the Institute, as part of research he conducted outside the scope of IHTIA activities.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) material in this collection was collected and compiled by Larry Sypolt, an employee of the Institute.
Transfer from Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology, 2013/06/04
IHTIA Project Descriptions
The following list includes project descriptions for material in this collection, A&M 3936. For example, records for the Bridge Patent Survey can be found in boxes 15-18.)
Bridge Patent Survey (see boxes 15-18): This project was begun under the 1991 IHTIA work plan. During the summer of 1991, IHTIA staff amassed copies of approximately 500 American bridge patent drawings and specification spanning the years 1790-1890. As originally conceived the patent drawings and specifications would be scanned and published in a searchable CD-ROM format. This format eventually proved obsolete. Ultimately, the West Virginia University Press published the results of this survey in a 2005 monograph entitled American Bridge Patents: The First Century (1790-1890).
Trump Lilly Farm Historic Structures and Cultural Landscape Report (see boxes 24, 26-28, 56, 65/folder 1, 66/folder 26, and map cabinet 8, drawer 23): This project was sponsored research undertaken by a cooperative agreement between IHTIA and the National Park Service. The project deliverable was the Trump Lilly Farm Historic Structures and Cultural Landscape. The report, completed to NPS standards, included the following sections: administrative data, physical history and analysis, architectural and landscape data, recommendations and appendices. The report also included ink-on-mylar measured drawings of the farm structures existing conditions and photographs, both contemporary and historic. This work was undertaken in 1993-1994.
Thurmond Depot Historic Structure Report (see boxes 29-34, 51, 62/folders 9a-9c, 66/folder 25, and map cabinet 8, drawer 10): This project was sponsored research undertaken by a cooperative agreement between IHTIA and the National Park Service. The project deliverable was the Thurmond Depot historic structures report. This report, completed to NPS Standards, included narrative history of the depot, ink-on-mylar measured drawings documenting existing conditions, recommendations for adaptive reuse, and archival photographs. The final report was printed and distributed to New River Gorge National River and government repositories. Work was undertaken in 1990-1991.
Allegheny National Forest (see box 32 and map cabinet 8, drawer 4): A two year project. In the first phase IHTIA surveyed Allegheny National Forest (ANF) powerhouses and extant oil heritage sites as part of IHTIA project development (also in this first phase, IHTIA and the Society for Industrial Archeology Three Rivers Chapter conducted a site recording workshop on ANF). This work was undertaken during the spring of 1996. The second phase was sponsored research under a tripartite cooperative agreement between IHTIA, HAER and ANF. A combined team comprised of IHTIA, HAER and ANF staff and summer employees documented central power systems on Allegheny National Forest. IHTIA produced a narrative history, large-format photographs and ink-on-mylar measured drawings. This work was undertaken in the summer of 1997. After completion, this package was transmitted to HAER, and is included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER PA-436).
Magnolia Plantation (see boxes 38 and 64/folder 21): This project was undertaken in cooperation with HAER under the 1996 IHTIA work plan. IHTIA photographer served as project photographer on the HAER documentation of the Magnolia Plantation Cotton Gins and Presses, Natchitoches Vicinity, Louisiana. IHTIA produced large-format photographs of the structure, gins and presses. This work was undertaken in the summer of 1996. These photographs were transmitted to HAER and are included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER No. LA-11).
Shenandoah Pulp Mill (see boxes 39 and 66/folder 23): This project was undertaken in cooperation with HAER under the 1994 IHTIA work plan. IHTIA delineators and photographer recorded the ruins of the Shenandoah Pulp Mill, near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. IHTIA produced, to HAER Standards, ink-on-mylar measured drawings and large-format photographs. HAER staff completed the narrative history. This work was undertaken in the summer of 1994. The photographs and drawings were transmitted to HAER and are included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER WV-59).
Vance Farmhouse National Register Nomination (see box 65/folder 10 and map cabinet 8, drawer 1): This nomination was prepared under the 1990 IHTIA work plan. The Bicentennial House (aka Vance Farmhouse) was the headquarters of IHTIA. The nomination was prepared in the fall of 1990 and the Bicentennial House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in November 1991.
Skyline Drive Historic District National Register Nomination (see boxes 54, 65/folder 8, and map cabinet 8, drawer 21): Project was undertaken under a cooperative agreement between IHTIA and the National Park Service. IHTIA prepared a National Register Nomination for the105 mile long Skyline Drive, located in Shenandoah National Park. In addition to the National Register nomination, IHTIA delineators produced the Skyline Drive Landscape Report documenting the Skyline Drive overlooks and viewsheds. This work was undertaken in summer 1992. The Skyline Drive Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in April 1997.
Nuttallburg Mine Complex (see boxes 64/folder 22, 66/folder 21, and map cabinet 8, drawer 16): This project was under the 1991 IHTIA work. The Nuttallburg Mine Complex, located within the boundaries of the New River Gorge National River, was the first HAER level documentation undertaken by IHTIA. The HAER package consisted of a narrative history, large-format photographs, and ink-on-mylar drawings. The project was transmitted to HAER and is included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER WV-51). Work was undertaken in 1991-1992.
1992 Industrial Archaeology Field School (see boxes 62/folder 7, 62/folder 10, and 63/folder 1): The first of three field schools conducted by IHTIA and taught techniques of site recording. The 1992 Field School was funded under the 1992 IHTIA work plan. The students recorded the Boteler Cement Mill ruins, near Shepherdstown, WV and Virginius Island ruins at Harpers Ferry, WV with measured drawings and large-format photographs. Additionally, the students prepared a draft National Register Nomination for the Boteler Cement Mill. Ink-on-mylar drawings (completed by IHTIA staff) and photographs were transmitted to HAER and are included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER WV-82 & HAER WV-83).
La Belle Iron Works (see box 66/folder 18): This HAER project was funded under the 1990 IHTIA work plan. The La Belle Nail Works was one of two surviving American cut nail factories (now defunct). The HAER team documented the manufacturing process with a narrative history, large-format photographs and ink-on-mylar measured drawings. This package is included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER WV-47).
Warwood Tool Company (see boxes 63/folder 2, 65/folder 10, and 66/folder 28): This HAER project was funded under the 1990 IHTIA work plan. The Warwood Tool Company manufactures high quality railroad and industrial tools. The HAER team documented the manufacturing process with a narrative history, large-format photographs and ink-on-mylar measured drawings. This package is included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER WV-48).
Waverly Street Bridge (see boxes 63/folder 3, 66/folder 29, and map cabinet 8, drawer 24): The project was sponsored research undertaken under an agreement between IHTIA and the Allegany County [Maryland] Department of Public Works. The Waverly Street Bridge, recorded to HAER Standards, a narrative history, large-format photographs and ink-on-mylar measured drawings. The package was transmitted to HAER and is included in the Library of Congress HAER Collection (HAER MD-83).
Blair Mountain Reconnaissance Survey (see boxes 63/folders 9a-9b, 66/folder 5, and map cabinet 8, drawer 7): The West Virginia Humanities Council commissioned IHTIA, as an unbiased organization, to undertake a reconnaissance survey of the Blair Mountain Battlefield site. IHTIA staff spent a week in early February 1991 surveying the battlefield and interviewing local informants. IHTIA staff conducted additional research in Morgantown and produced the Blair Mountain Cultural Reconnaissance Survey Report. The final draft report was sent to the WV Humanities Council.
Advisory Committee Meetings (see box 47): The IHTIA Advisory Committee was an advisory board created to oversee how the IHTIA expended its federal funding. The committee met annually to discuss and approve the IHTIA work plan. The Committee consisted of representatives from the West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio State Historic Preservation Offices, the WVU Research Corporation, the Historic American Engineering Record and WVU History Department. Staff presented their work plan projects to the committee for discussion and approval.
Society for Industrial Archeology (see boxes 35-36 and map cabinet 8, drawer 30): Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA) is the professional organization for the discipline of industrial archeology. Emory Kemp was one of the founding members of SIA (founded in 1971). IHTIA was involved in SIA activities from its start. IHTIA initiated the formation of the SIA Pittsburgh Three Rivers Chapter in 1991 and hosted the 1993 Pittsburgh SIA Conference (including paper proposals, organizing tours, printing and mailing brochure, etc.). IHTIA hosted several Three Rivers Chapter symposia and staff attended and presented at numerous SIA conferences.
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IHTIA Projects Not in the Contents List
The following list includes projects undertaken by the IHTIA for which there are no descriptions of material in this collection, A&M 3936.
Anthracite/Bituminous Coal Study
Barrackville Covered Bridge Stabilization Plan
Bollman Truss National Landmark Nomination
Chestnut Ridge Iron Industry
Cononcocheague Creek Aqueduct (HAER MD-123)
Covered Bridge Video
Cut Nail Context
Fairbank Oil Field
Fairmont Industrial Survey
Field School 1994 (Clarysville, Maryland)
Field School 2001 (Canada)
Harvey Lock National Register Evaluation
High Level Bridge National Register Nomination
IHTIA Monographs
IHTIA Technical Reports
Industrial Site Evaluation
Iron and Steel Context
Ironmaking in the Virginias
Ironmasters Conferences 1999 and 2002
Joanna Furnace Recordation
Kanawha Valley Chemical Heritage Symposium May 2003
Kanawha Valley Chemical Industry Survey
Kaymoor Mine Site Stabilization
Lock and Dam No. 7 Video
Midland Trail Scenic Byways
Mississippi Basin Model
Monessen Open Hearth Study (HAER PA-253)
National Road Documentation
New River Gorge Historic Context Update
North Bend Rail Trails Guide
Northern West Virginia Coalfields Context
Oxford Furnace
Principio Furnace Management Plan
St. Nicholas Breaker
Staunton to Parkersburg Turnpike
Thurmond Depot Historic Furnishing Report
In addition, the following terms that regularly appeared in the collection have been abbreviated:
During a review of this collection, boxes 4 and 5 were combined. Box 5 no longer exists.
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository