Subject Finding Aid Project (Update 3)

It’s been a while since my last update on the status of the Subject Finding Aid Project.  An update for Batches 6 and 7 was promised as “on the horizon” in my previous blog, and it’s finally time to deliver the goods.  In Batches 6 and 7, we’ve been able to add 4,356 new descriptions … Continue reading Subject Finding Aid Project (Update 3)

Duck and Cover in the Family Fallout Shelter: Civil Defense Preparedness in the Cold War Era

On September 23, 1949, President Harry S. Truman released a brief statement to the press stating that within recent weeks, an atomic explosion had been detected within the U.S.S.R, signaling the start of a new arms race. In order to ease Americans' fears and coordinate civil defense strategies between the federal, state, and local governments, … Continue reading Duck and Cover in the Family Fallout Shelter: Civil Defense Preparedness in the Cold War Era

Crowds of people standing on each side of the new lock, as well as on the lock gates which are closed. Label on original photograph reads, "August 3, 1896. Opening of Poe Lock. At intermediate gate."

The Mighty Soo: Construction of the Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

When the Soo Canal was completed at Sault Ste. Marie in 1855, the journey through the rapids of the St. Mary’s river went from seven weeks of arduous portaging to seven minutes through the newly constructed State Locks.1 Over the next century, four locks would be constructed, repaired, and replaced, leading to more tons of … Continue reading The Mighty Soo: Construction of the Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Spotlight: Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway

This week’s post highlights photographs from RG 30, Records of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR). These images come from series 30-RW and depict the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway from the clearing of land to paving. The series begins with images from 1931 depicting the construction of Skyline Drive, a scenic road that connects to the … Continue reading Spotlight: Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway