Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia records

The Engineers' Club of Philadelphia records span from the late 19th century to the late 20th century and are housed in 59 boxes and 32 volumes. For the most part, the records document the club's history and general operations through meeting minutes, committee papers, and membership files...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Corporate Author: Engineers Club of Philadelphia (Creator)
Collection:Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia Records
Collection Number:3144
Format: Manuscript
Language:English
Subjects and Genres:
Online Access:Link to finding aid
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Item Description: Materials Separated from the Resource: None.
Physical Description: 20.6 Linear feet ; 59 boxes, 33 volumes
Summary: The Engineers' Club of Philadelphia records span from the late 19th century to the late 20th century and are housed in 59 boxes and 32 volumes. For the most part, the records document the club's history and general operations through meeting minutes, committee papers, and membership files. It would appear that much of this collection was culled for the purposes of publishing the club's history in 1970, thought there are plenty of files that date from the 1970s and 1980s. The collection has been roughly divided into three series (Club and board minutes,House and renovation committees [historical], and Administration), and generally remains in the order found. As with most organizational records, there are many carbon copies and photocopies, so researchers may find scattered duplicate papers, esepcially between series 1 and 3. Beyond its service as club documentation, the collection could also be used to trace the engineering profession and engineering projects in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania over the course of the 20th century.
The Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia has its roots in the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, where numerous engineers congregated to view the latest scientific and mechanical advances. The club itself was established in December 1877 and Professor Lewis Haupt (1844-1934) was named its first president. The club’s objectives included the “professional improvement of its members, the encouragement of social intercourse among men of practical science, and the advancement of engineering in its several branches.” This collection of the club's records covers about 100 years of its history and consists of minutes, correspondence, financial papers, committee reports, minutes of committee meetings, publications, awards given by the club, records of resignations, 100th anniversary planning documents, invitations, and menus. There are also papers pertaining to club affiliates, membership, and classes, as well as several disbound scrapbooks of club mailings, copies of the club's newsletter, Bulletin, and papers pertaining to the club's published history.