Environmental Resources, Record Groups 7-13
RG-7 Records of the General Assembly
The legislative power of the Commonwealth is vested in the General Assembly. Consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the General Assembly has the authority to enact laws, appropriate funds, and levy taxes. It also possesses the power to propose constitutional amendments, impeach public officials, conduct investigations, and confirm certain executive appointments. The first General Assembly was a unicameral body established under the Constitution of 1776 and possessed broad powers that enabled it to dominate the executive and judicial branches of government. This imbalance was corrected with the Constitution of 1790 that created a bicameral assembly and provided for a popularly elected governor. The General Assembly is a continuing body during the term for which its representatives are elected. It meets at noon on the first Tuesday in January and then regularly throughout the year.
Senate
Members of the Senate must be at least 25 years of age and a citizen and inhabitant of the state for at least four years. Since the passage of the Constitution of 1874, the Senate has consisted of fifty members and they are elected to four-year terms. The term of service commences upon the first day of December following their election. The members of the Senate elect one among themselves as President pro tempore to preside over the sessions of the Senate and this officer also performs the duties of the Lieutenant Governor should the office of Lieutenant Governor fall vacant. All appropriations bills must originate in the House of Representatives before they can be taken up by the Senate, and under Article III, Section 11 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, general appropriation bills can only be used to authorize funds for the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial dept's; for interest on the public debt, and for public schools. All other appropriations for the expenditure of state funds must be made through separate bills, each of which may cover only one subject.
House of Representatives
Members of the House of Representatives must be at least 21 years of age and a citizen and inhabitant of the state for at least four years. Representation in the House is apportioned by population and since 1967 there have been 203 House Districts. Representatives are elected to two-year terms and their term of service commences upon the first day of December following their election. The members of the House elect one among themselves as the Speaker of the House to preside over the sessions of the House. All bills for raising revenue originate in the House of Representatives. Under Article III, Section 11, of the Pennsylvania Constitution, general appropriation bills can only be used to authorize funds for the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial dept's; for interest on the public debt, and for public schools. All other appropriations for the expenditure of state funds must be made through separate bills, each of which may cover only one subject.
Committee Bills
1971-1972, 1977-1978
7 cartons
{series #7.4}
Grouped alphabetically by committee name and there under by date.
These are bills submitted by committees in the House of Representatives. The major committees relating to environmental history are Agriculture, Conservation, Game and Fisheries, and Mines and Energy.
Committee Hearing Transcripts, Testimony and Reports
1965-1974
38 cartons
(series #7.6)
Arranged chronologically by date of hearing or report.
This series contains transcripts of hearing testimony and reports of various committees of the House of Representatives. House bill number, printer's number, place and date of hearing, names of those present, subject of bill under consideration, names of those giving testimony and transcript of the testimony taken is provided in the hearing transcripts. Some of the main committees with relevance for environmental history here include Conservation, Agriculture, Business and Commerce. The following are examples of documents found here.
- For the year 1972 in carton 21, for instance there is information on acid mine discharges, flood relief programs and the Delaware Port Authority.
- For 1973 in carton 23 is found several volumes and notebooks relating to the Conservation Committee's hearings on the Appalachian Trail.
- For 1974 in carton 36 are hearing transcripts of the Mines and Minerals Committee on the Anthracite Coal Industry.
Committee Minutes
1945-1978
4 cartons
{series #7.7}
Grouped by committee and arranged there under chronologically by date of meeting.
In this series are minute books and committee record sheets of the committees of the House of Representatives. Information provided in the minute books is date of meeting, names of the members present, names and numbers of bills considered by the committee, motions made by members of the committee, names of members making and seconding motions, names of each member voting yea or nay, and signature of the secretary of the committee. Information provided on the record sheets is number of bill or resolution, surname of sponsor, date referred to the committee, a brief description of the contents of the bill, and action taken. Relevant committees include Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Fisheries, Game and Conservation, and Mines and Energy Management.
House of Representatives and Senate Committee
Hearing Transcripts, Testimony & Reports
1855, 1872, 1915, 1933, 1940-1941, 1955-1956, 1959-1961, 1963, 1965-1985.
14 cartons & 1 box
{series #7.29}
Arranged more or less chronologically by date of hearing.
These are typed transcripts of committee hearings and testimony. Information provided is name of committee, date of hearing, names of committee members present, verbatim transcript of the testimony given and index of the names of witnesses. Items of interest include the following:
- The hearing transcripts for 1959 cover, House Bill 324 (the Air Pollution Control Bill), House Bill 1178 (concerning fisheries), House Bill 1702 (on highways), House Resolution 19 (on the investigation of the Knox Mine disaster), and House Resolution 95 (investigating the decline of fishing license sales).
- For the year 1960 there are hearing transcripts concerning Spring Creek pollution and the House Committee on Fisheries' investigation into fishing and lake management problems in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- For the year 1965 there are hearing transcripts concerning the prohibition of detergents containing more than 500 mg per liter of phosphate.
- Among available materials for the period 1966-1972 are hearings about the state's clean streams program, the use of pesticides and the disposal of garbage in abandoned coal mines in Schuylkill County.
- The material for 1973-1985 concern the energy crisis, nuclear power plants and the cost of electricity, and low level radioactive waste.
Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control & Conservation Committee
Newsletters, Annual Reports, etc.
0.25 cu. ft. in each accession
unprocessed
- 2006-2007: accession #4968
- 2005-2006: accession #4775
- 2005: accession #4619
- 2004-2005: accession #4544
- 2003-2004: accession #4342
- 2003: accession # 4220
- 2002-2003: accession #4054
- 2002: accession #3839
- 2001-2002: accession # 3801
- 2001: accession #3658
- 2001: accession # 3377
- 2000-2001: accession #3579
- 2000-2001: accession #3535
- 1999-2000: accession # 3292
- 1999: accession #3202
Public Hearing Transcripts
1989-1999
1 carton
accession #3131
unprocessed
Newsletters, Research Monograph #8
1990-1999
1 carton
accession #3126
unprocessed
Local Government Commission
Agricultural Land Regulation Legislation
2001
0.25 cu. ft.
unprocessed
The item is "Quick Reference to Pennsylvania's Statutory and Regulatory Measures to Protect Agricultural Land and Open Space," September 2001.
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania (CRP)
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Center was established in 1987 by the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization Act (Act of 1987, P.L. 163, no. 16). The Center works with executive agencies, and federal, regional and community organization to maximize resources and strategies that can better serve the needs of Pennsylvania's 3.4 million rural residents. The Center promotes and sustains the vitality of Pennsylvania's rural and small communities by awarding grants fro applied research and model projects, maintaining and disseminating information on rural trends and conditions, publishing research and project results, and sponsoring local, state and national forum on rural issues. Documentation about the Center's work is found here in chiefly three groups: grant project files, publications and records of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. The latter series includes newsletters and fact sheets. Among the following accessions, there is no correspondence available. This series is unprocessed as of 2007.
These records include newsletters, non-grant publications, grant-related publications, fact sheets, and grant files.
CRP Records
1988-1999
10 cu. ft.
accession # 3195
unprocessed
CRP Records
1993
1.5 cu. ft.
accession # 3540
unprocessed
CRP RECORDS
1993-1994
1 cu. ft.
accession # 3661
unprocessed
CRP RECORDS
1993-2001
0.1 cu. ft.
accession 3672
unprocessed
CRP RECORDS
2002
0.1 cu. ft.
accession 3840
unprocessed
Grants
Environmental topics covered by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania grant program include
- Integrating Wildlife Management
- Sport Fishing
- Impact of Land
- Agricultural production
- Acid mine damage
- Farmland preservation
- Municipal land use
- Acid mine damage
Grant Files
1997-1999
3 cu. ft.
accession # 4895
unprocessed
GRANT FILES
1992-1999
2 cu. ft.
accession #4691
unprocessed
GRANT FILES
1995-1996
4 cu. ft.
accession #4269
unprocessed
Publications
The publications represented here are newsletters, grant publications, general publications, and fact sheets. Topics covered include drought relief, farm conservation enhancement programs, the federal farm bill, and "growing greener in Pennsylvania."
Publications
2000-2003
1 cu. ft.
accession #4027
unprocessed
RG-10 Records of the Office of the Governor
The Constitution of 1790 and succeeding constitutions have placed supreme executive power in the Office of the Governor. As the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth, the Governor is responsible for directing and supervising the activities of the administrative dept's, boards and commissions under his authority in order to insure the faithful execution of the laws of the Commonwealth. The Governor is the commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state, except when they are called into federal service. Legislative and judicial powers, including the remission of fines, the commutation of sentences, the granting of reprieves and pardons in conjunction with the recommendations of the Board of Pardons, and the right to veto bills of the General Assembly, are vested with the chief executive. The Governor is also responsible for submitting the state budget for consideration by the legislature. Though Senate confirmation is required for some appointments, either directly or indirectly, the Governor controls the appointment of patronage positions within most state administrative agencies. The Governor is elected for a four-year term and may succeed him or herself for an additional term.
Under the Office of the Governor are found records of organizational units supporting the Governor's Office, such as the Secretary of Administration, Office of the Budget, Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, etc. But it has only been since the administration of Governor Robert Casey that the actual records of the governor have also been included in this record group. For more information on Pennsylvania's governors see the manuscript groups for William Bigler (MG 22), John F. Hartranft, Edward Martin (MG 156), John S. Fisher (MG 159), Arthur H. James (MG 160), Robert E. Pattison (MG 168), Samuel W. Pennypacker (MG 171), William A. Stone (MG 181), James H. Duff (MG 190), David L. Lawrence (MG 191), John C. Bell Jr. (MG 194), John S. Fine (MG 206), George M. Leader (MG 207), William W. Scranton (MG 208), Raymond F. Shafer (MG 209), George Wolf (MG 277), Milton J. Shapp (MG 209), George H. Earle (MG 342), Martin C. Brumbaugh (MG 348), James A. Beaver (MG 389), Dick Thornburgh (MG 402), and Robert P. Casey (MG 406).
Governor Gifford Pinchot
If Gifford Pinchot had not become governor, he would be still famous for his legacy for America's forests. In fact, Pinchot was quoted as saying, "I have been governor every now and then, but I am a forester all the time." Pinchot was born August 11, 1865, to Episcopalian parents in Simsbury, Connecticut, the son of James W. Pinchot, a successful New York City wallpaper merchant and Mary Eno, daughter of one of New York City's wealthiest real estate developers, Amos Eno. The first member of Pinchot's family in Pennsylvania, Francis Joseph Smith, came from Belgium with a letter from Benjamin Franklin to Robert Morris, and after serving as major in the Revolutionary War, settled in the Delaware Valley at Shawnee, now in Monroe County. Pinchot's great grandfather, Constantine Pinchot, and his grandfather, C.C.D. Pinchot, settled in Milford, Pike County, in 1816. James Pinchot was born in Milford and built the present Pinchot mansion there in 1886. The former governor's home, known as Grey Towers, is now owned by the USDA Forest Service (founded by Pinchot) and is a national historic landmark.
Governor Pinchot received his preparatory education at Philips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, and was graduated from Yale University in 1889. Pinchot was determined to establish forestry as a legitimate profession, despite the fact that forestry was not a recognized profession at that time in the United States. Amos Eno offered his grandson a business position that most likely would have made Pinchot independently wealthy, but Pinchot considered forest conservation a more important calling. With his father's encouragement, he studied forestry in Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria. In January 1892, Pinchot, at the invitation of George Vanderbilt, created the first example in the United States of practical forest management on a large scale at Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate, near Ashville, North Carolina. Proving that conservation practices could be both beneficial for forests and still profitable, the Biltmore arboretum became a model for forest management around the world.
From 1898 to 1910, Pinchot consolidated the fragmented government forest work under the U. S. Division of Forestry, later the Bureau of Forestry, and then the United States Forest Service. In 1903, Pinchot also became professor of Forestry at Yale University and, in 1904, his friend President Roosevelt appointed him chief of Forestry. Under Pinchot's guidance, the number of national forests increased from 32 in 1898 to 149 in 1910. Pinchot and Roosevelt agreed on many points of conservation and worked tirelessly to end the destruction of U. S. forests.
Pinchot also visited the Philippine Islands in 1902 and recommended a forest policy for the islands. He was appointed by President Roosevelt to the Committee on Organization of Government Scientific Work, appointed by President Roosevelt and the Commission on Public Lands in 1903; the Commission on Department Methods, in 1905; the Inland Waterways Commission, appointed in 1907; and, in 1908, to the Commission on Country Life, Chairman of the National Conservation Commission, and Chairman of the National Conservation Commission. He was also appointed chairman of the Joint Committee on Conservation, by the first conference of Governors at Washington, December 1908. In 1917, he was a member of the U. S. Food Administration.
On August 15, 1914, Pinchot married Cornelia Elizabeth Bryce (1881-1960), a native of Rhode Island and daughter of a wealthy journalist and politician, Lloyd Bryce. Cornelia and Gifford both were longtime friends with Theodore Roosevelt, who attended their wedding. As one of the most politically active first ladies in the history of Pennsylvania, she was a very strong advocate for women's rights, full educational opportunities for women, seeking wage and union protections for women and children, and encouraging women to participate in the political process. Her family's wealth, influence from socially and politically prominent relatives, and Progressive Era politics proved to be a great influence on her husband's political agenda. Her influence among female voters is credited as a key factor in the election of her husband. Cornelia Bryce Pinchot ran for the U.S. House of Representatives three times and attempted to succeed her husband as governor in the primary of 1934, but lost all four elections. It was not until 1942 when Pennsylvania elected the first woman to Congress (Veronica Grace Boland) and only four other women between 1942 and 2001.
Pinchot also created forest ranger jobs for Native Americans, as well as a plan of compensation for tribes cheated by unscrupulous lumbering contracts. However, politics and special interests brought Pinchot's role in the Division of Forestry to an end. He often found himself at odds with Richard Achilles Ballinger, who replaced Jim Garfield as Commissioner of the General Land Office and was then appointed secretary of the interior by President William Taft. Ballinger opposed many conservation policies and regarded some actions by Pinchot and Roosevelt as illegal. As long as Roosevelt was in office, Pinchot was able to accomplish many conservation goals. Even though Pinchot had the support of the majority of Congress and Taft promised publicly to continue Roosevelt's conservation policies, and despite Pinchot's resistance to more extreme conservationists, Taft came down on the side of industry and removed Pinchot from office. Reclaiming lands and forests for federal protection meant taking away profits from corporations interested in mining, logging, and water resources.
Pinchot first expressed interest in running for governor in 1910, but he did not then meet Pennsylvania's minimum length of residency, which was seven years. In 1914, he ran for U.S. Senator, but lost to political boss Boies Penrose. When Penrose died in 1921 and Governor Sproul divided Republican Party liberals and conservatives, it created an opportunity for the independent-minded Pinchot, who was serving as commissioner of Forestry of Pennsylvania between March 10, 1920, and April 13, 1922. Sproul supported George E. Alter of Allegheny County, so Pinchot ran as an underdog. While Alter won in Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties, Pinchot carried sixty-one of sixty-seven state counties and won by just 9,259 votes in the primary. Significant in voting that year was this was the first gubernatorial election in which women could vote. With Pinchot's support of women's issues, his strong support of Prohibition and other moral issues, his reputation as a conservationist, and the influence of his wife Cornelia, Pinchot easily defeated his Democratic opponent, John A. McSparran, 831,696 to 581,625 votes.
During his first term in office, the governor was known for his accessibility to the public and Pinchot concentrated on the regulation of electric power companies and reorganizing state government. A 23 million dollar state deficit was eliminated under his administration and he revised laws for care and treatment of the mentally ill and retarded, devised a state employee retirement system, an old age pension system, and settled a coal mining strike in 1923. He favored a revision of the state constitution, but, unable to gain enough support, he settled for a new 178-page administrative code.
Prohibited by the state constitution from succeeding himself, Pinchot again ran for the U.S. Senate in 1926, but ran third behind William S. Vare and George Wharton Pepper. It was Governor Pinchot's duty to issue a certificate of election to Vare, but wrote that the election was, "partly bought and partly stolen." After a U. S. Senate investigation, Vare was denied a seat because of fraud and corruption. Vare, from a powerful Philadelphia political dynasty, became one of Pinchot's enemies and put his forces behind Francis Shunk Brown, grandson of former Governor Shunk. Joe Grundy, an influential Bucks County millionaire and foe of Vare, was key to garnering support for Pinchot. Credit was also given to future Governor John S. Fine who helped make sure ballots were handled fairly in Luzerne County where there was a reputation for fraudulent elections. Pinchot defeated Brown in the primary by 20,000 votes, having won Luzerne County by more than 26,000 votes, and despite Brown's win in Philadelphia by 190,000 votes. In the 1930 November election, Republican anti-Pinchot political forces, led by Vare, and those who favored repealing Prohibition, opposed Pinchot, but Pinchot still managed to defeat Democrat John M. Hemphill by more than 32,000 votes out of two million cast.
During Pinchot's second term, Pennsylvanians were suffering from the Great Depression. State unemployment rose from 11.8 percent when he took office to 40.2 percent when he left office. It was within this economic backdrop that Pinchot worked to reach other goals, including: a reduction in utility rates, pensions for the blind, and, following federal law, curbing abuses by corporations and financial institutions. He also saw to improvements in 20,000 miles of rural roads; the creation of the Sanitary Water Board, the first anti-pollution agency in the country; and the purchase of the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation. Also updated was the juvenile court system and repeal of requiring voters to present tax receipts as a quasi poll tax. Other Pinchot proposals to help citizens during the Depression were often met with resistance from a conservative "do nothing" legislature. For example, a Pinchot proposal to provide unemployment compensation was not passed, although it finally became law with the next governor.
Pinchot, at six-foot, one-inch tall, was always athletic. He was captain of the Yale freshman football team, once played Teddy Roosevelt six straight sets of tennis and then raced the president to the White House. While governor and in his 60s, he was a student pilot and won a 75-yard dash against a much younger cabinet member. His energy, maverick philosophy, and a magnetic and dynamic personality were part of his public appeal. In 1938, the Depression had contributed to ending the hold of Republicans in Pennsylvania. At first, the only candidate thought to have a chance of restoring a Republican governor was Pinchot, then age seventy-three. However, support swung to Arthur James, who was elected, thus bringing an end to Pinchot's political career.
Pinchot continued his work on behalf of conservation and adding to his legacy. Over his lifetime he was a member of the National Farmers' Union, the Pennsylvania State Grange, the executive committees of the National Board of the Farm Organizations and the Pennsylvania Y.M.C.A. He was a member of the University and City Clubs of Philadelphia. He authored several books, including: The White Pine (with H. S. Graves), 1896; The Adirondack Spruce, 1898; A Primer of Forestry, Part 1, 1899, Part 2, 1905; The Fight for Conservation, 1910; The Country Church (with C.O. Gill), 1913; The Training of a Forester, 1914; Six Thousand Country Churches (with C.O. Gill), 1919; To the South Seas, 1930; and, his autobiographical record of his conservation years, Breaking New Ground, 1947.
Pinchot had one child, Gifford Bryce Pinchot. Gifford Pinchot died on October 4, 1946, and is buried in Milford Cemetery, Pike County. Not only is Gifford Pinchot State Park in northern York County named after him, but a year after his death, Cornelia Pinchot spoke at the dedication of Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State.
State Planning Board
The Pennsylvania State Planning Board was created in 1934 by Governor Gifford Pinchot. In 1936 it became an independent administrative board under Act No. 32 (July 1936). The Board was responsible for conducting and stimulating research, preparing plans or programs for the physical and economic development of the state, and examining all initial plans for programs. Such programs might include studies concerning economic and agricultural productivity, soil resources, minerals, water and forest products, population growth, employment and income trends, transportation and housing, recreational facilities, flood protection, stream pollution, highway safety, and other fields vital to the public welfare.
Works Progress Administration (WPA) Bituminous Coal and Coal Mining Maps
1934-1936.
(3 digitized rolls)
{series #10.60}
Indexed alphabetically by 15 minute quadrangle name.
The series has quadrangle maps of bituminous coal areas in Pennsylvania drafted by the Works Progress Administration during the second administration of Governor Pinchot. Each map is drawn on a scale of one inch per mile. The maps provide the WPA project number and the name of the geographic area represented in the map. The legends for the map provides information concerning active and abandoned oil wells, active and abandoned gas wells, dry holes, shafts, barrier pillars, crop lines, coal contours, drift and slope openings, county lines, township lines, and borough lines.
Preliminary Report to Governor Gifford Pinchot and to the National Resources Board
1934
0.5 cu. ft.
accession #3942
unprocessed
Governor Dick Thornburgh
Dick Thornburgh was born in Pittsburgh on July 16, 1932. He served as Pennsylvania's governor as a Republican from 1979 to 1987. For a biography and additional papers of Governor Thornburgh see the Dick Thornburgh Papers (MG-402).
Office of Policy and Planning
Governor Dick Thornburgh established the Office of Policy and Planning through an Executive Order in 1979 as a decision-making office. The Office of Policy and Planning prepares plans and makes policy recommendations for the orderly and coordinated development of the state; facilitates coordinated planning by and among state agencies; and served as the central agency to collect and disseminate ideas and information bearing on public policy problems.
Appalachian Regional Commission Project Files
1973-1975.
(1 carton)
{series #10.25}
Arranged alphabetically by county name.
This is a series containing flood insurance studies prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for Project ARC 73-60 during the administration of Governor Thornburgh. Statistical data, such as peak discharges and elevation frequency data, is the bulk of the information found in the studies. Information on the sources for the study and how it was conducted are also included, along with proposals and contracts.
Governor Robert P. Casey
Robert Patrick Casey was born in Jackson Heights, New York on January 9, 1932 to Alphonsus ("Al") L. and Marie Cummings Casey. Governor Casey's great grandfather, Edward, emigrated from Ireland during the "great hunger" of 1851 and eventually settled in Pennsylvania's anthracite region. Casey grew up in Scranton where his father practiced law. Al Casey had worked in a coal mine as a boy and as a laborer until finishing high school as a non-traditional student. Later he enrolled in and completed a law program at Fordham University in New York for individuals who did not hold a college degree. Returning to his native Scranton the elder Casey quickly earned a reputation as an exceptional lawyer who represented working people and aggrieved mineworkers. He was also active in county Democratic politics.
Influenced by his father, "Spike," as the younger Casey was widely known, graduated in 1949 from the Scranton Preparatory School where he was elected president of the senior class and head of student council. An avid athlete, Casey played baseball, headed the school's varsity basketball squad, and was named one of the top five basketball players in Lackawanna County. His athletic talents earned him a tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies though he relinquished the offer to attend The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester Massachusetts on an athletic scholarship. There he earned a degree in English, cum laude, in 1953. Following graduation he married Scranton native Ellen Harding. The couple relocated to Washington, D.C. where Casey attended law school at the George Washington University on a trustee scholarship.
Casey received his J.D. in 1956, practiced law in the nation's capitol, and then returned to Scranton where he won election as a state senator in 1962. With the backing of the state Democratic Party he sought the governorship in 1966 and lost the primary to television cable mogul Milton J. Shapp who, in turn, lost the general election that year to outgoing Governor William W. Scranton's lieutenant governor Raymond P. Shafer. In 1968, after serving as first vice president of the state constitutional convention, Casey was elected by a 440,000-vote margin as auditor general, the Commonwealth's taxpayer watchdog. Two years later, at age thirty-eight, Casey sought the governor's office for a second time with the endorsement of state Democrats. Once again, however, the primary went to Milton Shapp who won the office in November 1970. Casey was reelected auditor general in 1972 by a half-million vote margin in year when Republican presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon carried Pennsylvania by nearly a million votes. Few criticized the work Casey did as auditor general. He was credited with ending corrupt practices that had plagued the office for decades, hiring certified public accountants, investigating fraudulent use of state money, and saving Pennsylvania taxpayers millions of dollars. The reputation for integrity that Casey had earned caused one Philadelphia newspaper to refer to him as "too honest a politician" for the Keystone State.
Constitutionally limited to two terms, Casey left the auditor general's office in January 1977, returned to private law practice, and sought the governorship for a third time in 1978. The Democratic primary that year went to Pittsburgh Mayor Pete Flaherty who lost the general election to Dick Thornburgh. For the next several years Casey practiced law with the Philadelphia-based firm of Dilworth, Paxson, Kalish, and Kaufman, managing its Scranton office.
Though it appeared that Thornburgh's heir was his lieutenant governor and native Lackawanna County resident William W. Scranton III, Casey launched an aggressive campaign in 1986. He secured the primary election by defeating Philadelphia's district attorney Edward Rendell. Time magazine dubbed the Casey v. Scranton race as a "coal town contest". In one of the closest gubernatorial elections in Commonwealth history, Casey defeated Scranton in the November general election by a 79,000- vote margin. On January 20, 1987, he became the fifth Democrat in the twentieth century to be sworn into the governor's office vowing to bring an activist government to Harrisburg. Casey won re-election in 1990 by defeating Auditor General Barbara Hafer by nearly 1.2 million votes-the largest margin that any Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate had yet secured.
During the 1980s and 1990s the Commonwealth continued its economic transition from heavy industry to service and technology. Steel mills closed following the lead of coalmines, apparel and textile factories, and manufacturers of many sorts. Health care, service industries, retailing, and technology gradually replaced the once prosperous industrial-based Pennsylvania economy. Coupled with a national recession in the early 1990s some communities experienced double-digit unemployment rates while the Commonwealth saw its largest budget deficit in the twentieth century.
Casey professed that government had an obligation to sustain and protect children, families, workers, businesses, and the environment and that doing so would ensure and economic stability growth. Among other initiatives, his administration invested $3 billion to create new jobs, reduced business taxes, and implemented numerous programs for children including the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a statewide adoption network. Investments in the Commonwealth's infrastructure included completion of the 1,600-mile interstate highway system and implementation of the PENNVEST loan and grant program to aid communities in improving public water and sewer systems. Other Casey legacies include the PENNFREE anti-drug and alcohol abuse program, the largest recycling program in the nation, reforms to control the rising cost of auto and workers' compensation insurance, expansion of health care services for women, reforms to the welfare system, and creation of the heritage park program.
Not one to shun the public eye or controversy, Casey's "Capital for a Day" program took state government to eighteen communities across the Commonwealth. He advocated and signed an abortion control statute that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The law earned him scorn in some corners and praise in others. An unwavering right-to-life advocate, Casey refused to endorse politicians or policies that favored a women's right to choose; a position that endeared anger among many Democrats. In addition, despite the General Assembly's approval of Casey's proposed constitutional amendment to revamp the local taxation system, voters handily rejected the measure at the polls. His administration was also criticized for securing enactment of a large tax increase to balance the state budget in 1991.
At nearly the same time as his 1990 reelection Casey was diagnosed with Appalachian familial amyloidosis, a genetic condition in which proteins invade and destroy major bodily organs. In June 1993 he underwent a very rare heart-liver transplant at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in an effort to cure the disease. He became one of the few people worldwide to survive for several years following the procedure. Casey left office in January 1995 and considered a run for the presidency in 1996 though his health became a dissuading factor. He was succeeded by Erie Congressman Tom Ridge who ran against Casey's lieutenant governor Mark Singel. Despite his public popularity, Casey was criticized by many in his own party for refusing to endorse Singel as the two disagreed on the abortion issue. Some blamed Casey for Singel's loss and the ensuing disarray of the state's Democratic Party.
The former state senator, auditor general, and governor retired to Scranton where he completed and published an autobiography, Fighting for Life, in 1996. Governor Casey died on May 30, 2000 from the long-term effects of amyloidosis. In addition to his wife Ellen he was survived by eight children: Margaret, Mary Ellen, Kathleen, Robert Jr., Christopher, Erin, Patrick, and Matthew; twenty-eight grandchildren, and his brother John. For additional papers of Governor Casey, see the Robert P. Casey Collection (MG-406).
General Correspondence: Responses Signed by the Governor
1986-1995.
(12 cartons)
{series #10.2}
Arranged alphabetically by subject of correspondence.
The series has incoming correspondence along with copies of outgoing correspondence signed by Governor Casey. Subjects relating to the environment include Appalachian Compact, Delaware Canal Heritage Trail, Environment, Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, Flooding, Hazardous Waste, and Out of State Waste. Examples of specific items of interest include the following.
- In a letter to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Governor Casey designates the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources as the lead state agency to administer and implement the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program.
- On November 4, 1987 in a memorandum to the Dept. of Environmental Protection, Governor Casey promotes "PENNVEST, which will provide financing for badly needed improvements to Pennsylvania's water and sewer infrastructure."
- In a March 11, 1988 form letter, Governor Casey vows that his new budget "will accelerate our toxic waste cleanup program, improve solid waste management systems and tighten anti-pollution enforcement."
Issues File
1987-1994.
(213 cartons and 36 boxes)
{series #10.3}
Grouped by term, and there under arranged alphabetically by subject.
The series has letters and accompanying documentation received by Governor Casey's Office. They deal with topics of public interest that generated a large volume of correspondence and were given special handling by the staff. Due to volume, this file was maintained separately from the general correspondence file. Issues pertaining to the environment include: Acid Rain, Bottle Bill, Clean Air Act, Deer Hunt, Delaware River Basin Commission, Emission Control, Environment, Gypsy Moth, Hazardous Waste Incinerators, Landfills, Lock Haven Flood Control Project, New Jersey Trash, Out of State Trash, Ozone File, Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, Pennsylvania Recreation Plan, PENNTEXT, PENNVEST, Pollution. Recycling, Reformulated Gasoline, State Parks, Three Mile Island, Water Quality, and Wetlands.
General Correspondence
1969-1979.
(36 cartons, 4 folders)
{series # 10.16}
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Examples of topics about the environmental mentioned in this series include agriculture, Appalachian Trail, Ashland Oil Spill, coal industry, conservation, Delaware River Oil Spill of 1989, Dept. of Environmental Resources, Fish Commission, Game Commission, hazardous waste, mines and mining, streams and water..
RG-11 Records of the Department of Health
The Dept. of Health was created by the Act of April 27, 1905 (P.L. 312) to replace the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics that was originally established in 1885. The Dept. has the authority to enforce all statutes pertaining to public health and the rules and regulations passed by Pennsylvania's Advisory Health Board. In addition to the Secretary of Health, the Advisory Health Board is composed of eleven members appointed by the Governor and is charged with establishing rules and regulations for the prevention of disease, protection of lives and health, and with providing health services to counties and other political subdivisions.
In addition to enforcing statutes and regulations pertaining to public health matters, the Dept. works to prevent and suppress outbreaks of disease, and to ensure high quality health care at a reasonable cost by coordinating a comprehensive state-wide health program. As part of its responsibilities, the Dept. of Health operates numerous State Health Centers that serve as the primary public health service units in their communities. The Dept. also operates bureaus and programs dealing with the control and prevention of cancer and communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, conducts laboratory research, collects health statistics on preventative and educational programs for mothers and their children, drug and alcohol abuse, and regulates pharmaceutical drugs, devices, and cosmetics. Over the years, the responsibilities of specific bureaus and divisions within the Dept. of Health have been shifted, reorganized, or transferred to other Dept's. Related materials will be found in the Records of the Dept. of Environmental Resources (RG-43), Records of the Dept. of Education (RG-22) and Records of the Dept. of Public Welfare (RG-23).
Secretary of Health
The Secretary of Health serves as chairman of the Advisory Health Board, the Health Care Policy Board, the Primary Care Advisory Committee, the Advisory Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the Drug, Device and Cosmetics Board, the Vietnam Veterans Health Initiative Commission, the Governor's Children's Cabinet, the Children's Health Advisory Committee, and the Renal Disease Advisory Committee. The Secretary is also a member of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Coordinating Council, the Council of Sexual Minorities, the Drug Policy Council, the Environmental Quality Board, the Governor's Interdepartmental Council on Seasonal Farm Workers, the Governor's Traffic Safety Council, the Health Care Cost Containment Council, the Health Care Services Malpractice Act Committee, the Humanity Gifts Registry, the Intra-governmental Council on Long Term Care, The Cancer Control Prevention and Research Advisory Board, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council, the Pennsylvania Emergency Response Commission, the Nursing Home Loan Agency, the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation, the State Board of Dentistry, the State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators, the State Board of Medicine, and other health-related committees.
General Correspondence
1930-1976.
(18 cartons, 4 boxes)
{series #11.1}
Grouped chronologically, and there under arranged alphabetically by subject or organization.
The series is grouped into two periods dating from 1939-1955 and from 1930-1976. The time overlap occurs because the Advisory Health Board retained the records until their transfer to the Dept. of Health in 1980.In addition to routine correspondence, this series also contains minutes of meetings, personnel rules and regulations, transcripts of speeches delivered by the Secretary of Health, transcripts of speeches delivered by employees of the Dept. of Health, and miscellaneous reports relating to all functions of the Dept. of Health. Topics covered by these types of records include the Bureau of Administrative Services, Division of Personnel, Division of Vital Statistics, Advisory Health Board, Community Nursing Services, Deputy Secretary's Committee, Implementation of the Economic Opportunity Act, Emergency Health Services, Dept. of Environmental Resources, Federal-State Relations, Joint Committee on Health and Public Assistance, various County Dept's of Health, Pennsylvania Health Council, Division of Dental Health, Office of Compliance, Office of Comprehensive Health Planning, Bureau of Comprehensive Health Services, Deputy Secretary for Drug Control, Deputy Secretary for Health Systems Development, Bureau of Educational Activities, Deputy Secretary for Environmental Protection, Bureau of Nursing Programs and Resources, Bureau of Planning, Evaluation and Research, Bureau of Sanitary Engineering, and Bureau of Special Health Services. The following items are examples of what can be found within this series.
- Carton 5 contains a folder labeled "Civil Defense-Flood Disaster, 1972 relating to the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes.
- Carton 6 has a folder describing the work of the Conservation Coordination Committee, from 1966 to 1967.
- There is a folder in carton 9 about "environmental protection" from 1958 to 1970.
- Three folders in carton 15 document the work of the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering. An item of interest is a "Report to the Honorable George M. Leader, Governor of the Commonwealth from the Governor's Water Resources Conference of April 4 & 6 1957."
- Also in carton 15 is abundant correspondence relating to coal mine drainage. In the Sanitary Engineering folder, 1962-1963 there is a Dept. of Mines and Mineral Industries report entitled "Glen Alden Coal Company. Orders and Comments Relating to Water Problems in the North Branch of the Susquehanna River, 1963."
- The same carton under Sanitary Engineering folder 1964-1965 has correspondence, memos, reports, and newspaper clippings about the Sunbeam Coal Company of Butler County. For several years in a case that drew media attention, the company fought with the Dept. of Health over its application for an industrial waste disposal permit.
General Correspondence
1995-1996
7 cu. ft.
Accession 4505
unprocessed
Arranged alphabetically by subject
These are the papers of Secretary of Health Peter J. Janetta.
Files of the Secretary of Health
1996-2003
2 cu. ft.
Accession 4423
unprocessed
Arranged chronologically by month
These are the papers of Secretary of Health Robert S. Zimmerman Jr.
Files of the Secretary of Health
1996-1997
7 cu. ft.
Accession 4346
unprocessed
Arranged alphabetically
These are the papers of Secretary of Health Daniel F. Hoffman.
Legal Opinions
1920-1965.
(15 folders)
{series # 11.2}
Arranged alphabetically by topic.
Records of legal cases and opinions relating to the operations at the Dept. of Health consisting of certificates, letters, memoranda, rules and regulations. Divided by program, each file contains a listing of major decisions or events concerning specific topics. Individual file folders are present for the Bureau of Sanitation, chronic diseases, executive correspondence, tuberculosis, housing, industrial hygiene, local health service, maternal and child care, milk sanitation, preventative services, sanatoria and the Crippled Children's Hospital, undertakers, and vital statistics. Examples of the types of materials found in the various files are an opinion by the Attorney General's office defining the authority granted to undertakers with regard to issuing burial permits, an informal opinion on whether the Dept. of Health had the right to take dust samples in a factory to determine the risk of workers developing silicosis, certificates issued to field inspectors, rules and regulation relating to disease control, and a memo concerning the administration of medical examinations to students in public and private schools.
Health Litigation Activity Records
1981
20 cu. ft.
unprocessed
Health Litigation Activity Records
1978-1980
13 cu. ft.
unprocessed
Deputy Secretary for Environmental Protection
The Deputy Secretary for Environmental Protection was responsible for the Bureau of Environmental Health that consisted of five divisions: air pollution control, environmental safety, occupational health, sanitary engineering, and sanitation. The activities of these divisions encompassed all programs concerned with the public health aspects of the environment. The Bureau administered preventive and control measures through seven regional offices and from the central headquarters in Harrisburg. In 1971 the responsibilities of this Bureau were transferred to the Dept. of Environmental Resources and the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources. Related materials concerning the environment may be found in the Records of the Dept. of Environmental Resources (RG-43) and materials relating to occupational safety will be found in the records of the Industrial Board of the Dept. of Labor and Industry (RG-16).
Meeting File
1963, 1966-1970.
(3 cartons)
{series #11.12}
Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
Available here are testimonies and transcripts of speeches by Wesley E. Gilbertson, Director of the Bureau of Environmental Health and later, Deputy Secretary of Environmental Protection. Each folder contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, or reports concerning events at which Mr. Gilbertson delivered addresses. Examples of groups before whom he spoke include the Highway Safety Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the National Sanitation Foundation, the Pennsylvania Home Builders' Association, the Dickinson College Public Affairs Symposium, the Meadville Rotary Club, the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Topics addressed include solid waste management, health problems in urban areas, sewage treatment, and environmental pollution.
Bureau of Administrative Services
Directed by the Executive Deputy Secretary for Administration and Management, the Bureau of Administrative Services developed administrative policies and procedures and provided management support to the Dept. of Health. The responsibilities of this Bureau were later divided between the Bureau of Financial Operations and Management Services and the Bureau of Personnel Management.
Reports
1886-1987.
(6 cartons, 1 box)
{series #11.15}
Grouped by topic, and there under chronologically by date of report.
The series contains reports, transcripts, and publications that were part of the library of the Dept. of Health. Among the items found are annual and biennial reports of the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics, Dept. of Public Health, and the Dept. of Health, 1886, 1942-1944, 1950-1952, 1955-1967, 1969-1974, 1982-1983, 1984-1985; Pennsylvania Health Bulletins, 1912, 1916-1917; Rules and Regulations of the Dept. of Health, 1928; Organization and Functions of the Dept. of Health, 1938; a Manual for Public Health Nurses, 1940; State Health Plans, 1976-1987; a study of maternal mortality in Pennsylvania, 1976; public hearings and plans from the Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1974-1980; Governor's fact finding committee reports on Shippingport Nuclear Power Station, 1979; and Pennsylvania county data books, 1987. (The 1986 county data books are available in the Records of the Dept. of Commerce, RG 31); Elizabethtown Hospital for Children and Youth reports, and miscellaneous plans and reports, 1974-1982). Among the many items relevant to environmental history are the following.
- Carton 5 contains ten volumes documenting the "Governor's Fact-Finding Committee re: the Shippingport Nuclear Power Plant, 1973.
- Carton 6 has correspondence relating to the Conservation Coordination Committee. Among the topics discussed is the problem of acid mine runoff in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed.
- Folders with documentation about the federal Atomic Energy Commission are found in carton 9. Among the interesting documents are a copy of the "Interagency Radiology Assistance Plan, July, 1961" and "A Summary of the Atomic Energy Commission's Policies and Procedures for the Regulation and Licensing of Byproduct, Source and Special Nuclear Waste Materials, February, 1961.
- Also in carton 9 is a related folder titled "occupational health" containing correspondence dated March-April 1965 between Governor William Scranton, the Health Dept. and the Vitro Corporation of America concerning the latter's application for a permit to bury radioactive waste in Washington County.
- The Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Association is well documented in several folders in carton 9. An item of interest is a report by Forrest J. Remick of Pennsylvania State University titled "Evaluation of Need for and Proposed Sites for Burial of Radioactive Waste in Pennsylvania, September 1964."
Bureau of Health Communications
This Bureau was responsible for disseminating information concerning the Dept.'s programs and services to the news media and the general public. It also served as a liaison between the Dept. of Health and the Governor's Office for all facets of communication policy. In 1978 these responsibilities became part of those of the Office of the Press Secretary and as of 1998 are in the Office of Communications and Public Information.
News Releases from the Division of Air Pollution Control
1962-1965.
(1 volume, 1 folder)
{series #11.20}
Arranged by date of news release.
Topics covered by these news releases include the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Commission's report on the abatement of air pollution problems, concerns over inhalation of second-hand cigarette smoke, orders and permits issued by the Commission, enforcement of the clean streams law, and news concerning Commission hearings.
Bureau of Sanitary Engineering
Divided into six major divisions concerned with water supply, sewerage, industrial wastes, stream quality, mine drainage, and staff services, this Bureau was charged with supervision of public water supplies. The Bureau acted as an administrative arm of the Sanitary Water Board in executing the Commonwealth's Clean Streams Program. This Program involved the examination of plans for issuance permits for sewerage and industrial waste projects and mine drainage projects (except for bituminous strip mine drainage). The Bureau conducted comprehensive water quality studies and developed long range water quality management plans. During periods of flooding, droughts, and epidemics the Bureau supplied resources in assisting with the supervision of emergency sanitation measures. During the 1950s, this Bureau became the Division of Sanitary Engineering under the Bureau of Environmental Health and in 1995 the responsibilities of the Division were transferred to the Dept. of Environmental Resources. For related materials see Records of the Dept. of Environmental Resources (RG 43).
Civil Works Administration Project Reports
1933-1938.
(7 folders)
{series #11.33}
Arranged chronologically by date of report.
Among the materials is a manual and specific reports concerned with the Abandoned Mine Project for the Civil Works Projects, Federal Security Agency , and the United States Public Health Service. The "Manual of Policy, Organization and Uniform Practice for Sealing Abandoned Coal Mines" provides information on construction methods, engineering and survey records, a report on purchases and payroll and a report on mine sealing in Pennsylvania that contains maps and charts documenting abandoned mines, and reduction of acid load after mine closures. Also included is another Civil Works Project report on community sanitation throughout Pennsylvania. This includes photographs of company housing and" pits" and latrines built for the project.
Reports and Correspondence Relating to Floods
1936-1937.
(2 folders)
{series #11.34}
Unarranged.
Several papers delivered by Chief Engineer W.L. Stevenson and Assistant Chief Engineer H.E. Moses at national conventions of the American Water Works Association, American Society for Civil Engineers and New England Waterworks concerning public sanitation problems arising during the floods of 1936 and 1937. Also included is a printed leather bound volume published by the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company concerning ice jams and floods that occurred at Holtwood and Safe Harbor. There are also several papers on flooding that occurred in Kentucky and West Virginia and an abstract of telegrams relating to post flood conditions in Pennsylvania in March 1936. Related materials can be found in the records of the Dept. of Public Welfare's State Emergency Relief Board, 1932-1937 {series #23.354-series #23.359}.
Division of Sanitary Engineering
Originally the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering, during the 1950s this agency became a division under the Bureau of Environmental Health. The Division acted as an administrative arm of the Sanitary Water Board in executing the Commonwealth's Clean Streams Program. This Program involved the examination of plans for issuance of permits for the construction of sewerage and industrial waste projects and mine drainage projects (except for bituminous strip mine drainage). The Bureau conducted comprehensive water quality studies and developed long range water quality management plans. During periods of flooding, droughts, and epidemics the Bureau supplied resources in assisting with the supervision of emergency sanitation measures. In 1995 the responsibilities of this Division were transferred to the Dept. of Environmental Resources. For related materials see the Records of the Dept. of Environmental Resources (RG-43).
Industrial Waste Reports and Permits
1924-1962.
(9 cartons)
{series #11.37}
Arranged chronologically by year but later volumes are indexed internally by name of company, township, or county.
The series contains applications, agreements, permits and reports issued by the Sanitary Water Board. The first volume documents waste disposal agreements made prior to Act 394 and includes agreements with coal mines, gas works, tanneries, and the coke and paper industries and the other volumes document agreements in compliance with Act 394. Among the items present are letters of advice, letter permits, and certificates of compliance. Most applications give the name of the company, township and county where located, an application number, summary of the engineering study, and a copy of the permit. Industries mentioned include Carnegie Illinois Steel Corp, Castanea Paper Company, Willow Grove Damp Wash Laundry, Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, and J.K. Mosser Leather Company. Related materials may be found among the Records of the Bureau of Deep Mining Safety, Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey, Bureau of Water Quality Management, and Bureau of Water Resources Management, all in the Records of the Dept. of Environmental Resources (RG-43).
Water Supply and Sewage Report and Permit Books
1905-1959.
(426 volumes)
{series #11.38}
Arranged chronologically by date of permit or report.
These are water supply and sewage reports and permits issued by the Sanitary Water Board to municipalities and private companies. Most reports and permits are for sewerage and waterworks and the reports provide information on effluents from local industries, regional population growth, river systems and comprehensive sewage treatment plans. Until the 1920s permits and reports were bound separately and were thereafter combined.
Air Pollution Commission
The Air Pollution Commission, acting through the Division of Air Pollution Control of the Bureau of Environmental Health, was charged with enforcing air quality regulations. At the direction of the Commission, the Division investigated air pollution problems, conducted surveys and testing programs to determine air quality, enforced orders of the Commission, conducted educational programs, and provided advisory and technical consultation services to local communities. The responsibilities of the Commission and the Division were subsequently transferred to the Dept. of Environmental Resources. For related materials see the records of the Bureau of Air
Quality in the Dept. of Environmental Resources {series #43.15 and series #43.16}.
Meeting Packets
1961-1971
(5 cartons)
{series #11.42}
Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
The Air Pollution Commission was created by the Air Pollution Control Act of 1960 to establish rules and regulations to control air pollution in the Commonwealth. The Commission also heard and ruled on complaints of alleged violations of its rules and regulations. The Commission met at least 6 times a year or at the call of the Chair. Members consisted of the Secretaries of Health, Commerce, Labor, Mines, and Agriculture; a member of the general public; a specialist in industrial topography; three representatives of industry; and a professional engineer.
Each packet contains minutes from meetings concerning requests for incinerator permits, regulations on air quality, public hearing notes on air quality regulations, reports on controlling automotive emission, and city or county air pollution regulation plans. Also present are lists of air pollution violators and corrective measures taken.
Transcripts and Position Papers on Proposed Regulations
1961-1969
(2 cartons)
{series #11.43}
Arranged chronologically by date of transcript.
This series features transcripts of public meetings held around the state under the provisions of the Air Pollution Control Act regarding regulations issued by the Air Pollution Commission. Topics discussed at these meetings included the prevention and control of air pollution from burning coal refuse, the hazards of open burning, and ambient air quality criteria.
Sanitary Water Board
The Sanitary Water Board was created by the Administrative Code of 1923 to administer the clean stream laws of Pennsylvania. For many years, the Dept. of Health, through its Bureau, and then Division of Sanitary Engineering, investigated, recommended, and enforced the provisions of this law with the exception of the provision dealing with bituminous strip mines which was enforced by the Dept. of Mines and Mineral Industries. The Board included the Secretary of Mines and Mineral Industries, the Secretary of Forests and Waters, the Secretary of Commerce, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, and three members from the general public appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate. The Board was abolished by Act No. 275 of 1970 (PL. 834) when its powers, duties, and functions were transferred to the Dept. of Environmental Resources.
Minute Books
1923-1970
(13 cartons; digitized rolls 4996-4999, 268)
{series #11.55}
Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
The minute books record the meetings of the Sanitary Water Board over nearly six decades. Information given includes the time, date and location of the meeting; a listing of the names of members and staff present; a synopsis of the discussions; and the signature of the Secretary of the Board. Also present are reports from various agencies, including the Dept. of Health, Dept. of Mines, Fish Commission, Dept. of Forests and Waters, Dept. of Agriculture, and the Dept. of Commerce. The minutes document the approval of permits for sewage and industrial waste treatment and mine drainage discharges.
Report on Clarion River Pollution Abatement
1949
(1 box)
{series #11.56}
A report on pollution and industrial waste discharges into the Clarion River and its tributaries prepared by the consulting engineering firm of Camp, Dresser, and McKee and submitted to the Chairman of the Sanitary Water Board on March 31, 1949.
RG-12 Records of the Department of Highways
The State Highway Dept. was created in 1903 to cooperate with the Commonwealth's political subdivisions in the improvement and maintenance of highways. Initially the Dept. served as a disbursing agency and was primarily responsible for administering state grants to local communities. Legislation passed in 1911 reorganized the Highway Dept., provided for a system of highways to be maintained solely by the state, and for a highway network financed on both the state and local level.
The Dept. of Highways, its official name as designated under the Administrative Code of 1923, was given exclusive authority and jurisdiction over state highways, and general supervisory powers over all roads financed in whole or in part by state funds. Although the licensing of motor vehicles had been a responsibility of the Dept., this function was transferred to the Dept. of Revenue in 1929. The Dept. of Highways was abolished in 1970 and replaced by the Dept. of Transportation. For related types of materials see the Records of the Turnpike Commission (RG-29) and Records of the Dept. of Transportation (RG-52).
Executive Office
Under the Administrative Code of 1923, the Secretary of Highways was nominated by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. While the state Highway Dept. was originally created in 1903 to administer state grants for road improvements made by local communities, and reorganized in 1911 to assume responsibility for creating and maintaining a system of highways operated solely by the state, the Administrative Code of 1923 first designated the agency as the Dept. of Highways. It was at that time given supervisory powers over all roads funded, either in whole or in part, by the state and also in the licensing of motor vehicles. Headquartered in the North Office Building in Harrisburg, the Dept. operated eleven district offices located strategically throughout the Commonwealth that were under the supervision of District Engineers. Revenues for operating the Dept. came from motor vehicle registration fees, liquid fuel taxes, contributions from the federal government and from local authorities, and from miscellaneous fees such as the sale of state auto inspection stickers. The Secretary of Highways was empowered to construct or reconstruct highways by contracts awarded to the lowest responsible bidder or to construct or reconstruct those highways that were under his direct jurisdiction using employees of the Dept.. The Secretary was also empowered to purchase the equipment and materials necessary to construct and maintain highways and to employ all necessary labor to accomplish that task. The Dept. of Highways was abolished in 1970 when its functions were taken over by the Dept. of Transportation created by the Act of May 6, 1970 (P.L. 356). Highway records created since that time will by found in Records of the Dept. of Transportation (RG-52). For records relating to the Delaware Joint Toll Bridge Commission see Records of Special Commissions (RG-25).
Minutes and Agenda of the Delaware Joint Toll Bridge Commission
1951-1968.
(21 cartons)
{series #12.4}
Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
The series has the minutes and agendas of the meetings of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission together with annual inspection reports, budget reports, flood data, insurance records, and annual reports. Included in the minutes are comparative statements showing traffic and revenue for the Trenton-Morrisville, Easton-Phillipsburg, Portland-Columbia, Delaware Water Gap, and Milford-Montague toll bridges. Agendas include records of repairs conducted, reports by engineering firms, biographical information on personnel employed and their salaries, and records of revenue and expenditure. Also present are extensive correspondence files that contain many reports prepared on individual bridge construction projects, newspaper clippings, and related types of materials on bridges operated under the authority of the Commission. The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission can trace its origins to 1912 and 1913 when the legislatures of Pennsylvania and New Jersey created a Joint Commission for the acquisition of sixteen toll bridges over the Delaware River between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. These bridges were at that time freed of tolls and operated with tax funds provided by the two legislatures. An interstate compact between Pennsylvania and New Jersey enacted in December 1934 was approved by Congress in 1935 and was enlarged by compacts ratified in 1947, 1951 and 1953 that resulted in the creation of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Its purpose is to maintain and operate tax-supported joint state-owned bridges crossing the Delaware and to construct and operate new bridges financed by toll revenues and construction funds raised by revenue bonds. Having jurisdiction extending from the Philadelphia/Bucks County line northward to the New York State boundary, the Commission is responsible for the Trenton-Morrisville, Easton-Phillipsburg, Portland-Columbia, Delaware Water Gap and Milford-Montague Bridges. It also maintains and operates eleven tax-supported state-owned vehicular bridges and two pedestrian bridges in cooperation with the highway dept.s in the two states. Pennsylvania's contingent to the Commission consists of the Auditor General, State Treasurer, Secretary of Transportation, and two members appointed by the Governor. For related materials see Minutes, 1959-1962 and Reports, 1959-1965 of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission in the Records of Special Commissions (RG-25). Items with environmental history interest include the following:
- The Delaware Valley Protective Association was an organization dedicated to preserving the region between Morrisville and Easton as an "historic area." It also sought to prevent the placement of a toll bridge plaza and traffic interchange on Route 200 at the New Hope by-pass span across the Delaware River. Records are dated 1965 to 1968 and include correspondence, press releases and newspaper clippings about the group's activities. The records are found in carton 5.
- The impact of Hurricane Diane in the Delaware Valley in 1955 is recalled in several newspaper clippings dated 1965 in carton 5.
- Carton 7 has a total of five folders dealing with port development on the Delaware River. There is also a folder containing flood damage invoices dated 1955 and 1956 related to Hurricane Diane.
Minutes, Reports, and General Correspondence of the State Planning Board
1957-1965.
(1 carton)
{series #12.6}
Grouped by type of material and arranged there under chronologically by date of document.
The series contains the annual reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence of the State Planning Board. Information provided varies with type of document. Under the State Planning Code, the State Planning Board had the power to conduct research and compile and analyze data bearing on all industrial, commercial, social and physical factors that may influence the future welfare of the state, prepare or perfect plans to enhance economic development of the state, and advise various state dept's and bureaus as well as local authorities and individuals with the view of coordinating all physical and economic development plans. Topics addressed included population growth, income distribution, migration patterns, capital budgeting procedures, public recreation needs, and the Delaware River Basin study of future water needs. The latter report was published by the U.S. Army Engineering District in Philadelphia in 1961.
State Highway and Bridge Authority Annual Reports
1958-1986
2 cu. ft.
accession # 3666
unprocessed
Bureau of Public Information
Several distinct groups of photographic files were maintained by the Bureau of Public Information in the Dept. of Highways and altogether these contain more than 62,000 items that are arranged in the following series. While many of the earliest photographs were intended to document road conditions and road improvements, after 1920 photographs were increasingly taken for the purpose of publicity or public education and by the 1950s the Dept's Photographic Unit was doing work for other state agencies that were unable to support their own staff of photographers. The Photographic Unit is known today as Commonwealth Media Services and it operates within the Dept. of General Services.
Main File of Black and White Prints and Negatives
[ca. 1924-1956]
(61 boxes, 40 drawers)
{series #12.10}
Prints are grouped by subject.
In this series are more than 37,000 negatives, of which most are 8x10s, with matching contact prints for many but not all items. The prints are mounted on cards providing such descriptive information as negative number, subject, location, and name of photographer. Six log books list the negatives numerically and provide similar descriptive information. After the abolishment of the Dept. of Highways, this series was continued by the Dept. of General Services' Commonwealth Media Services Bureau. Topics pertaining to the environment can be found in the following boxes.
- Boxes 30 and 31: Folders about roadside planting feature items showing natural growth of ground cover; trees, shrubs and flowers planted by the Dept. of Highways and reforestation of barren areas.
- Boxes 21 and 22: Folders on high water and flooding reveal the destruction of forests, farms, top soil, and roads.
- Boxes 39 and 40: Folders on tunnels display both exterior and interior shots, filling in of tunnels and excavating passages for streams, roads, and railways.
- Boxes 46 and 47: Roads under Construction folders clearing of forests, deep cuts into mountains and heavy grading of soil.
- Boxes 50 thru 61: Industry and scenic views throughout the state.
Photographic Unit's Construction File
1938-1961.
(8 drawers)
{series #12.11}
Grouped alphabetically by county and there under numerically by legislative route number.
More than 2,500 negatives of highway construction projects concentrated primarily in Allegheny and Philadelphia Counties during the period 1944-1960. Some negatives will also be found for highway construction projects in the following counties: Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Lycoming, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, and Perry Counties.
Photographic Unit's File of Mounted and Unmounted Prints
[ca. 1913-1932]
(17 boxes)
{series #12.12}
Arranged numerically by negative number. Indexed externally, alphabetically by county in a subject card file.
Also formerly known as "The 5x7 File," this series covering the period 1913-1932 contains approximately 11,000 contact prints. They were made from glass and film negatives. This file was created following the reorganization of the Dept. of Highways in 1911 and only a few images on glass from this file have survived while a large number of the nitrate-based negatives have either deteriorated or been destroyed. The prints are arranged by negative number and are mounted on a card containing descriptive information but not all prints are present. Two accompanying log books give the negative number, subject, date, name of photographer, and other descriptive information. A card file subject index arranged by county is also present. For related and some duplicate images see also the Lantern Slide File, [ca.1907-1930] {series #12.26} and the Applications File, [ca. 1907-1910] {series #12.25}. Examples of environmental subjects in this series are:
- Abutments
- "Before and after" road repair
- Bridges
- Canal aqueducts
- Cave banks
- Loading stone for resurfacing
- Oiled roads
- Plank roads
- Retaining walls
- Roads cut out of mountain sides
- Vegetation and plant life along roadsides
Photographic Unit's Highway Dept. and Miscellaneous Photograph and Negative File
1955-1966
(4 cartons)
{series #12.14}
Arranged chronologically by date of photograph.
Approximately 800 negatives (4x5) with occasional matching 8x10 prints of miscellaneous activities of the Dept. of Highways are in this series. Subjects covered include group portraits of staff members, office parties, depictions of charts and graphs, road and Pennsylvania Turnpike scenes, road maintenance equipment, and motor vehicle accidents. Noteworthy depictions include Governor George M. Leader and President Harry S. Truman at ribbon cutting ceremonies and the dedication ceremony for the Fort Pitt Tunnels. The majority center on activities of Secretaries of Highways Joseph Lawler and Park Martin. Items relating to the environment are found mainly in the first two cartons. Examples include:
- Ramondskill Falls, Milford, Pike County, undated
- Highway Construction Scenes, November 16, 1956
- Cinder Spreaders, undated
- Vegetation fire along approach to Schuylkill Expressway, Montgomery County, undated
- Tanker truck fire on the Schuylkill Expressway, Montgomery County, October 25, 1960
- Original authorization of rural road project in 1931 by Governor Gifford Pinchot
- Aerial view of a junkyard at Palmerton, Carbon County, May 23, 1962
- Core drilling on Interstate 83, September 24, 1962
Concrete or Masonry Bridge Photographs
1934
1 box
accession #2279
unprocessed
In this accession there are 8 folders ca. 1934-1936 associated with Dept. of Highways district bridge engineer E. J. Politoski of District 10-10. These are mainly 2 x 3 b/w photos stapled to "Concrete or Masonry Bridge Records." The records may have been generated as part of a Works Progress Administration project in Pennsylvania since some photos are identified as W.P.A. projects. Yet only a few Pennsylvania counties-Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson--- are represented here. Most but not all photographs are identified by name of road, bridge or waterway. Of the 8 folders, one is labeled "unknown location." Photographs show bridges before replacement and roads before and after repair. Below is a brief summation of what can be found here:
- Armstrong County folder
- Route 656, P & S Bridge
- Route 210 Crooked Creek Bridge
- Mahoning Creek Bridge
- Route 311 showing ice jam of March 4, 1934
- Route 311 Parkers Landing
- Route 66, Mahoning Furnace Bridge
- Route 214 East Brady Bridge
- Plum Creek Bridge
- Butler County
- Multiplate Arch Bridge
- Route 79, Concrete Arch Bridge damaged in August 9, 1934 flood
- Butler Plank
- Ziemlemple Truss Bridge
- Route 246, Butler-Punxy Highway
- Harmony Borough
- Clarion County
- Alum Rock Bridge
- Route 65 over Clarion River
- "No Bridge" folder
- Piney Dam, Clarion River
- Clarion County road work
- Jefferson County roads
- Indiana-Westmoreland Counties roads
- Indiana County roads.
- "Removed Bridges" folder
- Locust Lane
- Homer City
- Two Lick
- Cherry Tree Borough
- Buena Vista
- Canoe Creek
- Clymer Borough
- Blackhill Creek
- Aultman's Run
- Yellow Creek
- Vintondale
- Plum Creek
- Saltsburg Borough
- Jefferson County, "Removed Structures" folder
- Timber I Beam Bridge
- Brookville Borough, Mahoning Street
- Brookville Borough, Pickering Street
- White Street Bridge
- Lindsay Bridge, Route 521
- Indiana Street Bridge in Brookville
- Toby Creek
- Indiana Street in Punxsutawney
- Route 36 Bridge over Clarion River, Cooksburg
- Route 35 Bridge, Mahoning Street
- Clarington, North end, west side
- Red Band Creek
- Mahoning Creek
- Brookville foot bridge
- County bridge
- "Non-district folder"
- Both Pennsylvania and non-Pennsylvania
- "Unknown location" folder
RG-13 Records of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was created in 1945 by an act of the General Assembly merging the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, the State Museum and the State Archives. Charged with the responsibility of preserving the Commonwealth's historic heritage, the Commission administers the state archival and records management program and numerous museums and historical sites. The Commission also assists local historical societies and governmental agencies in all matters regarding historical preservation, conducts research and publication programs to promote Pennsylvania history, and manages the State Records Center. The Commission operates through its Bureau of Archives and History, Bureau of Museums, Bureau of Historic Sites and Properties, and Bureau of Historic Preservation.
The State Archives was originally created as the Division of Public Records in 1903 as an administrative unit in the State Library. A State Museum was also created under the State Library in accordance with legislation passed in 1905. As part of a general reorganization in 1919, the State Library became the State Library and Museum. In 1923 the State Library and Museum was made an administrative unit of the Dept. of Public Instruction as was the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, which had functioned as an independent commission since its establishment in 1913. Under the Dept. of Public Instruction, the State Library and Museum worked through five sections: the General Library, Law Library, Library Extension, Archives and History, and the State Museum.
Pennsylvania Historical Commission, 1913-1945
Established as an independent commission under P.L. 1265 passed on July 25, 1913, the Pennsylvania Historical Commission consisted of five citizens appointed by the Governor. The Superintendent of Public Instruction served as an ex officio member and at some point the Commission was placed under the jurisdiction of the new Dept. of Public Instruction. The Commission was charged with preserving antiquities and historical landmarks and conducting and publishing the results of archaeological and historical research. It also cooperated with municipalities and local historical societies in preserving and restoring public buildings, military sites, and historical monuments and maintained historic buildings, monuments, and antiquities committed to its custody by the General Assembly. These included the site of Fort Augusta, Old Economy Village, Cornwall Iron Furnace, Pennsbury Memorial, John Morton Birthplace, Daniel Boone Homestead, Flagship Niagara, Ephrata Cloister, Pottsgrove Mansion, Drake Well Memorial Park, and Governor Printz Park. Prior to 1945, the General Assembly also authorized acquisition of the Robert Fulton Birthplace and the site of Fort Le Boeuf by the Dept. of Property and Supplies for the Historical Commission. Between 1914 and 1933 the Commission also erected large bronze historical plaques at sites where important historical events occurred and approved the design of historical monuments, memorials, buildings, tablets, and inscriptions submitted to them.
In cooperation with archaeologists and archaeological societies, the Commission conducted archaeological investigations into the aboriginal American Indian populations of Pennsylvania and excavations at historical sites. The Commission researched and published the results of numerous historical investigations and was designated by the State Council of Defense as the official war history agency for conducting research into the Commonwealth's role in World War II. Under the provisions of P.L. 446 passed June 6, 1945, the functions of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission were consolidated with those of the State Museum and the State Archives, formerly located in the Dept. of Public Instruction, to form the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
Records of the Pennsylvania Writers, Pennsylvania Historical Commission, American Guide Series
1935-1941.
(27 cartons, 1 box; digitized rolls 271-295)
Arranged numerically by job number, the following sub series are typed transcripts of field notes, pre-final drafts and final drafts of manuscripts, and photographs selected to illustrate the American Guide Series.
The federal project was designed to provide work for unemployed writers during the Great Depression by publishing comprehensive historical guides for each state. In Pennsylvania the project resulted in publication of a number of topical and county guides. Information given is title of guide, name of reporter, name of town or county, date, name of typist, signature of proofreader, and source of the information including title, name of author and library call number, and the transcript of the text. Information accompanying the photographs provides the title of the guide, job number, photograph number, subject, name of photographer, name to appear in credit line, and region where taken. Though most of the photographs are by Federal Writers' Project Photographer Frederick Ritter, many were obtained from local newspapers, freelance photographers, local chambers of commerce, private businesses, and such state agencies as the Dept. of Forests and Waters, Dept. of Highways, and Dept. of Commerce. Among those provided by the United States Farm Security Administration the photographers included Walker Evans, Carl Mydans, Arthur Rothstein, and Ben Shahn.
In addition to published American Guide Series volumes mentioned in the series described below, the Federal Writers' Project also resulted in publication of The Floods of Johnstown sponsored by Johnstown's Mayor's Committee (Johnstown: 1939) and A Picture of Clinton County sponsored by the Commissioners of Clinton County (Williamsport: 1942). Related materials located in the Works Progress Administration Records (MG-400) include an assortment of commissioner minutes, quarter sessions dockets, assessment lists, and road books for Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, and Union Counties and newspaper transcripts for both these counties as well as Northumberland County. The following four job numbers of the American Guide Series are of interest to environmental historians.
Job 10: Pittsburgh Guide, Including Photographs of Structures, Industries and Parks
1936-1938, 1941.
(2 cartons; 1 digitized roll)
{series #13.108.14}
Arranged by subject.
This series has a bibliography, field notes and approximately 280 photographic prints arranged by subject for an unpublished guide to Pittsburgh. The images depict scenes of community life including historic and public buildings. Among these are images of the William Penn Hotel, the library at the Carnegie Institute, the University of Pittsburgh and local colleges, high schools and churches. Other images show coal barges and such local industries as the H. J. Heinz Company, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation plant at Duquesne, and the steel mills at Homestead, Etna, and Rankin. Finally, there are images of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company particle accelerator, the first motion picture projector used in Pittsburgh, panoramic views of streetscapes, statues and monuments located in the various parks including North Park, East Park, West Park, South Park, Frick Park, Schenley Park, and Forbes Field.
Job 11: Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Keystone State, Including Photographs of Structures, Industries, Parks and Views for Each County
1940.
(4 cartons; 1 digitized roll)
{series #13.108.15}
Grouped alphabetically by county.
Published American Guide Series volume entitled Pennsylvania, A Guide to the Keystone State (New York: 1940) that was co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission and the University of Pennsylvania together with the photographs assembled during the course of the project. The photographs include images from the following counties:
- Adams County: Views of the Gettysburg Battlefield and Cemetery including 75th anniversary commemoration scenes, churches, wildlife and scenic views.
- Allegheny County: Pittsburgh street scenes, coal barges, bridges, industries, parks, and the University of Pittsburgh.
- Beaver County: Views of steelworker housing and Old Economy Village.
- Berks County: Agricultural scenes, bridges, churches, historic buildings, industries, monuments, parks, schools and fire companies in Reading and in communities along the Horseshoe Trail.
- Bradford County: The site of French Azilum, Laporte House, and monuments for the Sullivan Expedition, David Wilmot, the Wyalusing Moravian settlement, and Wyalusing Rocks.
- Cambria County: Photographs of the Johnstown floods of 1889 and 1936, industrial and general scenes, and views of the 1938 Conemaugh River Flood Control Project.
- Chester County: Agricultural scenes, bridges, buildings, Longwood Gardens, Horse Shoe Trail and Valley Forge.
- Clinton County: Views primarily of the airport, bridges, historic sites, industries, markets, and tobacco farming scenes in and around Lock Haven including the floods of 1918 and 1936.
- Dauphin County: Primarily views of Harrisburg and Hershey including the State Capitol, Farm Show Building, Hershey Hotel, Hershey Community Theater, Hershey Arena, Hershey Chocolate Factory, Susquehanna River bridges, the Bethlehem Steel Mills at Steelton, the 1938 encampment at Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, and the Horse Shoe Trail.
- Delaware County: Views of bridges, public housing, and shipbuilding and oil refining plants.
- Erie County: Views of historic and public buildings, churches, vineyards, the City Casket Works, Erie Casket Company, Zuck and Sons Greenhouses, dock scenes, recreational activities on Lake Erie, the Perry and Gridley monuments, and the flagship Niagara and the SS Wolverine.
- Franklin County: Views include the Penn Hall School, Mercersburg Academy, Mont Alto Sanitarium, Buchanan and Caledonia State Parks, Michaux State Forest, and the Kittatinny Tunnel among others.
- Lackawanna County: Views of churches, collieries, historic sites, public buildings, and schools including Scranton and Archbald Pothole.
- Lancaster County: Views of agricultural scenes, Amish, churches, and historic and public buildings including Central Market, Armstrong Linoleum Plant, Ephrata Cloister, and the cityscape in Lancaster.
- Lehigh County: Views of agricultural scenes, industrial scenes, and historic and public buildings including the Lehigh Valley Farmers' Market, Moravian Archives, Trexler Trout Hatchery, Musser Nursery, Trexler Memorial Park, Dorney Park, and street scenes in Allentown.
- Lycoming County: Views of agricultural scenes, nature scenes, and historic and public buildings including Fort Muncy, Goose Island, Cedar Pines Camp, Susquehanna Trail, Lycoming and Loyalsock Creeks, and street scenes in Williamsport including the 1936 and other floods.
- Philadelphia County: Views of bridges, street scenes, apartment houses, botanical gardens, libraries, radio stations, and historic and public buildings including Philadelphia Airport, City Hall, Fairmount Park, 30th Street Post Office, Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia Zoo, and the Edgar Allen Poe House. Others show the Curtis Publishing Company, Horn & Hardart Restaurant, 30th Street Railroad Station, Reading Terminal, Girard College, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Temple University, St. Joseph's College, University of Pennsylvania, John Wanamaker's Dept. Store, Lit Brothers, Chinatown, and the United States Mint. Industries covered include Pennsylvania Sugar Company, J.G. Brill Company, Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, Lanston Monotype Company, Stetson Hat Company, Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, La France Industries, Mummers parades, and Philadelphia Naval Yard. There are portraits of Marian Anderson and Henry O. Tanner, black churches and neighborhoods and the Second National Negro Congress of 1935. Park scenes will by found for Fairmount, Cobbs Creek, League Island, Pennypack and Shibe and there are street views for Broad, Camac, Clinton, Delaware, Elfreth's Alley, Franklin Court, Franklin Parkway, Logan Circle, Market Street, Rittenhouse Square, and Washington Square among others.
- Schuylkill County: Views of buildings and street scenes in such towns as Lorraine, Orwigsburg, Pottsville, and Tamaqua and of the Cameron Collieries, the 1939 mine disaster at Shenandoah, and copies of engravings depicting the "Molly Maguires" from Harper's Weekly.
- Washington County: Views of agricultural scenes, bridges, businesses, churches, schools, buildings and street scenes including LeMoyne Crematory, Washington and Jefferson College, Jefferson Log College, and the monument to Colonel George Morgan.
- Westmoreland County: Views of bridges, recreational scenes, and street scenes at Hannastown, Mount Pleasant, Norvelt, Westmoreland Fair, and along the Lincoln Highway.
- There are also miscellaneous views from Bedford, Blair, Butler, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lebanon, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wayne, Wyoming, and York Counties.
Job 53: Hunter's Guide
1937, 1939.
(1 folder)
{series #13.108.34}
Unarranged.
The series contains field notes and a pre-final draft for an unpublished guide for Pennsylvania hunters Materials include the 1937 pamphlet draft entitled "Hunters' Paradise" about hunting in Luzerne, Carbon, Pike, and Monroe Counties. There are also 1939 field notes entitled "Schuylkill County Was Once A Veritable Hunter's Paradise." A pre-final draft authored by Ernest D. Heinen and entitled "The Hunter's Guide for Susquehanna County," is accompanied by a map.
Job 172: Conservation Photographs
1939.
(1 folder)
{series #13.108.61}
Unarranged.
The series contains eleven photographic prints of scenic views relating to conservation practices and including views of the Safe Harbor Dam in Lancaster County, Johnson' Pond in Lackawanna County, white pine trees in Caledonia State Park in Franklin County, and conservation forests in York County.
Related Resources
- Environmental Resources, RG 1-6
- Environmental Resources, RG 14-34
- Environmental Resources, RG 37-43
- Environmental Resources, RG 45-75
- Environmental Resources, MG 6-156
- Environmental Resources, MG 160-190
- Environmental Resources, MG 191-207
- Environmental Resources, MG 208-209
- Environmental Resources, MG 214-308
- Environmental Resources, MG 309 pt 1
- Environmental Resources, MG 309 pt 2
- Environmental Resources, MG 325-442
- Environmental Resources, MG 450-471
- Environmental Resources, MG 472 pt 1
- Environmental Resources, MG 472 pt 2
- Environmental Resources, MG 472 pt 3 -496