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Octave Chanute
A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress
Prepared by Richard L. McCormack and Allan Teichroew
Revised and expanded by Karen Linn Femia
1997
Manuscript Division
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services,
January 1999;
encoding completed by Manuscript Division, 1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents for Octave Chanute
Collection Summary
Selected Search Terms
* Names:
* Subjects:
* Occupations:
Administrative Information
* Provenance:
* Processing History:
* Copyright Status:
* Microfilm:
* Preferred Citation:
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Description of Series
* General Correspondence, 1890- 1910.
* Special Correspondence, 1890- 1910.
* Aeronautical Papers, 1875- 1912.
* Subject File, 1865- 1928, n.d.
* Letterbooks, 1860- 1910.
* Transcripts of Aeronautical Papers.
* Personal Correspondence, 1850- 1924.
* Additions, 1807- 1965, n.d.
* Oversize, 1865-ca. 1928, n.d.
Container List
* GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1890- 1910
* SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1890- 1910
* AERONAUTICAL PAPERS, 1875- 1912
* SUBJECT FILE, 1865-ca. 1928, n.d.
* LETTERBOOKS, 1860- 1910
* TRANSCRIPTS OF AERONAUTICAL PAPERS, 1885- 1910
* PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1850- 1924
* ADDITIONS, 1807- 1965, n.d.
* OVERSIZE, 1865-ca. 1928, n.d.
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Collection Summary
Creator: Chanute, Octave, 1832-1910
Title: Papers of Octave Chanute 1807-1955 (bulk 1860-1910)
Size: 10,325 items; 46 containers plus 1 oversize; 17.4 linear feet; 25
microfilm reels
Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Abstract: Civil engineer and aviation pioneer. The bulk of the collection
relates to Octave Chanute's experiments with gliders and his scientific and
financial support of aeronautical pioneers. Other papers concern his career
as a builder of railroads and his service as chief engineer of the Erie
Railroad and railroads in Illinois and Kansas.
Selected Search Terms
Names:
Ader, Clemént, 1841-1925--Correspondence
Avery, William A.--Correspondence
Baden-Powell, Baden Fletcher Smyth, 1860-1937--Correspondence
Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922--Correspondence
Cabot, Samuel, 1850-1906--Correspondence
Hargrave, Lawrence, 1850-1916--Correspondence
Herring, Augustus Moore, 1867-1926--Correspondence
Huffaker, Edward C.--Correspondence
Kress, Wilhelm, 1836-1913--Correspondence
Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906--Correspondence
Lilienthal, Otto, 1848-1896--Correspondence
Maxim, Hiram S. (Hiram Stevens), 1840-1916--Correspondence
Moedebeck, Hermann W. L. (Hermann Wilhelm Ludwig),
1857-1910--Correspondence
Montgomery, John J. (John Joseph), 1858-1911--Correspondence
Mouillard, Louis-Pierre, 1834-1897--Correspondence
Pilcher, Percy--Correspondence
Spratt, G. A. (George Alexander), 1880-1934--Correspondence
Wright, Orville, 1871-1948--Correspondence
Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912--Correspondence
Zahm, Albert Francis, 1862- --Correspondence
Niehaus, Earl F.
Erie Railroad Company
Jefferson College (Convent, La.)
Subjects:
Aeronautics
Aerodynamics
Bridges--Design and construction
Bridges--Missouri River
Gliders (Aeronautics)
Kites
Railroad engineering
Railroads--Design and construction
Railroads--Ties
Railroads--Illinois--Chicago
Railroads--Kansas--Abilene
Railroads, Elevated--New York (State)--New York
Stockyards--Illinois--Chicago
Occupations:
Aviators
Civil engineers
Administrative Information
Provenance:
The papers of Octave Chanute, civil engineer and aviation pioneer, were
deposited in the Library of Congress in 1932 and converted to a gift by
Elizabeth and Octavia Chanute in 1950. The collection, originally in the
custody of the Science Division, was transferred to the Manuscript Division
in the 1950s. Small additions were made to the collection by gift and
purchase between 1957 and 1997.
Processing History:
The papers of Octave Chanute were arranged and described in 1962. Materials
received between 1957 and 1997 were processed as additions in 1981 and
1997.
Copyright Status:
Copyright in the unpublished writings of Octave Chanute in these papers and
in other collections of papers in the custody of the Library of Congress
has been dedicated to the public, except that the literary rights are
reserved in the case of "such family correspondence as may allude to purely
personal and of no historical and scientific interest." Consult a reference
librarian in the Manuscript Division for further information.
Microfilm:
A microfilm edition of the letterbook series on twenty-four reels is
available from the Library's Photoduplication Service for purchase subject
to the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.). This
microfilm edition may also be requested on interlibrary loan through the
Library's Loan Division. No more than ten reels may be requested for each
loan period of one month.
Preferred Citation:
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following
information: Octave Chanute Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date Event
1832 , Feb.
18 Born, Paris, France
1838 Immigrated with parents to the United States
1849 Began training as a railroad civil engineer
1853 - 1863 Civil engineer, various Western railroads
1857 Married Annie James
1863 - 1867 Chief engineer, Chicago & Alton Railroad
1867 - 1868 Planned and superintended construction of the first bridge
across the Missouri River
1867 - 1873 Chief engineer of several railroads in Kansas
1873 - 1883 Chief engineer, Erie Railroad; consultant on construction
of iron railroad bridges
1889 Began study of aerodynamic theory
1893 President, Chicago Tie Preserving Co.
1894 Published Progress in Flying Machines (New York: The
American Engineer and Railroad Journal. 308 pp.)
1896 - 1897 Experimented with gliders and designed biplane glider of
exceptional stability
1901 Visited camp of Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, N.C., to
observe and assist in glider experiments
1910 , Nov.
23 Died, Chicago, Ill.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Octave Chanute (1832-1910) span the years 1807-1965, with the
vast bulk of the material dating from 1860 to 1910. Chanute spent most of
his civil engineering career working on railroad construction. He turned
his energies to aeronautical engineering and glider development relatively
late in life. Although these papers are principally concerned with the
latter part of Chanute's career, there is some material from his career as
a builder of railroads, the Chicago stockyards, and a railroad bridge
across the Missouri River as well as his contribution to the technique of
preserving wooden railroad ties.
The collection centers largely on the period 1890 to 1910 when Chanute was
actively involved in glider experiments. At this time, he corresponded with
many of the other important pioneers in the development of the airplane.
Chanute advised and helped to finance aeronautical experimenters and served
as a conduit of information among them. His Progress in Flying Machines,
published in 1894, was the first authoritative account of aviation history
and established Chanute as an international authority on the history and
theory of aeronautics.
The collection consists of correspondence, family papers, articles,
patents, photographs, sketches, kite diagrams, plans for Chanute's railroad
bridge across the Missouri River, and clippings. Addition I includes a
microfilmed thesis on Jefferson College by Earl F. Niehaus. Chanute's
father was vice president of the school beginning in 1838.
There are extensive files of correspondence with Louis-Pierre Mouillard, a
French pioneer of glider theory, George A. Spratt, whom Chanute served as
mentor for various aeronautical experiments and the development of wing
pressure testing equipment (found primarily in Addition II), and with
Wilbur and Orville Wright . Additional correspondence between Chanute and
the Wright brothers can be found in the Manuscript Division's collection of
their papers. The Wright Brothers' papers also contain correspondence with
George Spratt, who, by way of Chanute, helped the Wrights at Kitty Hawk,
North Carolina. Some of Chanute's other notable correspondents include
Clément Ader, William A. Avery, Baden Fletcher Smyth Baden-Powell,
Alexander Graham Bell, Samuel Cabot, Lawrence Hargrave, Augustus Moore
Herring, Edward C. Huffaker, Wilhelm Kress, Samuel P. Langley, Otto
Lilienthal, Hiram S. Maxim, Hermann W. L. Moedebeck, John J. Montgomery,
Thomas Moy, Percy Pilcher, and Albert Francis Zahm.
Description of Series
Box Series
BOX General Correspondence, 1890 - 1910 .
1-3
Copies of letters sent and received.
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.
BOX Special Correspondence, 1890 - 1910 .
4-6
Correspondence, legal papers, patents, and articles.
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and
chronologically and by type of material therein.
BOX Aeronautical Papers, 1875 - 1912 .
7-16
Manuscripts, notes, pamphlets, patents and related letters,
clippings, photographs, and sketches.
Arranged by type of material and chronologically therein.
BOX Subject File, 1865 - 1928 , n.d.
17-18
Business and engineering pamphlets and articles, construction
plans and brochures of Missouri River Bridge, clippings, patents
and related letters, biographical material, photographs and
miscellaneous material.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
BOX Letterbooks, 1860 - 1910 .
19-27
Copies of letters sent, with an index in the front of each
volume. Volumes for 1874-1881 are missing.
Arranged chronologically.
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 16,482
BOX Transcripts of Aeronautical Papers.
28-42
BOX 28-33 Alphabetical File, 1890 - 1910 .
Transcriptions of correspondence in Containers 1-6.
Arranged alphabetically.
BOX 34-38 Chronological File, 1855 - 1910 .
Transcription of the letterbooks and related letters
received.
Arranged chronologically.
BOX 39-42 Special Correspondence, 1890 - 1910 .
Correspondence with Augustus Moore Herring, Edward C.
Huffaker, C. F. Marvin, Louis-Pierre Mouillard, G. A.
Spratt, Wilbur Wright, and Albert Francis Zahm.
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and
chronologically therein.
BOX 43 Personal Correspondence, 1850 - 1924 .
Photocopies of personal and family letters sent and received.
Arranged chronologically.
BOX Additions, 1807 - 1965 , n.d.
44-46
BOX 44 Addition I, 1832 - 1965 , n.d.
Family papers consisting of biographical data on the
Chanute family, correspondence, and genealogical material,
and a microfilm copy of a thesis by Earl F. Niehaus.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material and name of
family member.
BOX 45-46 Addition II, 1807 - 1911 .
Papers of G. A. Spratt consisting mostly of correspondence
with Chanute. Also includes blueprints, writings, and a
photograph.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material and
chronologically therein.
BOX OV Oversize, 1865 -ca. 1928 , n.d.
1
Brochures and plans for Missouri River bridge, blueprint and
cutout letter enclosures, and miscellaneous material.
Organized and described according to the series, folders, and
boxes from which the items were removed.
Container List
Box Contents
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1890 - 1910
BOX 1 A-He
BOX 2 Ho-Mea
BOX 3 Mer-Z
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1890 - 1910
BOX 4 Mouillard, Louis-Pierre, including legal papers, patents,
articles, and partial translation of Le Vol Sans
Battements
BOX 5 Wright, Wilbur and Orville
BOX 6 Miscellaneous
AERONAUTICAL PAPERS, 1875 - 1912
BOX 7 Articles and patents before 1900
BOX 8 Photographs, sketches, clippings, and papers relating to
William Paul Butson, J.J. Bennett, Charles W. Hastings,
and Wilhelm Kress prior to 1900
BOX 9 1889 - 1899
BOX 10 1900 - 1902
BOX 11 1903 - 1905
BOX 12 1906 - 1907
BOX 13 1908 - 1909
BOX 14 1910
BOX 15 1911
BOX 16 Photograph album, scrapbook, and clippings concerning
kites
SUBJECT FILE, 1865 -ca. 1928 , n.d.
BOX 17 Biographical material
Business and engineering articles
(2 folders)
BOX 18
(1 folder)
Clippings
List of principal writings
Miscellany See also Oversize
Missouri River bridge
Brochures describing Missouri River bridge, St.
Charles, Mo. See Oversize
Miscellaneous notes and letters
Plans of construction, Missouri River bridge, St.
Charles, Mo. See Oversize
Patents
Photographic portraits
LETTERBOOKS, 1860 - 1910
Microfilm edition available. Shelf no. 16,482
Box Reel Contents
BOX 19 REEL 1 5 Sept. 1860 -3 June 1863
REEL 2 31 Dec. 1864 -21 Nov. 1866
22 Nov. 1866 -3 June 1869
REEL 3 17 June 1869 -28 Sept. 1873
BOX 20 REEL 4 1 Jan. 1871 -15 Oct. 1873
REEL 5 16 Mar. 1882 -14 Aug. 1883 , 31 Jan. 1885
REEL 6 14 July 1883 -15 Apr. 1885
BOX 21 REEL 7 15 Apr. 1885 -15 Aug. 1887
REEL 8 16 Aug. 1887 -18 Apr. 1890
BOX 22 REEL 9 24 Apr. 1890 -15 Apr. 1891
REEL 10 21 Apr. 1890 -17 May 1892
REEL 11 18 May 1892 -11 Sept. 1893
BOX 23 REEL 1213 Sept. 1893 -12 Oct. 1894
REEL 13 15 Oct. 1894 -1 Feb. 1896
BOX 24 REEL 141 Feb.-23 Nov. 1896
REEL 15 23 Nov. 1896 -22 Apr. 1898
REEL 16 25 Apr. 1898 -7 June 1899
BOX 25 REEL 1710 June 1899 -28 Sept. 1900
REEL 18 29 Sept. 1900 -7 Jan. 1902
REEL 19 8 Jan. 1902 -23 Sept. 1903
BOX 26 REEL 2024 Sept. 1903 -24 Jan. 1905
REEL 21 31 Jan. 1905 -11 Aug. 1906
BOX 27 REEL 2212 Aug. 1906 -20 Jan. 1908
REEL 23 20 Jan. 1908 -29 July 1909
REEL 24 30 July 1909 -14 May 1910
TRANSCRIPTS OF AERONAUTICAL PAPERS, 1885 - 1910
Box Contents
Alphabetical file, 1890 - 1910
BOX 28 Ae-He
BOX 29 Ho-Mo
BOX 30 Mo-Wa
BOX 31 We-Wr
BOX 32 Forney, M. N., correspondence
Wright, Wilbur and Orville, correspondence
Miscellaneous letters
(1 volume)
BOX 33
(2 volumes)
Chronological file
BOX 34 1885 - 1894
BOX 35 1895 - 1897
BOX 36 1898 - 1902
BOX 37 1903 - 1906
BOX 38 1907 - 1910
Special correspondence
BOX 39 Correspondence with Augustus Moore Herring, Edward C.
Huffaker, C. F. Marvin, G. A. Spratt, Albert Francis
Zahm
1900 - 1903
BOX 40 1904 - 1910
BOX 41 Mouillard, Louis-Pierre
English translations, 1890 - 1897
BOX 42 French transcripts, 1890 - 1897
(3 folders)
Wright, Wilbur
From Chanute, 1900 - 1904
To Chanute, 1900 - 1910
(4 folders)
PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1850 - 1924
BOX 43 Photocopies of personal and family letters
ADDITIONS, 1807 - 1965 , n.d.
Addition I
BOX 44 Family papers
Boyd, Alice Chanute, 1912 - 1925 , n.d.
Chanute, Annie Octavia, 1871 - 1924
Chanute, Elizabeth, 1889 - 1960 , n.d.
Chanute, Elizabeth and Octavia, 1911 - 1947
(2 folders)
Chanute, Gertrude DeBonairo, 1863
Chanute, Joseph, 1964 - 1965 , n.d.
Chanute, Octave, 1832 - 1910 , n.d.
(2 folders)
Niehaus, Earl F., "Jefferson College in St. James
Parish, Louisiana: 1830-1875, " microfilm copy of thesis
on Chanute, 1955
Microfilm shelf number 17,096. Not available on
interlibrary loan.
Addition II
BOX 45 Spratt, G. A.
Blueprints and photograph, 1898 , n.d.
Correspondence with Chanute See also Oversize
1898 - 1908
(13 folders)
BOX 46 1909 - 1911
(3 folders)
Printed matter, 1904 - 1910
Writings
Chanute, Octave, 1907 - 1908 , n.d.
Miscellaneous, 1807 , n.d.
Spratt, G. A., n.d.
OVERSIZE, 1865 -ca. 1928 , n.d.
BOX OV 1 Subject File
Miscellany, ca. 1870 -ca. 1928 (Container 18)
Missouri River Bridge
Brochures describing Missouri River bridge, St.
Charles, Mo., 1865 (Container 18)
Plans of construction, Missouri River bridge,
St. Charles, Mo., n.d. (Container 18)
Additions
Addition II
Spratt, G. A.
Correspondence from Chanute
Enclosure: blueprint and
cutouts of wing shapes, 29
June 1900 (Container 45)
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