Museum of Haverford College collection catalog and ledger
Scope and Contents
This collection includes the collection catalog and ledger of the Museum of Haverford College. The ledger catalogs over 1,400 specimens found in the "stair-hall of [the] museum." The specimens are categorized into three classes: ethnological, zoological, and botanical. Some cataloged specimens include tree bark, birds, bird eggs, flora, and fauna. Of the ethnological items, there are many artifacts from nearly 100 donors, such as a "Japanese box containing a fishing line of human hair" and a "piece of wood supposed to be 800 years old."
Dates
- Creation: 1890
Creator
- Hall, Winfield Scott, 1861-1942 (Person)
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research use.
Use Restrictions
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Historical Note
This ledger was created on July 8, 1890, by curator W.S. Hall. W.S. Hall was likely Winfield Scott Hall, a professor of Biology and Physical Culture at Haverford from 1889-1893. The first pages of the ledger include notes from Hall, stating he found the Haverford Museum in poor condition and decided to catalog the Museum’s property in this ledger. The Museum was first mentioned in the Haverford College Bulletin in 1876. The Museum was originally the property of the Loganian Society, which stored many of the specimens in “Natural History Cabinets”.
The Museum was located in Founders’ Hall and housed thousands of specimens. Though Hall claimed the Museum had “no record” and little “system of arrangement”, the Museum did have various professors serve as curators of the Museum and a committee in charge of the Museum. In 1880, the Loganian Society ceded ownership of the Museum to The College.
Extent
0.125 linear ft. (1 volume)
Language of Materials
English
Latin
Abstract
This collection includes the collection catalog and ledger of the Museum of Haverford College.
Processing Information
Processed by Maia Schwallie, completed September 2023.
- Title
- Museum of Haverford College collection catalog and ledger
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Maia Schwallie
- Date
- September, 2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Library
