Research

New York State Department of Public Works Drawings, Plans, and Correspondence Relating to State Facilities


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series consists of blueprint plans, estimates, and drawings for state facilities including state hospitals, buildings, and schools; Eastern Division of the canal; and state armories and barracks. Many plans document construction of roads, walkways, water supply systems, and drainage and sewage disposal systems. Also included are contract proposals, specifications, and support documents such as weekly engineer's reports, receipts for material delivered, estimates, contract books, and unidentified rolled plans and blueprints.
Title:
Department of Public Works drawings, plans, and correspondence relating to state facilities
Quantity:

17.15 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:
1917-1960, 1967, Undated
Bulk Dates:
1920-1940
Series Number:
B1426

Arrangement

Arranged by contract or project.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of blueprint plans, estimates and drawings for state facilities including state hospitals, buildings, and schools; Eastern Division of the canal; armories and barracks.

B1426-95: This accretion contains approximately 1,200 blueprint plans, estimates, and drawings (ca. 1917-1937). Most plans depict construction projects for Marcy State Hospital. Other state facilities include Rome State School, the Oneida Armory, and the Eastern Division of the Erie Canal. Many of the plans document construction of roads, walkways, water supply systems, drainage and sewage disposal systems. Also included are contract proposals, specifications, and a variety of other material related to these projects and documents such as weekly engineer reports, receipts for material delivered, estimates, and contract books.

Also included in the accretion are approximately 35 contract specifications only for similar projects at Utica State Hospital, Broadacres Sanitorium, the State Police barracks at Oneida, the State Agricultural and Technical Institute at Morrisville, and the State Armory at Steuben Park.

B1426-98: The accretion consists of largely unidentified rolled plans and blueprints, some of which appear to be structural diagrams for elements (e.g. lock gate?) of the state canal system. One set includes drawings of the Edwards Building in Rochester, New York, which is an example of a building re-used as state government offices. There are multiple sheets with each roll.

B1426-02: This accretion consists of 19 preliminary blueprint plans created by the Division of Architecture for Willard State Hospital buildings. Plans include elevations, floor plans, and plot plans for an infirmary building, doctor's cottages, a single employee building, and a five family staff group building.

B1426-15: This accretion consists of two blueprint plans and one pencil-drawn plan depicting additions and alterations to the Ray Brook Sanitarium water supply system. Features represented include buildings; hydrants; waterlines; steam conduits; roads; railroad crossing; property lines of the Saranac Golf Club, Delaware and Hudson Railroad, and the Saranac Lake and Lake Placid Railroad; easements; reservoir; pipeline traverse; and dam and spillway.

B1426-15A: This accretion consists of a general plot plan of Matteawan State Hospital and surrounding grounds in 1967, created by the State Division of Architecture.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

B1426-95: Roll list with approximate number of plans is available at the repository.

B1426-02: Item list is available at the repository.

Acquisition Information

B1426-15A: These records were acquired by the New York State Museum and transferred to the State Archives by principal in April 2014.

Processing Information

B1426-98: This accession resulted from a project by State Archives staff in 1998 to integrate or accession estrayed or unidentified records.

Custodial History

B1426-95: At the time these records were created, the Department of Public Works was in charge of state facilities, with canals as a main concern. The records originally came from canal offices in the State Office Building at Utica and were later moved to the section shops at Utica Harbor, before being accessioned by the State Archives.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Access Terms

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