A street flag honoring the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act waves in Beatrice, NE.

Last month, they visited the Homestead National Monument of America, four miles west of Beatrice, NE, to install the exhibit. The Homestead Act of 1862 is a four-page document was signed by Abraham Lincoln. Because it is written on parchment, the document is very sensitive to fluctuations in humidity. Great care was taken to ensure the case kept relative humidity as the Homestead Act traveled to Nebraska. This is the first time all four pages have been displayed.

We love the love the Homestead Act is getting in Beatrice, NE, as evidenced by this puzzle...

“The Homestead Act is an important document because it opened the way for settlement of the west,” Zeender said. “It was an engine for immigration to the west, even bringing in people from overseas.” The act granted most Americans the ability to claim 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River as long as the claimants were at least 21 years old, lived on the land for five years, and showed evidence of making improvements. Its passage allowed 270 million acres of land to be settled in 30 states.

...this place mat...

At the Homestead National Monument, Zeender and Bradsher were briefed on security, given tours of the museum, and gave a series of presentations on the Homestead Act and homestead records. National Archives at Kansas City‘s Archival Operations Director Lori Cox-Paul also gave a talk.

...and this napkin dispenser!

“Mark Engler, the Superintendent, and the staff of the National Monument were very kind and gracious to us and said very many nice things about NARA at every opportunity,” Bradsher said. “And of course, they thought Jim was wonderful.”

“Greg was very well-received,” returned Zeender. “We were very excited to be in Nebraska! It’s a very big deal there. That’s not unique to the Homestead Act; any kind of historical document we loan to museums in the country is a big deal because of the relative rarity of the experience. But this one has a special meaning to the people in Nebraska–the home of the first homesteader.”

"Darling! Wait! You forgot to pack your sandwich!"

Trying to choose a winner from last winner’s caption contest got us all tangled up! How could we choose between balloon references, Air Force One, and the horrors of flying coach? Eventually we had to hand over our judging duties over to Natalie Rocchio, archives specialist in the Center for Legislative Archives. Natalie knows how to pick out something fascinating: she is the blogging power behind Congress in the Archives.

Congratulations to Gary! Natalie choose your quote as the winner. Check your email for a 15% discount to the eStore.

Although this photograph might evoke memories of Mom or Dad chasing down the school bus and waving a brown paper bag, the man in this photograph is actually coming down, not going up. The photograph was taken during World War I: “Returning from a U-Boat scouting party. Aerial naval observer coming down from a ‘Blimp’ type balloon after a scouting tour somewhere on the Atlantic Coast. Central News Photo Service., ca. 1918.” (ARC 533474; 165-WW-63C(10))

Today’s photograph has us back inside and firmly on (or even under) the ground! Give us your wittiest caption in the comments below.

"Your caption here!"

Inside the archival side: photo conservator Sara Shpargel, Annie Leibovitz, and fellow conservator Lauren Varga at the National Archives at College Park, MD, facility. Ms. Leibovitz is photographing original Mathew Brady glass-plate negatives of Abraham Lincoln for her upcoming book Pilgrimage.

Last year, I tried to get a discount on my entrance fee to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by explaining that I worked at the National Archives. The woman at the counter frowned at me. “The National Archives,” she said. “What’s there?”

The Constitution, a copy of the Magna Carta, I told her. It’s open to the public and they are on display.

“But is it a museum?” she persisted. They only gave discounts to people who worked at other museums.

“Yes,” I said. “Part of it is.” But as I walked away with my discount pass, I wondered, is the National Archives a museum?

Today is International Museum Day 2012 around the world, and I am still pondering the same question. I suppose the answer remains “part of it is.”

The National Archives is first and foremost, an archives. Our mission is to keep our holdings—billions of documents, artifacts, film, and recordings related to the Federal Government—safe and secure as well as accessible to the public.

The beautiful building that is downtown  in Washington, DC, is an active archives. Researchers enter on the Pennsylvania Avenue side and come into our Research Room to use original documents. Staff are busy in the stacks in the center of the building pulling records like Revolutionary War files and 19th-century ship logs. Volunteers are helping to digitize Civil War records. Genealogists are poring over microfilm to find family members. It’s not a big building, but it’s busy with archival activity!

On the exhibits side: curator Alice Kamps talks with visitors during the press preview of "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" in 2011. This exhibit pulled records from regional archives and the Presidential ibraries.

But if you enter in the Constitution Avenue side of the building, you won’t see any of that archival activity. Instead, you are entering the National Archives Experience. Our documents are on display for the public. The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution are visible under glass in the Rotunda. Nearby is a 1297 copy of the Magna Carta in a new interactive case, and across from that is the Featured Document, which changes every month. And when you are finished in the Rotunda, you can walk around “The Public Vaults,” which is an exhibit space with documents, video, and objects. The O’Brien Gallery hosts larger changing exhibits with displays of documents from our holdings. So this part of the National Archives sounds like . . . a museum.

So, I can describe the downtown building as an archives with a museum in it. But that’s not the only part of the National Archives.

The 13 Presidential libraries are part of the National Archives, and each Presidential library has an archive managed by our staff that contains all the material related to that President. Each library also has a museum with recreated Oval Offices, exhibits on the President’s life, and traveling exhibits. The Nixon and Eisenhower libraries even have the childhood homes of the Presidents on site—and the Reagan Library has Air Force One! You can visit the Presidential libraries as a researcher or as a museum-goer. The idea of the museum is clear: each facility is called the “Presidential Library and Museum.”

A new exhibit at the Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

But the National Archives also has regional branches across the country, from New York City to Anchorage. Their primary focus is archives—they hold permanent Federal records that pertain to their geographic location—but these facilities also have exhibit spaces in addition to research rooms, and many host events and speakers.

I asked Kimberlee Ried, Public Programs Specialist of the National Archives at Kansas City, if the National Archives is a museum.

“Visitors to the National Archives at Kansas City have a similar experience to that of visiting the DC location and the Presidential libraries. They can use our facility for research, but we always hope that they take advantage of the exhibit galleries,” Ried said. “We have two galleries, and the exhibits change every 4–6 months. In addition, the exhibition content is tied to our records. We provide public programming in conjunction with all of our exhibits so patrons really have an opportunity to learn more about what the National Archives has to offer in terms of our documents, photographs, and other materials.”

That sounds like a lot like a description of a museum.

I posed the same question to Public Programs Specialist Dorothy Dougherty. She works at the National Archives at New York City, which will be moving into a new space at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green in NYC this fall. This building already houses the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.

The latest exhibit at Kansas City "They're Not Going to Get Me: Crime in the 1930s."

“The National Archives space will include expanded reference room, welcome and learning centers complete with dedicated exhibit gallery space to showcase original documents from our holdings,” said Doughtery. “It will be an exciting new venture as we seek to expand our outreach and offerings to both our typical patron, new visitors and tourists alike.”

So, I’m back where I started. The National Archives is an archives. Researchers come to do research at regional branches and Presidential libraries. But the National Archives also has museum parts to it. Is it a museum? Well, not really. But sort of.

My favorite response came from Jim McSweeney,  Regional Liaison at the National Archives at Atlanta: “Merriam Webster defines a museum as ’A building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.’  As surely as National Archives facilities store the narratives, testimonies, and objects of our national experience, so too do they allow individuals to research and build their family history, perhaps the most dynamic and personal exhibit that a museum can offer. ”

Come visit our regional archives, Presidential libraries, or the building in Washington, DC, and make up your own mind on whether or not we are an archives or a museum!

More than 900 goats take on the task of clearing brush around the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA.

“Last year, the Ventura County Fire Department broached the idea with us,” said Reagan Library Director and Herder-in-Chief Duke Blackwood. “We’ve partnered with them for more than 10 years with brush clearance. We’d bring in teams of people to do it, and it was very laborious and noisy. I don’t know how exactly, but the fire department was approached by these people with goats, and they thought they’d give it a try.”

These goats will be working non-stop for the next month or so. They're set to clear 40 acres of brush.

An annual brush clearing is an important part of fire abatement because the library is located in a fire-prone area. The library took on 400 goats last year to clear 13 acres of brush around the property. This year, 900 goats will cover 40 acres. A portable fence is placed to move the goats around and keep them safe. A shepherd will also live on the property for the entire month to watch over the goats and make sure no coyotes or bobcats get them.

The goat program is organized and paid for by the fire department, so no special clearance is required to have the goats on property.

“It’s a very efficient and green way of doing it, and they get right down to the ground. You might say it’s not a baaaaa-d idea,” Blackwood joked.

All right, so these goats don’t need to be issued National Archives ID badges. But are they professional in the workplace?

“Absolutely! And you know what, they don’t complain,” Blackwood said. ”And they work 24/7. I mean, they just stay inside the fence and eat all the green stuff—and I mean everything green.”

Both staff and public alike have responded positively to the use of goats to clear brush. “The public just loves it,” Blackwood said. “I mean, it’s a fascinating thing to watch. There are big goats and small goats, and they make funny noises and munch, munch, munch all day long. It’s just amazing.”

A set of triplets was born on May 15, 2012. What would you name these three wee baby goats?

This year, the Reagan Library started off with 900 goats, but several baby goats have been born since: a pair of twins and a set of triplets. An informal staff contest was held to name the twins, one of which unfortunately didn’t make it. The remaining twin will be named Jellybean, in honor of Reagan’s love for the candy.

“There’s absolutely no question that Reagan would’ve thought this was a wonderful idea,” Blackwood said. “And you know, Jellybean just might be tweeting soon, so keep an eye out!”

For now, the baby goat triplets have yet to be named. What do you think these three wee baby goats should be called?

Resolution passed by the Confederation Congress authorizing the Constitutional Convention, February 21, 1787.

Today’s post was written by National Archives volunteer Paul Richter. It is the first in a series tracing the development of the Constitution in honor of the 225th anniversary of this document.

Eleven years after the Declaration of Independence announced the birth of the United States, the survival of the young country seemed in doubt. The War for Independence had been won, but economic depression, social unrest, interstate rivalries, and foreign intrigue appeared to be unraveling the fragile confederation.

On February 21, 1787, the Continental Congress resolved that “it is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”

The original states, with the exception of Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention, but a number did not accept or could not attend.

On May 14, 1787, the Federal Convention convened in the State House—now known as Independence Hall—in Philadelphia.

Almost no one showed up.

Only delegates from two states, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were present on that first day. This meant that the members met and adjourned each day until May 25, when the convention obtained a quorum of seven states.

In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, James Madison blamed bad weather for delaying the arrival of delegates to the convention. It was a slow, soggy start to four months of discussion and sometimes heated debate among the young nation’s best minds. Throughout that long summer in Philadelphia, the now-familiar concepts included in the final product were anything but certain.

In honor of the 225th anniversary of the Constitution, we’ll trace the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention over the next four months. You are invited to watch the evolution of the Constitution unfold at the National Archives Tumblr blog.

"The Reagans catch members of Congress BEFORE they put on their suits and makeup."

The clothes must make the man! Last week’s photo caption contest winner featured Spring Fashion Week and canvas jumpsuits; this week’s winner pokes gentle fun at what our congressmen might look like before they are suited up for work.

Duke Blackwood, the Director of the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum, took on his guest judging duties with a good humor that may make even the stoniest-faced terra-cotta warrior crack a smile.

Congratulations to Logan! Check your email for a code for a 15% discount in the National Archives eStore.

The original caption of the photo reads: “Photograph of the Reagans standing with the Terra Cotta figures in Xi’an, China” (April 29, 1984. ARC 198547). President Reagan’s 1984 trip to China marked only the second time a U.S. President visited since President Richard Nixon’s historic trip in 1972. Reagan met with Chinese President Li Xiannian in an attempt to resolve diplomatic differences between the U.S. and China. He also toured historical and cultural sites in Beijing with First Lady Nancy Reagan, including the Terra-cotta Army of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China. The terra-cotta soldiers were found in a massive burial site, intended to protect the emperor in the afterlife.

Our last photograph featured orderly soldiers below the ground, so this week we thought we’d take to the unpredictable skies. Put your wittiest captions in the comments below!

"Your caption here!"

When future President Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, his parents decided to name him Harry, after his mother’s brother Harrison Young. But what about a middle name? Harry’s parents could not come to a decision—should Harry’s middle name be Shipp, in honor of his paternal grandfather, Anderson Shipp Truman? Or should it be Solomon, in honor of his maternal grandfather, Solomon Young?

In the end, they entered his middle name as simply S, which led to a never-ending controversy and questions about Harry S. Truman’s middle name.

When Harry S. Truman wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt in 1945, Truman's signature includes the period (ARC 4708753).

Many people tried to give Truman a middle name. When Truman took the oath of office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone delivered the oath as “I, Harry Shipp Truman.” When Truman repeated it back, he made the subtle correction, “I, Harry S. Truman.”

In this press release, Truman runs his signature together and the "S" can barely be seen (ARC 200612).

Truman often received mail addressed to “Harry Solomon Truman,” “Harry Simpson Truman” and “Harry Shippe Truman.” In 1955, on a visit to Eugene, Oregon, to raise money for the construction of the Truman Library, the Swinomish Indian tribe gave Truman the ceremonial middle name of Swinomish.

In this letter from Harry S. Truman to James F. Byrnes in 1946, Truman did not use the period in his signature (ARC 201509)

But if Truman’s middle name is just S, and does not stand for anything else, why does the Truman Library use a period after the S? The reason is simple: Harry Truman did.

The Truman Library is filled with numerous examples, from Truman’s boyhood through his old age, where the period after the S is very clear. Other times, especially while he served as President, Truman ran his signature into a single stroke of the pen and the period can be difficult to decipher. Other times it is quite emphatic.

Another  reason the Truman Library also uses “S.” is that the library follows the guidance of the U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual, which states that the period should be used as part of Truman’s middle name, partly for the sake of consistency.

This leads to another question that Truman asked his friend and former Secretary of State Dean Acheson: what does one call Truman’s middle name? In a letter to  Acheson in 1957, Truman writes “…do you know the word meaning an initial standing in a name but signifying no name itself, as the ‘S’ in Harry S. Truman?”

This leads to an entertaining response from Acheson, who contacts several librarians and reports back on his search:

The essence of the matter is that we are blind men, searching in a dark room for a black hat which isn’t there. The “S” in Harry S Truman (no period after the “S”) does not “stand for anything.” Therefore, it cannot have a descriptive noun—“vacuum,” “nothing,” etc., are already pre-empted. But, more positively, it is something—not representatively, but absolutely. You are “S” (without a period) because it is your name.

 One of the librarians stated in her report that she understood Truman’s parents gave him S as a middle name. “Parents can name their child anything they please, and if they choose to name him X, then X is his name,” she wrote. “On the other hand it seems a pity to offer nothing to an ex-President. Why not make up a word? I suggest sic, meaning ‘so in christening.’”

President Harry S. Truman receives a birthday cake at his desk in the Oval Office from White House receptionist William Simmons, in honor of his sixty-seventh birthday. 05/08/1951 (ARC 200315)

(Courtesy of NARA Staff)

Pennsylvania Avenue is synonymous with iconic destinations and extraordinary events. From the White House to the United States Capitol, the notable institutions that line the street have hosted many of America’s most momentous occasions. Last month, the National Archives Building at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue continued this tradition by holding its Eighth Annual Genealogy Fair.

The fair, which was free to the public, took place April 18-19 on Pennsylvania Plaza in front of the Archives. Throughout the two-day event, the National Archives showcased Federal records that can be used as resources for family history research. In addition, staff members and exhibitors provided information for both experienced genealogists and novices.

This year’s fair featured the addition of three large classroom tents for informational lectures. These sessions included workshops on records relating to immigration, land, naturalization, military, online resources, and more.

When visitors were not viewing exhibits and attending sessions, they were primarily discussing the recent release of the 1940 census in digital form. Many visitors revealed that they are now using social media and web tools to locate their relatives.

If you are interested in helping to index the 1940 census, join the online indexing project and start creating a name index for the 1940 census today. To start, find census maps and descriptions to locate an enumeration district. Then browse census images to locate a person in the 1940 census. Once you locate a census image, you can easily save, share, or download the image.

In all, a record number of 5,401 people attended the Eighth Annual Genealogy Fair, compared to about 5,000 last year. The fair was funded by the Foundation for the National Archives with support from lead sponsor Ancestry.com

If you missed the Eighth Annual Genealogy Fair, the National Archives is hosting several regional genealogy programs in May. Check out “Blogging for Genealogists” in Fort Worth on May 4, “Passenger Arrival and Naturalization Records” in San Francisco on May 11, or “Navigating the US Census, 1790 – 1940″ in Boston on May 17.

The beginning of Captain Turner's testimony about the conditions of the ice near the Titanic, one day before the fateful sailing of the Lusitania. “In the Matter of the Petition of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, for Limitation of its Liability as owner of the steamship TITANIC”; Admiralty Case Files Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at New York City.

On the morning of May 1, 1915, Pier 54 on the Hudson River was awash with people, luggage, and cargo. A great transatlantic liner was readying to sail back to England. There was somewhat ominous tone to the activities: small notices about war zones had appeared in various newspapers.

The captain of this great vessel had spent the day before at the New York City offices of Hunt, Hill & Betts. He had been asked to testify by lawyers involved in the limitation of liability case related to the Titanic disaster, which was dragging into its third year.

He was asked a series of questions about the size and design of ships on the Cunard Line, the difficulty of sighting icebergs, and his reaction to iceberg warnings. These questions were important because the ship he was commanding in April 1912 was sailing only a few days behind the Titanic. 

Q. Did you get reports of icebergs before you heard of the “Titanic” sinking?

A. Yes, on Sunday and Monday.

Q. Did you go south of the position where they were indicated?

A. I went 65 miles south of the position where the “Titanic” struck ice.

Q. Under the above circumstances, would it be reasonably safe for such a vessel to proceed at a speed of 20 knots an hour or upwards?

A. Certainly not; 20 knots through ice! My conscience!

 The lawyers asked many of the same questions over and over in different forms, but no answer was groundbreaking to the case. However, there is one question and answer that sticks out.

 Q. Have you learned nothing by that accident?

A. Not the slightest; it will happen again.

This answer sent a chill down my spine when I first read it because the captain being interviewed about the Titanic disaster was William T. Turner, captain of the RMS Lusitania.

On May 7, just one week after Turner gave this testimony in New York City, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat, becoming the most infamous maritime disaster of the First World War.  Nearly 1,200 people, including 128 Americans, were lost. There were only 761 survivors.

The Cunard Line, just like the White Star after the Titanic disaster, filed a petition with the court of the Southern District of New York to limit its liability against claims filed by survivors and the families of victims.  This case, also part of the records of the National Archives at New York City, was the first project I worked on when I started volunteering. Captain Turner’s deposition and its relation to the Titanic disaster offers a surprising connection between these two infamous events. After the recent Titanic centennial, and after having examined both cases, I would like offer some thoughts on these two tragedies.

The Titanic has always overshadowed the story of the Lusitania. Nonetheless, the repercussions of the Lusitania had a more significant impact on world events. While not directly leading to American entry into World War I, the sinking of the ship damaged relations between the United States and Germany in 1915, and was influential in the United States declaring war in 1917.  Yet, the Titanic is much more a part of our collective memory.

Captain Turner avoided the iceberg believed to have sunk the Titanic; but he was unable to avoid the German U-boats. "A Photograph of an Iceberg Floating Near the Site of the TITANIC Sinking., 12/14/1912 " ARC Identifier 278334

The allure of the Titanic seems to stem from the romanticism that surrounds it. Like an ancient Greek tragedy, it was a disaster brought on by folly, arrogance, and possibly even fate itself. The two-and-a-half hours it took to sink turned the ship into a drowning stage that allowed a series of human dramas to play out. I imagine that the great bulk of the ship rising out of the water with its sparkling lights set against the night sky, as recreated in so many paintings and films, was both terrifying and mesmerizing.

The Lusitania story is bleaker and more difficult to comprehend. Its sinking was swift, violent, and ugly. After a torpedo struck its starboard side, the Lusitania sank in a mere 18 minutes.

While there were enough lifeboats for all passengers (a lesson learned from the Titanic), only 6 were successfully launched. Calls for “women and children first” mostly fell on deaf ears as primeval instincts of survival took over. Proportionally many more women and children died than on the Titanic. The fact that a civilian passenger ship was torpedoed without warning and that she was carrying different types of war materials (including 4 million rifle cartridges for the British Army) are still major points of controversy.    

As for Captain Turner, he would survive the Lusitania. A British inquiry laid a great deal of the blame personally on his actions as if to avoid questions about the cargo on the Lusitania. Ultimately, in both the American and British inquiries, Germany was held solely responsible. As in the Titanic liability case, the Lusitania claimants received next to nothing.

In spite of romantic notions or controversy the most poignant parts in both cases are the individual the human stories, preserved in the various claims and testimonies. The material available at the National Archives allows one to delve deeper into an event and come out with a more profound understanding of it. Having had the privilege to examine both the Titanic and Lusitania cases, I learned so much about the era from which these people came from and the events that they were caught up in; and in the process the strange coincidences of history that made the Titanic and Lusitania sisters in fate.

"Spring Fashion Week featured a variety of on trend canvas jumpsuits, accessorized with over the shoulder ammo in this seasons must have metals"!

We’re not always fashion forward here in the National Archives (archivists wear blue coats over the street clothes to protect themselves from the dust and dirt that come from working in the stacks), but we were inspired by the jaunty hats and shiny shoes worn by these two women. And so were many of you, apparently! We had a hard time choosing among captions that referenced Project Runway, crayons, and song lyrics.

We turned to archives technician Diane Petro, who shouldered her judging duties like a bandolier of bullets. Diane has been down in the trenches for the last several months working on the 1940 census, but now that it has been released, she has returned to her civilian life in the Research Room.

Congratulations to Michelle! Your caption was chosen by Diane as the winner! Check your e-mail for a code for a 15% discount in the National Archives eStore.

And congratulations to Florence Johnson and  Rosamund Small! These two women in the photograph (ARC 520612; 80-G-45240) were the first WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) to qualify as instructors on electrically operated 50-caliber machine gun turrets. Here they are walking to the target range at the Naval Air Gunners School in Hollywood, Florida (April 11, 1944).

Our last photograph featured statuesque women, but this week’s photo features statues. Put your wittiest caption in the comments below!

"Your caption here!"