Of paper cuts and ink stains: the paperwork of the Custom House

Today's post is written by Stephanie Stegman, the special media projects volunteer at the National Archives at Fort Worth. This is the second post in a three-part series. (If you missed it, the first post can be found here.) Today’s topic is paperwork.  Paperwork was a vital part of daily life at the New Orleans Custom … Continue reading Of paper cuts and ink stains: the paperwork of the Custom House

Inside the New Orleans Custom House

Today's post is written by Stephanie Stegman, the special media projects volunteer at the National Archives at Fort Worth. This is the first post in a three-part series. Electoral projections are a popular topic these days, and everyone has an opinion. In July 1860, two engineers in Louisiana exchanged their predictions on the upcoming presidential … Continue reading Inside the New Orleans Custom House

Transferring records

Today's post is written by Amber Thiele, a processing archivst with civilian textual records in College Park. Sometimes while processing textual records you find something that makes you think, "hmmm…this would get more use if it was in another part of the National Archives and Records Administration."  Usually in the Textual Archives Services Division, this … Continue reading Transferring records

Launch of new web pages on Foreign Affairs records

To assist researchers interested in records of the Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies, the most heavily used records in the National Archives, the Textual Archives Services Division has launched a newly revamped set of pages on the Archives' website for providing an introduction to foreign affairs records. The conduct of foreign affairs … Continue reading Launch of new web pages on Foreign Affairs records

From College Park to Edinburgh: 30 Days with the National Collection of Aerial Photography

Today's post is written by Tom McAnear, a processing archivist in College Park. Tom is participating in the Archival Development Program, an in-house multi-year training course for all of NARA's archivists. As part of my Archival Development Program (ADP) training I recently completed a 30-day rotation in June at the National Collection of Aerial Photography … Continue reading From College Park to Edinburgh: 30 Days with the National Collection of Aerial Photography

Civil War and Later (SC) Pension Application Files Re-Boxing Preservation Project

Our guest blogger today is Dennis Edelin, Chief, Forms Section at Archives I. On September 26, 2011, the National Archives began a preservation re-boxing project.  The purpose of the project is to re-box the nearly 900,000 Soldier Certificate ("SC") Civil War and Later pension application files in our custody.  Please note, these records are not … Continue reading Civil War and Later (SC) Pension Application Files Re-Boxing Preservation Project

Rusty the Comfort Dog

Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. Among the handmade ephemera of the September 11 Recovery Program records are a few professionally made items.  One of these items is an autographed photographic portrait of Rusty.  Following the September 11 attacks, many individuals volunteered their time and skills to the … Continue reading Rusty the Comfort Dog

The Zone

Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. One of the more unique items in the September 11 Recovery Program records is a cartoon sketch of Ground Zero and surrounding areas—referred to as “The Zone”—done on a whiteboard.  Although the National Archives receives records in a variety of media and … Continue reading The Zone

Solidarity

Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. Banners and flags comprise a good portion of the September 11 Recovery Program records.  Some are handmade and some are signed.  One particular United States flag was recovered from the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City after the horrific bombing on … Continue reading Solidarity

International Reaction

Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program received many gifts of compassion and sympathy from people around the world: cards from Australia, letters from Romania and Indonesia, drawings from Belize, postcards from Hong Kong.  Students, faculty and staff of Ecole Routhier … Continue reading International Reaction