West Virginia University, Agriculture Experiment Station, Records

Access and use

Location of collection:
West Virginia and Regional History Center
West Virginia & Regional History Center
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6069
1549 University Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26506
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Lori Hostuttler
Phone: (304) 293-3536
Restrictions:

No special access restriction applies.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], West Virginia University, Agriculture Experiment Station, Records, A&M 0055, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
74.2 Linear Feet Summary: 74 ft. 2 in. (178 document cases, 5 in. each)
Creator:
West Virginia University. Agricultural Extension Service
Abstract:
Correspondence, reports, minute books, and other records of the West Virginia University Agricultural Experiment Station.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], West Virginia University, Agriculture Experiment Station, Records, A&M 0055, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Series 1 consists of correspondence for the years 1885 to 1918. This series consists of both incoming and outgoing correspondence for and from Agricultural Experiment Station directors and staff, such as John A. Myers, William E. Rumsey, James H. Stewart, Dwight E. Sanderson, and others. However, this series is generally outgoing correspondence. This series is organized alphabetically and chronologically.

In general, the subjects in Series 1 include correspondence from fertilizer and chemical companies, nurseries, various pamphlets, inquiries regarding agricultural problems, such as seeds and weeds; and sample testing of non-agricultural materials such as alcohol, coal, and sand. Additional correspondence includes invoices, employment inquiries, the sale of hatching eggs, communications with other agricultural experiment stations and the United States Department of Agriculture, and personal mail. Additionally, there are four John A. Myers letter books containing incoming and outgoing letters for the years 1887-1897 (boxes 138-141).

Later Series 1 correspondence specifically reflects the expanded role of experiment station in the years 1905-1918. It includes the Good Roads Movement and crop pest control, and the effort of the experiment station to mobilize farm labor shortage caused by World War I (boxes 42-137).

Please note that Series 2 (boxes 135-144) has been combined with Series 1 and is displayed chronologically within Series 1. As of 2025, we are unsure why original processors separated the material into two series.

Series 3 consists of four record types: a minute book, reports, albums, and papers. The minute book is a WVU Agricultural Experiment Station minute book (box 153). The entries begin in 1888 with the construction of the Agricultural Experiment Station building, with the last entry in 1892. Additionally, there are pages of data and calculations related to crop yields dating to the early 1900s.

The second record type includes reports for tree pests, crop pest reports, fruit orchard inspection reports, seed testing, soil analysis, fertilizer reports, miscellaneous reports, and inspection tag reports. These reports encompass the years 1895 to 1911 (boxes 145-150).

The last set of records are bound Horticultural and Agricultural Blueprint photographic albums (Books 1, 2, 3 and 6, in boxes 151-152). Each bound volume has one or two cyanotype photographic prints per page. Generally, each photograph has an enumerated negative number, view information and negative condition information (as applicable). Images include the Agricultural Experiment Station Farm, injuries to fruits and orchards, problems with poultry and livestock as well as other subjects. These albums cover the years from circa 1892 to circa 1900.

One of the highlights of this series is the West Virginia Agricultural Hall of Fame Certificate awarded to John A. Myers posthumously on July 22, 1988, as well as the Hall of Fame program for the event. These items can be found in Box 153

Series 4 consists of glass plate negatives. The photographic subjects are Diseases & Injuries, Fruits & Orchards, Grains, Livestock, Machinery, Miscellaneous, Other Crops, and Poultry. These subjects were presumably assigned by the WVU Library at the time of accessioning, but may have been assigned previously if used by the originating office for reference. The materials span the years 1895 to 1917.

Series 5 consists of glass plate negatives. The images cover a broad range of subjects including crops, animals, orchards, Farmers Short Courses, farms, schools, among other subjects. This series also includes celluloid negatives (box 181) and negatives from an undated European tour (boxes 182-183). The years included are circa 1890 to circa 1915.

Physical location:
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard