William States Lee papers, 1911-1933

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Summary

Creator:
Lee, William States, 1872-1934
Abstract:
Collection contains photographs, memoranda of operations, blue prints, printed material, and volumes compiled by William States Lee in his role as consulting engineer for the construction of the Beauharnois Hydroelectric Power Station in Quebec Province, Canada. Included are over 1300 photographs which show the project's development from beginning to completion; project's weekly bound memoranda of operations from 1929-1933; and many reports, specifications, blueprints, and other plans generated from this project. Also included in this collection are some photographs, maps, and and other documents related to the Duke Power Company's hydroelectric development in the Carolinas. In addition, there is a volume outlining farming problems, especially erosion, in western North Carolina and southern Appalachia, and contains pictures of these areas.
Extent:
8.5 Linear Feet (24 boxes; 1 oversize folder)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11072

Background

Scope and content:

Collection contains photographs, memoranda of operations, specifications, blue prints, sketches, printed material, and volumes chiefly relating to the construction of the Beauharnois Hydroelectric Power Station on the Saint Lawrence Ricver in Quebec Province, Canada between 1930 and 1932. William States Lee served as a consulting engineer on the project. Included are 1356 "progress pictures" which show the project's development from beginning to completion; the project's weekly bound memoranda of operations from 1929-1933; and many reports, specifications, blueprints, and other plans generated from this project.

Also included in this collection is a small amount of material on the Duke Power Company: photographs of the construction of the New Catawba Station near Fort Mill, S.C.; photographs of the construction of an unidentified hydro-electric power station most likely in the Carolinas; and maps of North and South Carolina showing the Duke Power Transmission system in 1928.

One volume--An Institute of Mountain Agriculture, circa 1925--deals with farming problems, especially erosion, in western North Carolina and southern Appalachia, and contains pictures of these areas.

Biographical / historical:

William States Lee (1872-1934) was born in Lancaster, S.C. to William States and Jenny Lind Lee. He graduated from the Citadel with a degree in engineering in 1894 and served in the engineer corps during the Spanish-American war. In 1905 he became Chief Engineer of the Southern Power Company (later the Duke Power Company). He also operated an independent consulting firm, the William States Lee Engineering Corporation, with offices in New York and Charlotte, N.C.

Through his association with the Southern Power Company and the Duke Power Company, Lee designed and supervised construction of at least 32 hydro-electric power stations throughout the Carolinas during the 1910s and 1920s. He also designed the Isle-Maligne Station (1923-1926) on the Saguenay River, Quebec, and the Beauharnois Power Station (1930-1933) on the Saint Lawrence River south of Montreal, Quebec.

William States Lee married Mary Martin of Columbus, Ga. in 1901 and together they had three children: William States, Jr., Martha, and Martin Lee. He died in Charlotte, N.C. on March 24 1934 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Acquisition information:
The William States Lee Papers were received by the William R. Perkins Library at Duke in the 1960s and then transferred to the Manuscripts Department (now the Rubenstein Library) in 1984.
Processing information:

Processed by Noah Huffman, October 2015

Arrangement:

Organized into two series: Beauharnois Power Station and Other Materials.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William States Lee Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.