Physical Plant Department Records, 1953-1987
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Summary
- Creator:
- Duke University. Physical Plant Department
- Abstract:
- The Physical Plant Department was responsible for maintenance, housekeeping, repairs, and other operations on the Duke University campus. The collection contains general materials concerning university services, facilities, properties and buildings, including floor plans, memos, bus schedules, photographs, reports, and departmental newsletters. It also contains files specific to the Duke University Marine Laboratory, particularly in regard to plans and blueprints for the building of the oceanographic research vessel "Eastward."
- Extent:
- 2 Linear Feet
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Collection ID:
- UA.10.05.0004
- University Archives Record Group:
- 10 -- Executive VP and Treasurer & Administration (Business and Finance)
10 -- Executive VP and Treasurer & Administration (Business and Finance) > 05 -- Facilities
Background
- Scope and content:
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The collection includes files on buildings and operations related to the responsibilities of the Physical Plant Department. The General Records series contains bus schedules, floor plans, memoranda, photographs, newsletters, reports, inventories, appraisals and other materials concerning University buildings, property, and facilities. Files include materials on the heating plant, the Duke Homestead, the Duke Quarry, and “The Physical Plant Gazette,” a departmental newsletter.
The Marine Laboratory series contains a number of folded blueprints and plans for the oceanographic research vessel “Eastward,” as well as information about European shipbuilding companies; and memos, notes, reports, and correspondence related to the planning and construction of the vessel.
- Biographical / historical:
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The Physical Plant Department was responsible for maintenance, repairs, and other operations on the Duke University Campus, including mail services, housekeeping, groundskeeping, energy conservation, and transportation. The Physical Plant Department was created between 1970 and 1972. It supplanted the Plant Engineering Department, which had replaced the Operations and Maintenance Department in the 1960s. The Physical Plant Department itself was supplanted in October 1987 by the Facilities Planning and Physical Plant Department, known later as the Facilities Management Department. In the early 1960s, Duke University Marine Laboratory established a new research and training program in biological oceanography and built a marine research vessel to facilitate the program. The vessel, equipment, and other program needs were financed with a grant from the National Science Foundation. The oceanography program was directed by Robert J. Menzies, and the research vessel planning committee was led by C.G. Bookhout, director of the Marine Laboratory. W.K. (Ken) Howard, Duke maintenance engineer, assisted Bookhout on the committee and corresponded directly with naval architects, shipbuilders, and engineers during the planning and construction of the research vessel. The vessel, “Eastward,” was completed around 1963.
- Acquisition information:
- The Physical Plant Department Records were received by the Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library, as a transfer in 1975, 1979, 1986, and 1999.
- Processing information:
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Processed by: University Archives Staff
Finding aid derived from MARC record, November 2014. Re-processed by Erin Ryan. New finding aid created November 2016.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
Contents
Using These Materials
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Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
- Terms of access:
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Copyright for official university records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
- Before you visit:
- Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Physical Plant Department Records, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.