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Collection Summary | |
Creator: | Smith, George E. P., 1873-1975 |
Collection Name: | George E.P. Smith papers, |
Inclusive Dates: | 1895-1972 |
Physical Description: | 12.5 linear feet |
Abstract: | This collection is organized into two subgroups and seven series, which include, Biographical Information, 1895-1955. Diaries, 1908- 1909, 1949-1954. Correspondence, 1900-1963. Articles and Addresses, 1908- 1972. Project Files, 1899-1944. Supplemental Papers, 1904-1941. Photographs, 1906-1953. arrangement varies by series. Contains mainly correspondence, 1915-1958, regarding his professional interest in the development and utilization of underground and surface water in Arizona. Correspondents include Carl Hayden, Barry Goldwater, John R. Murdock, and other state and local leaders. Also includes his articles and addresses, project files, and photographs concerning irrigation engineering, agriculture, and water supply projects. |
Collection Number: | MS 280 |
Repository: |
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections University of Arizona PO Box 210055 Tucson, AZ 85721-0055 Phone: 520-621-6423 Fax: 520-621-9733 URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/ |
George Edson Philip Smith was born 29 December 1873 in Lyndonville, Vermont, the son of Franklin H. Smith and his wife Harriet Lovisa Powers. Both parents died by the time Smith was 12, and he spent the rest of his youth living with his grandparents.
In 1893, he entered the University of Vermont at Burlington, graduating in 1897 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He taught at the University of Vermont for three years before coming to Tucson and the University of Arizona. On 1 October 1904, Smith married Maude North, a teacher. They had one son, George Edson Philip Smith, Jr., born 31 October 1905.
From 1900-1906, Smith served as Professor of Engineering, teaching physics, engineering, hydraulics, and surveying at the University of Arizona. In 1906, he became both Professor of Irrigation Engineering and head of the Agricultural Engineering Department. He remained in that field until his retirement in 1955 , at which time he was appointed Professor Emeritus in Agricultural Engineering and continued his active interest in the field of water resources development. Smith's career at the University spanned 54 years.
Smith revolutionized the field of water resources. He was an authority on irrigation and a pioneer in the development of the underground and surface waters of the state of Arizona. Instrumental in Arizona's fight for water supply rights, Smith wrote many argumentative letters to state officials and Arizona Senator Carl Hayden advising against Arizona's involvement in the Colorado River Compact. He was the first to advocate a state water code and wrote the first code, which was enacted by the Arizona legislature in 1919.
The writer of Tucson's first city water code, Smith gave early and continuous warnings to Tucson city officials of the need to secure a future and more permanent water supply. He advised of the eventual disaster which would result if areas with accumulations of groundwater having little annual recharge were overpumped.
The author of over 100 technical bulletins and professional papers in the field of water supply and irrigation, Smith also wrote numerous articles in related fields. In addition to his professional involvements, Smith had a profound influence in civic affairs and politics. Active in the Arizona Pioneers Historical Society, he chaired a committee for preservation of geographic and historic names within the state. When George Edson Philip Smith died in 1975, he was 10l.
This collection is organized into two subgroups: Papers and Photographs.
The Papers in the first subgroup include biographical information; George Edson Philip Smith's diary from March 1949-March 1954, detailing times, places, and statistical information relevant to his vocational activities; a second diary containing a record of his trips taken in 1908-1909 to survey Arizona sites, including Rillito, Canada del Oro, the Rincon Valley, and the San Pedro Valley; correspondence, chiefly regarding Smith's vocational and political concerns over a sixty-three year period in Arizona's history; articles and addresses written by Smith, including publications in technical journals, semi-technical articles, annual forecasts of irrigation water supply, letters to the editor on miscellaneous subjects, and articles on municipal engineering subjects such as water supply and zoning problems; files on agriculture, irrigation, and water projects in Arizona, Sonora, Mexico, and Antofagasta, Chile, for which Smith served as a consultant; and supplemental papers which include printed materials on various types of machinery used for irrigation and agriculture, Smith's participation in programs sponsored by the Agricultural Extension Service, his advocation of Sentinel Peak ("A" Mountain) as a city park, and his involvement on various University of Arizona faculty committees.
The black and white photographs in the second subgroup cover the years 1906-1953. They are organized by subject or place. Within those areas, most are grouped according to the labels and dates which Smith had on the original photograph envelopes. The bulk of the photographs deal with Smith's agricultural, irrigation, water supply, and conservation efforts in Arizona. The collection also includes photographs taken by Smith and others in California, Idaho, India, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
None.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
George E.P. Smith papers(MS 280).Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.
Subgroup I: Papers, 1895-1972 | |||||||||||
Series I: Biographical Information, 1895-1955 | |||||||||||
Contains Smith's College of Agriculture Faculty Statistics Sheet (December 1923) along with a pamphlet of his publications (1955). Also contains Smith's typewritten biography for the 1937 edition of Who's Who in Engineeringas well as other miscellaneous personal materials. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 1 | Biographical material. , 1895-1955 | |||||||||
Series II: Diaries, 1908-1954 | |||||||||||
Contains 90 handwritten sheets of notes taken by Smith on trips to survey Arizona sites in 1908-1909. Smith traveled to Rillito and Canada del Oro, Casa Grande and Florence, Rillito Station and the Tortolita Mountains, the Rincon Valley, the San Pedro Valley, and the Phoenix-Mesa area. The notes discuss such topics as ranchers, water sources and structures, and geological and floral observations. The bulk of his daily diaries were lost before the collection was given to the library. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 2 | Diary. , 1908-1909 | |||||||||
1 | 3 | Diary. , 1949-1954 | |||||||||
Series III: Correspondence, 1900-1963 | |||||||||||
Contains letters to and from George E.P. Smith, chiefly regarding his professional pursuits during his career at the University of Arizona. During the course of his lifetime, Smith also maintained a reciprocal correspondence with several local, state and national officials, including Senator Carl Hayden, Senator Barry Goldwater, and Senator Warren Austin, U.S. delegate to the United Nations. These letters are interfiled in the correspondence. | |||||||||||
Please notice that there are gaps for some years. Also, be advised that incoming letters are often filed alphabetically by sender so that individuals writing as employees of a local, state, or federal agency are mostly found under their personal names rather than under the corporate institution that employed them. | |||||||||||
Other correspondents include Tucson Mayor Henry Jaastad, Representative John R. Murdock, Arizona pioneers Will C. Barnes and J. A. Rockfellow, and University of Arizona Presidents and Deans Paul Burgess, Alfred Atkinson, James McCormick, and Gurdon Butler. Additional correspondence is also found in some of the folders in the series, Project Files. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
2 | 1 | A-Z. , 1900-1913 | |||||||||
2 | 2-12 | A-Z. , 1915-1916 | |||||||||
2 | 13-19 | A-Z. , 1916-1917 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
3 | 1-7 | A-Z. , 1917-1918 | |||||||||
3 | 8-14 | A-Z. , 1918-1919 | |||||||||
3 | 15-18 | A-L. , 1919-1920 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
4 | 1-3 | M-Z. , 1919-1920 | |||||||||
4 | 4-10 | A-Z. , 1920-1921 | |||||||||
4 | 11-15 | A-N. , 1922-1924 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
5 | 1-4 | O-Z. , 1922-1924 | |||||||||
5 | 5-14 | A-Z. , 1924-1926 | |||||||||
5 | 15-20 | A-Z. , 1926-1927 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
6 | 1-6 | A-Z. , 1927-1928 | |||||||||
6 | 7-12 | A-Z. , 1928-1929 | |||||||||
6 | 13-19 | A-Z. , 1929-1930 | |||||||||
6 | 20-23 | A-Z. , 1930-1931 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
7 | 1 | A-Z. , 1932 | |||||||||
7 | 2-4 | A-Z. , 1933-1934 | |||||||||
7 | 5-12 | A-Z. , 1934-1936 | |||||||||
7 | 13-16 | A-Z. , 1936-1937 | |||||||||
7 | 17-18 | A-H. , 1937-1938 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
8 | 1-2 | I-Z. , 1937-1938 | |||||||||
8 | 3-6 | A-Z. , 1938-1939 | |||||||||
8 | 7-9 | A-W. , 1939-1940 | |||||||||
8 | 10-12 | A-Z. , 1940-1941 | |||||||||
8 | 13-14 | A-I. , 1941-1942 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
9 | 1-2 | J-Z. , 1941-1942 | |||||||||
9 | 3 | Correspondence with O.C. Williams, Carl Hayden, and A.E. Moritz on the Carson Report. , 1944 | |||||||||
9 | 4 | A-Z. , 1944-1947 | |||||||||
9 | 5-7 | A-Z. , 1949-1950 | |||||||||
9 | 8-14 | A-Z. , 1951-1953 | |||||||||
9 | 15-25 | A-Z. , 1953-1958 | |||||||||
9 | 26 | A-Z. , 1963 | |||||||||
Series IV: Articles and Addresses, 1908-1972 | |||||||||||
Contains original typed and handwritten published and unpublished articles and addresses by Smith. Much of his writing is concerned with irrigation, rivers, and groundwater and covers such topics as pump irrigation, sewage disposal by direct use for irrigation, effect of irrigation upon soil temperature, irrigation and grapefruit, irrigation water supply, the Colorado River Company, the Boulder Canyon Project, the physiography of Arizona valleys, the determination of a groundwater supply, water conservation, farm machinery, cement pipe, the production of tamarisk for use as a fine cabinet wood, the repaving of city streets, letters to the editor on miscellaneous subjects, and a series of reminiscences of his early life in Tucson, Arizona. | |||||||||||
For a more complete list of Smith's written work, see the pamphlet, "Publications of George E.P. Smith, C.E., D. Engr." located in Biographical Information series in Box 1, Folder 1. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
10 | 1 | Articles and Addresses. , No Date, 1908-1909 | |||||||||
10 | 2 | Articles and Addresses. , 1910-1916 | |||||||||
10 | 3 | Articles and Addresses. , 1917-1919 | |||||||||
10 | 4 | Articles and Addresses. , 1920-1924 | |||||||||
10 | 5 | Articles and Addresses. , 1925-1927 | |||||||||
10 | 6 | Articles and Addresses. , 1928-1929 | |||||||||
10 | 7 | Articles and Addresses. , 1930-1932 | |||||||||
10 | 8 | Articles and Addresses. , 1933-1935 | |||||||||
10 | 9 | Articles and Addresses. , 1936-1939 | |||||||||
10 | 10 | Articles and Addresses. , 1940-1949 | |||||||||
10 | 11 | Articles and Addresses. , 1950-1959 | |||||||||
10 | 12 | Brochures 1-26. , 1964-1972 | |||||||||
10 | 13 | Clippings about George E. P. Smith. , 1916-1950 | |||||||||
Series V: Project Files, 1899-1944 | |||||||||||
Contains chiefly information pertaining to various irrigation, reservoir, and water supply projects for which Smith served as a consultant. In addition to Smith's data and papers, some of the files also include blueprints and specifications for wells, well test information, and geological and topographical maps. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
11 | 1 | American Society of Civil Engineers Development Propaganda. , 1918-1921 | |||||||||
11 | 2 | Apache County (Ariz.) - Lyman Dam. , 1920s-1933 | |||||||||
11 | 3 | Cananea Consolidated Copper Company, Sonora, Mex.. , 1942-1943 | |||||||||
11 | 4 | Canoa Ranch - Guayule Rubber Plantation Project, Agricultural Products Corp. , 1916-1917 | |||||||||
11 | 5 | Chandler (Ariz.) - Higley District. , 1912-1916 | |||||||||
11 | 6 | Citizens Water Committee (Tucson, Ariz.). , 1951-1953 | |||||||||
11 | 7 | Colorado River. , 1902-1928 | |||||||||
11 | 8 | Clippings and Printed Material. , No Date | |||||||||
11 | 9 | Swing-Johnson Bill. , No Date | |||||||||
11 | 10-11 | Cordillera - Penon Pipeline Project (Antofagasta, Chile). , 1920 | |||||||||
11 | 12 | Navajo County - St. Joseph; Lonesome Pine Dam. , 1925-1938 | |||||||||
11 | 13 | Prison (Florence, Ariz.). , 1930-1931 | |||||||||
11 | 14 | Reservoir Projects Reports - Sabino Canyon, Pantano Wash, Tanque Verde, Canada del Oro, Santa Cruz River. , 1899-1916 | |||||||||
11 | 15 | Rillito River Bridge - Includes correspondence with El Paso Bridge and Iron Co. , 1908 | |||||||||
11 | 16 | Rillito Water User's Association - Blueprints, Specifications, Correspondence with Charles C. Moore and Co. Engineers. , 1908-1909 | |||||||||
11 | 17 | Rillito Water User's Association - Special Irrigation Committee. , 1909 | |||||||||
11 | 18 | Roosevelt Irrigation District. , 1935 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
12 | 1 | Salt River Valley. , 1921-1928 | |||||||||
12 | 2 | Santa Cruz Valley #1. , 1914-1926 | |||||||||
12 | 3 | Sentinel Peak "A" Mountain Park. , 1924-1929 | |||||||||
12 | 4 | Spain and Travelogue. , 1927 | |||||||||
12 | 5 | Steering Committee for Water Conservation Study, Tucson. , 1951 | |||||||||
12 | 6 | Tucson Area Flood Control Committee. , 1944 | |||||||||
12 | 7 | Tucson (Ariz.) - Rainfall Data. , 1875-1924 | |||||||||
12 | 8 | Tucson City Water Department. , 1941-1942 | |||||||||
12 | 9 | Water Conservation Commission. , 1914 | |||||||||
12 | 10 | Yavapai County-Chino Mutual Water Users' Association. , 1923 | |||||||||
12 | 11 | Yuma County. , 1915-1931 | |||||||||
12 | 12 | Yuma Irrigation District. , 1932-1934 | |||||||||
Series VI: Supplemental Papers, 1904-1941 | |||||||||||
Contains blueprints, contracts, estimates, and other information regarding the construction of George E. P. Smith's residence at 1195 E. Speedway. Also contains various printed materials, including miscellaneous programs presented by the Agricultural Extension Service, pamphlets about the machinery used for irrigation and agriculture, a copy of the legal document detailing court findings in the case of the Smithville Canal Co. vs. Oregon Irrigation, A Textbook of Geometrical Drawings, by William Minifie, plans and specifications for a reinforced concrete water tank for the University of Arizona, and material indicating Smith's involvement on various University of Arizona faculty committees. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
12 | 13 | House (1195 E. Speedway) - Blueprints. , 1904, 1930 | |||||||||
12 | 14 | House (1195 E. Speedway) - Contracts & estimates. , 1904, 1930 | |||||||||
12 | 15 | Miscellaneous Programs. , 1915-1934 | |||||||||
12 | 16 | Printed Materials. , 1905-1928 | |||||||||
12 | 17 | Smithville Canal Co. vs. Oregon Irrigation (Graham County, Ariz.). , 1906 | |||||||||
12 | 18 | A Textbook of Geometrical Drawings. , 1859 | |||||||||
12 | 19 | University of Arizona. , 1909-1941 |
Subgroup II: Photographic materials, 1906-1953 | |||||||||||
Series I: Photographs, 1906-1953 | |||||||||||
Contains 1178 black-and-white photographs, most of which were taken by Smith. Categorized by subject or place, most are grouped according to the labels and dates which Smith had on his original photograph envelopes. These photographs deal primarily with agriculture, irrigation, rivers, tamarisk trees, and water in Arizona. All of them measure 4" X 5" or less, with the exception of one hand-colored photograph of Dean Talbot, Smith, and Stevens, which measures 9" X 12". Included are photographs taken by Smith and others in California, Idaho, India, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Many of the photographs contain annotations by Smith. Please notice that some envelopes do not contain all the places or subjects that were listed on the envelope. Twenty-two photographs were developed during the processing of the collection. All negatives were nitrate based and were not retained. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
13 | 1 | Agriculture. , 1907-1944 | |||||||||
13 | 2 | Arroyos. , 1922, 1943 | |||||||||
13 | 3 | Bridges. , 1915-1921 | |||||||||
13 | 4 | Building, Adobe. , 1932 | |||||||||
13 | 5 | Caissons. , 1912-1915 | |||||||||
13 | 6 | California. , 1930 | |||||||||
13 | 7 | Continental (Ariz.). , 1916-1918 | |||||||||
13 | 8 | Dams. , 1906-1939 | |||||||||
13 | 9 | Dwellings. , 1934 | |||||||||
13 | 10 | Engine charts and water charts. , No Date | |||||||||
13 | 11 | Fences. , 1935, 1942 | |||||||||
13 | 12 | Flood control. , 1933 | |||||||||
13 | 13 | Floods. , 1906-1929 | |||||||||
13 | 14 | Geology. , 1913-1939 | |||||||||
13 | 15 | Idaho. , 1937 | |||||||||
13 | 16 | Irrigation. , 1906-1936 | |||||||||
13 | 17 | Machinery. , 1908-1939 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
14 | 1 | Miscellaneous places. , 1921 | |||||||||
14 | 2 | Nevada. , 1937 | |||||||||
14 | 3 | New Mexico. , 1935 | |||||||||
14 | 4 | Northern Arizona. , 1908-1940 | |||||||||
14 | 5 | People. , 1919-1941 | |||||||||
14 | 6 | Phoenix (Ariz.). , 1911-1936 | |||||||||
14 | 7 | Pipes. , 1907-1925 | |||||||||
14 | 8 | Ranches. , 1907-1942 | |||||||||
14 | 9 | Rivers. , 1936 | |||||||||
14 | 10 | Road construction. , No Date | |||||||||
14 | 11 | San Pedro Valley (Ariz.). , 1938, 1942 | |||||||||
14 | 12 | San Simon (Ariz.). , 1912, 1919 | |||||||||
14 | 13 | Silos. , 1915 | |||||||||
14 | 14 | Snow. , No Date | |||||||||
14 | 15 | Southeastern Arizona. , 1911-1943 | |||||||||
14 | 16 | Tamarisk #1. , 1940-1948 | |||||||||
14 | 17 | Tamarisk #2. , 1936-1953 | |||||||||
14 | 18 | Tucson (Ariz.). , 1906-1937 | |||||||||
14 | 19 | Utah. , 1937 | |||||||||
14 | 20 | Weirs. , 1908-1940 | |||||||||
14 | 21 | Wells. , 1914-1935 |