Hartley Rowe Papers
Collection
Identifier: GTM-160701
The Hartley Rowe papers document the life and works of Hartley Rowe, an American electrical engineer who worked for the Isthmian Canal Commission and the Panama Railroad Company in the early 20th century. The collection is organized into three series as detailed below.
Series 1: Correspondence. More than 200 autograph letters from Hartley Rowe to his future wife Inez Oswald. The first set of letters was written by Rowe from Purdue University. Subsequently, in a large number of letters written from Panama, Rowe discusses at length personal issues and to some extent professional issues during his time with the Isthmian Canal Commission and the Panama Railroad Company. Arranged chronologically. Bulk dates: 1904-1908.
Series 2: Photographs. Contains black-and-white photographs depicting scenes related to the Panama Railroad Company and the construction of the Panama Canal. Most of the photographs were taken by E.N. Nelson of Colon. The photographs date from 1910 to 1911. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3: Reports. Contains typed and printed reports. As Hartley Rowe was an electrical engineer, some of the reports deal with electrical issues in Panama. Also includes coverage of scientific aspects of the Panama Canal. Arranged chronologically. Bulk dates: 1910 to 1919.
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Hartley Rowe (1882-1966) was an electrical engineer who helped build the Panama Canal and worked for the Panama Railroad. Born in Goodland, Indiana, he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in electrical engineering. Soon after graduation, Rowe signed on to work on the American effort to construct the Panama Canal. In June 1908, Rowe married Inez Oswald, who was also from Goodland.
Rowe began work in Panama in 1904 for the Panama Canal Commission. In 1905, he transferred to become an engineer on the Panama Railroad. Rowe managed a power plant in the La Boca neighborhood of Panama City. He also was resident engineer in the Canal Commission's Building Division. In 1919, Rowe moved back to the United States.
Later, Rowe was vice president of the United Fruit Company. In 1944, he worked at Los Alamos as part of the Manhattan Project charged with building an atomic bomb. In 1946, he became a member of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Hartley Rowe died in 1966.
[Sources: Dealer Catalog (Swann Auction Galleries, 2016); Atomic Energy Foundation Online (2017)].
1.25 Cubic Feet (4 boxes and 1 oversized folder)
English
Purchased from Swann Auction Galleries, 2016.
The collection has been rehoused in acid-free boxes and folders.
Part of the Georgetown University Manuscripts Repository