J. Welles Henderson
Archives and Library

Recent News
Philadelphia's chapter of Seamen's Church Institute, an agency created to benefit sailors in the Port of Philadelphia, recently gave their institutional archives to Independence Seaport Museum. Thanks to a grant from the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation, in June 2008 the Archives and Library Department completed a large-scale effort to make this valuable resource available to the public. A finding aid, which will help researchers navigate the contents of the collection, is available online at www.phillyseaport.org/SCI-guide »
• Visit our blog to view photographs and learn more about this project's progress » (updated July 1)
• Learn more about a modern hotel built by Seamen's Church Institute in the 1920s »

The J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library was recently featured in an article describing our participation in a project to reveal "hidden collections" located in archival institutions throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. Read the article in The Philadelphia Bulletin »

The J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library at Independence Seaport Museum is one of the nation's premier regional maritime research centers, offering an impressive range of materials widely used by historians, authors, sailors, maritime enthusiasts and students.

The Archives and Library Department houses more than 12,000 volumes, 9,000 ship plans and a significant collection of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps and charts.

Our holdings are cataloged on the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) which is widely available in public libraries across the United States. More records for archival collections, such as manuscripts and photographs, are being added to OCLC all the time, but finding aids for some of these materials are only available on site.

Collection Highlights Include:

The Seamen's Church Institute Records, which document the activities of Seamen's Church Institute, a seamen's service and welfare organization in Philadelphia, 1843-2000.

The Barry-Hayes Papers, which includes correspondence, journals, and financial papers of the Commodore John Barry and Patrick Hayes families, 1723-1875. Now available on microfilm through interlibrary loan.

The John Lenthall Collection of plans and drawings of American naval and merchant vessels, 1790-1874*

The William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company Collection of plans, contract books and photographs, 1830-1927, 1941-1946**

The John E. Hand & Sons Company Records includes correspondence, reports, photographs and engineering plans relating to the manufacture of nautical instruments, 1873-1997

The New York Shipbuilding Company Collection of construction, launch, christening ceremony and trial trip photographs, 1900-1962

The Captain John Green Papers featuring materials regarding the China trade

The Thayer Family Collection of ocean liner ephemera compiled by a Titanic survivor and his son, containing postcards, deck plans, menus, and photographs of liners, 1892-1986

Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard photographs and oral histories of workers recorded in 1994 and 1999

Logbooks and journals of voyages from merchant and naval vessels from the 18th to the 20th century

Letters, photographs, journals and scrapbooks kept by sailors who served aboard ISM's historic ships OLYMPIA and BECUNA

Records of Philadelphia area rowing clubs

Periodicals from 1728 to the present, with a complete run of the New York Maritime Register.

* on loan from The Franklin Institute
**on loan from the Franklin Institute and Atwater Kent Museum

Web Exhibits:

What We Saved: Old-Time Ephemera from the
Seaport Museum Archives

A napkin, a postcard, a matchbook — all are designed to be discarded, but sometimes we keep these souvenirs because they have personal significance. They serve as tangible reminders of memories we don't want to forget.

This exhibit features a collection of ephemera from a bygone era, including ocean liner memorabilia, Atlantic City postcards, and Victorian valentines.
View the exhibit »

Original items from this exhibit are also on display in the Seaport Museum galleries through December 2008.

Amenities Abound at Seamen's Church Institute
A Modern Hotel for a 20th Century Port

Members of Women's Auxiliaries posing outside Seamen's Church Insitute hotel entrance, circa 1945.

Philadelphia's chapter of the Seamen's Church Institute was founded in 1919, uniting two existing organizations of the same purpose under one name. One of their first efforts was to build a modern hotel near the waterfront. This exhibit explores the early history of the hotel. View the exhibit »

This is part of a project funded by the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation.

-->

Titanic Survivor: Selections from the Thayer Family Collection

One family's experience with the infamous ship is illustrated by highlights from the Thayer Family Collection, including one of the only extant copies of the first class passenger list. View the exhibit »

Ladies Who Launch: Ship Christening Photographs from Delaware Valley Shipyards

A collection of images from launching ceremonies at local shipbuilding companies, including candid photos and portraits of the women who sponsored the ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, N.J., and Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Wilmington, Del. Dating from 1905 to 1960, the photos show the scale of the launching parties in relation to the enormity of the ships, the effervescent crash of champagne bottles, and fabulous fashions of the day. View the exhibit »

Finding Aids

To download the following, which are saved as PDF files, you need free Adobe Acrobat reader.

Samuel Archer Letters
Barry-Hayes Papers (revised Autumn 2007)
George Betts Collection
Henry Grier Bryant Papers (revised Spring 2007)
Clegg Journal Transcript
Conner Family Papers
Gridley Collection
John E. Hand & Sons Company Records
Harris Journal Transcript
Lena Inverso Papers
Lee Family Papers
John Lenthall Collection and associated Lenthall Papers
Mount Cloud Lord Collection
New York Shipbuilding Corporation Records
Theresa B. Nirdlinger Papers
Ogden and Cuthbert Family Papers
Riggs & Brother Company Records
Seamen's Church Institute Records
Stickney Family Collection
Tipton Family Papers
Thayer Family Collection
Vesper Boat Club Records
Walsh Family Papers
Walsh Family Papers
William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company Collection
Dr. Joseph Wilson, Jr. Papers
West Philadelphia Boat Club Records

Contacting and Visiting the Archives and Library

The Archives and Library is open to the public by appointment only Wednesday through Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm.

When using the Archives and Library, we ask for your help in preserving and protecting the collections. All materials should be handled with care and are for use in the Archives and Library Reading Room only. Photocopying is done at the librarian's discretion. ISM members are eligible for discounts on some Archives and Library service fees. No eating, drinking or chewing gum is permitted in the Archives and Library. Please use pencil when taking notes; no pens are permitted near Archives and Library materials. Electrical outlets for laptop computers are available. Personal belongings should be stored in a locker. Please ask the librarian if you require a pencil, magnifying glass, book support or scrap paper.

For more information or to schedule an appointment:
Call 215.413.8639 - Fax 215.925.6713 - Email library@phillyseaport.org

Mail to: ISM Archives and Library
211 South Columbus Blvd. & Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106

When writing for reference assistance, please be specific in stating your request and be sure to provide complete contact information. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for a response.

Genealogists should be aware that the Archives and Library collections generally do not support detailed genealogical research. Those beginning to undertake a genealogy project are strongly encouraged to view the National Archives Genealogy Page before contacting us. For passenger arrivals at the Port of Philadelphia, please contact the National Archives Mid-Atlantic branch.

Top

Events & Exhibits