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Boston (Mass.). Engineering Department

 Organization

Historical note

The Office of City Engineer was established by ordinance passed on October 31, 1850. By Chapter 449 of the Acts of 1895, the Surveying Department and the Office of City Surveyor was abolished and the duties transferred to the Engineering Department and the Office of City Engineer. By Chapter 9 of the Ordinances of 1910, the power and duties of the Engineering Department were absorbed by the newly created Public Works Department. A Survey Division of the Public Works Department was established May 1, 1954, under Chapter 2 of the Ordinances of 1954, Section 56, which amended Section 33 of Chapter 27 of the Revised Ordinances of 1947. The division performed certain engineering services for the divisions of the Public Works Department and other City departments. It also performed administrative and engineering services required by the Public Improvement Commission. On March 15-16, 1960, the functions and employees of the Bridge, Highway, Water, and Sewer Divisions engaged in engineering design were transferred to the Survey Division. The Survey Division was renamed the Engineering Division in 1961.

Found in 19 Collections and/or Records:

Architectural Division correspondence

 Series — Box 1
Identifier: 4321.001
Scope and Contents

Three letter-copy volumes of outgoing correspondence of the Engineering Department - Architectural Division and the Public Buildings Department.

Dates: 1897 November 3-1901 January 11

Benchmarks

 Series — Box 1
Identifier: 5020.007
Dates: circa 1904-1908

Boston Harbor reports

 Series
Identifier: 5020.005
Scope and Contents

Two bound volumes compiled by the City Engineer's Office of reports on the harbor issued at the city, state and federal level. Includes annual reports of the Harbor Commissioners.

Dates: 1852-1879

Engineering Department annual reports and publications

 Series
Identifier: 5020.004
Scope and Contents Includes three bound volumes of City Engineer's reports for 1875-1897; loose copies of annual reports for 1898-1901, 1903-1910; "Tabular Representation of the Present Condition of Boston in relation to Railroad Facilities, Foreign Commerce, Population, Wealth, Manufactures, etc.", 1851; "Prevention of Floods in the Valley of Stony Brook", 1886; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1614 and 1822", 1902; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1600 and 1903", 1903; "Lists of Maps of...
Dates: 1875-1910

Engineering Department correspondence

 Series
Identifier: 5020.002
Scope and Contents

Five outgoing letter-copy volumes of Engineering Department - Survey Division and Street Laying-Out Department - Engineering Division correspondence. Includes volumes from 1904-1926 and 1932-1941.

Dates: 1904-1941 with gaps

Engineering Department scrapbook and badge

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: 5020.003
Scope and Contents

Scrapbook of H.G. Botsford containing photographs documenting work with the Engineering Department of the City of Boston, newspaper clippings, and ephemera. Also includes City of Boston Engineering Department badge.

Dates: circa 1890-1910

Engineering Division plan books

 Series
Identifier: 5020.008
Dates: circa 1850-1900

Engineering Division plans

 Series
Identifier: 5020.001
Scope and Contents

Engineering Department and Public Works Department, Highway Division plans for streets, retaining walls, sea walls, edgestones, etc. Includes two sets of plans: OB# plans and OC# plans.

Dates: circa 1892-1960

Index to plans

 Item — Volume 1
Identifier: 4321.002
Scope and Contents

Obsolete index to plans of city buildings stored in the basement of the Probate Building (Architectural Division store room).

Dates: undated

List of maps of Boston published between 1600 and 1903 : copies of which are to be found in the possession of the city of Boston or other collectors of the same. Reprint of Appendix I, Annual report of the City engineer. February 1, 1903., 1903

 Item — Publications PB 010
Scope and Contents From the Series: Includes three bound volumes of City Engineer's reports for 1875-1897; loose copies of annual reports for 1898-1901, 1903-1910; "Tabular Representation of the Present Condition of Boston in relation to Railroad Facilities, Foreign Commerce, Population, Wealth, Manufactures, etc.", 1851; "Prevention of Floods in the Valley of Stony Brook", 1886; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1614 and 1822", 1902; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1600 and 1903", 1903; "Lists of Maps of...
Dates: 1903

List of maps of Boston published between 1614 and 1822 : copies of which are to be found in the possession of the city of Boston or other collectors of the same. Reprint of appendix J, annual report of the City Engineer. February 1, 1902., 1902

 Item — Publications PB 010
Scope and Contents From the Series: Includes three bound volumes of City Engineer's reports for 1875-1897; loose copies of annual reports for 1898-1901, 1903-1910; "Tabular Representation of the Present Condition of Boston in relation to Railroad Facilities, Foreign Commerce, Population, Wealth, Manufactures, etc.", 1851; "Prevention of Floods in the Valley of Stony Brook", 1886; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1614 and 1822", 1902; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1600 and 1903", 1903; "Lists of Maps of...
Dates: 1902

List of maps of Boston published subsequent to 1600 : copies of which are to be found in the possession of the city of Boston or other collectors of the same. Reprint of appendix J, annual report of the City Engineer. A supplementary list to appendix I, annual report of the City Engineer for the year 1902. February 1, 1904., 1904

 Item — Publications PB 010
Scope and Contents From the Series: Includes three bound volumes of City Engineer's reports for 1875-1897; loose copies of annual reports for 1898-1901, 1903-1910; "Tabular Representation of the Present Condition of Boston in relation to Railroad Facilities, Foreign Commerce, Population, Wealth, Manufactures, etc.", 1851; "Prevention of Floods in the Valley of Stony Brook", 1886; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1614 and 1822", 1902; "Lists of Maps of Boston published between 1600 and 1903", 1903; "Lists of Maps of...
Dates: 1904

Public Works Department scrapbooks

 Series
Identifier: 5000.005
Scope and Contents

Scrapbooks kept in the Public Works Department library. Includes scrapbooks of the City Engineer, scrapbooks on the subway, real estate transactions, and miscellaneous topics.

Dates: 1871-1919

Scrapbook 1

 Digital Record
Identifier: 5000005-001-001

Scrapbook 5

 Digital Record
Identifier: 5000005-001-002

Scrapbook 10

 Digital Record
Identifier: 5000005-001-003

Scrapbook 11

 Digital Record
Identifier: 5000005-001-004

[Scrapbook of cyanotype photographs]

 Digital Record
Identifier: Scrapbook of cyanotype photographs
Dates: circa 1898

Street survey files

 Series
Identifier: 5020.006
Scope and Contents

Engineering Division street survey files arranged alphabetically by street name. Includes surveyor notes, plans, calculations, etc. Streets from other cities and towns may also be included.

Dates: circa 1910-1950