George Michener Hart Collection on Moncure Robinson
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Scope and Contents
The George Michener Hart Collection on Moncure Robinson is a compilation of the papers, letters, photographs and other artifacts belonging or relating to the noted early American civil and railroad engineer Moncure Robinson. The collection contains correspondence, engineering data, bills, statements of accounts, calling cards, letters, photographs and other items.
Dates
- Creation: 1816-1919
Creator
- Hart, George Michener (Person)
- Robinson Family (Person)
- Robinson, Moncure, 1802-1891 (Person)
Language of Materials
English French
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Biographical Information:
George Michener Hart was born in Doylestown, PA in 1919. He attended the Buckingham Friends School and the George School, graduating in 1937. Hart was an educator, museum director, railroad executive, and historian.
Hart attended the University of Pennsylvania and briefly taught history as a member of the George School History Department. In 1941, he became Assistant Business Manager and Treasurer at the George School and held that position for twenty-three years. The location of the George School, adjacent to the Reading Railroad’s Newtown branch, gave Hart the opportunity to further his interest in railroad history and train photography. Hart often photographed the freight and passenger trains on the Newtown Line as they passed by the school.
Hart’s interest in Pennsylvania railroad history led him to collect materials items related to Moncure Robinson for biography of the railroad pioneer that was never completed.
In 1964, Hart left the George School and founded Rail Tours, Inc, which operated weekend steam-powered excursions on leased portions of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1969, he was appointed as the Director of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the first state-operated railroad museum in the United States. He left the museum as Director Emeritus in 1983 and continued his railroading interests as President and General Manager of the Stewartstown Railroad, a quaint 7-mile short line in York County, Pa. which hauled freight and passengers.
Hart died in 2008.
Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .
Extent
6.50 Linear Feet
Arrangement of Materials:
Series 1: Mss. Acc. 2008.114: 1818-1887, 162 items arranged topically in nine series designated Series I through Series IX. The items in each series are arranged chronologically where applicable. Each series is divided into a variable number of folders, separated in this manner for the convenience and effectiveness of storage. Series I through Series IX are housed in two boxes, measuring 10 ½ ” x 13“ x 5” and 15 ½ “ x 22” x 2”.
Series 2: Mss. Acc. 2009.187: 1816-1919, 3,658 items consisting of correspondence, engineering data, bills, statements of account, calling cards and other items.
Custodial History
This collection was formerly identified as Mss. Acc. 2008.114 and 2009.187.
Processing Information:
Processed by Joe Catanzaro in January 2011. Boxes and folders renumbered in July 2013 by Anne Johnson.
Subject
- Robinson family (Family)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the George Michener Hart Collection on Moncure Robinson
- Author
- Finding Aid Authors: Special Collections Research Center Staff.
- Date
- 2011-02-02
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- The collection description/finding aid is written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository