Sydney B. Williamson Papers 1909-1939

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089

Summary

Abstract:
Sydney B. Williamson was a civil engineer whose most notable achievement was his service as Division Engineer of the Pacific Division of the Panama Canal construction project (1907- 1914). The collection contains project files, photographs, and drawings documenting Williamson's work in Panama, with particular emphasis on the construction of the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The bulk of the collection documents Williamson's engineering assignments in Panama, South America, and the United States, and his service on the Interoceanic Canal Board. The collection consists of the following series: Biographical and historical materials; Correspondence; Project and Planning Files; Engineering Drawings and Specifications; Reports, Papers and Speeches; Photographs; Printed Materials and Miscellaneous. The sizable group of drawings and specifications for the Panama Canal construction is of particular importance. Also of interest in the Photographs series is a Panama Album which includes photos of President William H. Taft's tour of the Panama Canal construction site, as well as photos recording in detail the massive task of constructing the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks; many of these photographs are unpublished.

Biographical / historical:
Chronology
Date Event
1865 April 15 Sydney Bacon Williamson born at Lexington, Virginia
1884 Graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in Civil Engineering
1884-1886 Mathematics instructor at Kings Mountain (North Carolina) military school
1886-1887 Served in the engineering departments of St. Paul and Duluth Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway; designed and constructed railroad terminals and bridges
1887-1890 In general engineering practice with Williamson and Earl in Montgomery, Alabama; street paving, sanitary sewers for Montgomery and Columbus, Ga.
1890 May 20 Married Helen Cecilia Davis
1892 Assistant Engineer to Gen. George W. Goethals; in charge of improvements on the Tennessee River; included a canal lock at Riverton, Ala., and Muscle Shoals Canal
1898 Served as Captain, Third Vol. Engineers under Gen. John R. Brooke in Puerto Rico
1901-1903 Engineer of fortifications at Newport, R. I. under Goethals
1903-1907 Consulting engineer in Baltimore and for Jamestown (N.Y.) Exposition
1906-1914 Division Engineer of Pacific Division of Panama Canal under Goethals; responsible for wet and dry excavation of Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks; also designed and constructed Pacific Terminal docks, water supply, sewers, road and streets for the towns of the division including the city of Panama
1914-1916 Became Chief of Construction for J.G. White and Co., Ltd. of London; worked on power station and street railway for Brazil, water supply for Genoa, Italy, additions to street railway in Buenos Aires; Chief of Construction of U.S. Reclamation Service; supervised work of Central Office in Denver involving dams, reservoirs, power plants, canals
1916-1924 Consulting Engineer for Guggenheim Brothers in New York; worked on Chile Copper Co."s plant and Braden Copper Co.'s plant; increased mining, milling, leaching, smelting, and power plants; also constructed houses for employees; water and sewer systems
1918 World War I service. Leave of absence to serve as Lt. Col. of Engineers in France; Section Engineer of Intermediate Section West; built barracks, hospitals, warehouses, remount stations, ammunition dumps, water supplies; Nov. 4, promoted to Colonel
1919 Discharged from army and returned to Guggenheim Brothers
1924-1929 Civil engineering practice at Birmingham, Alabama, and Charlottesville, Virginia
1926-1928 Consulting Engineer with Goethals at Port of Palm Beach, Florida; also consulted on water supplies for several towns in Virginia and Hollywood, FL
1928 Employed by U.S. District Engineer at Philadelphia; worked on dikes to control Delaware River
1929 Principal Engineer, U.S. Engineering Dept.; investigated feasibility of Nicaragua Canal
1931 Appointed member of Interoceanic Canal Board by President Herbert Hoover; served until retirement in 1935
1933-1935 Engaged by U.S. Army corps of engineers to determine damages done by Mississippi flood control program and to testify before courts
1939 January 13 Died at Lexington, Virginia
Acquisition information:
The collection was donated to VMI in 1979 by Sydney W. Smith.
Physical description:
The collection consists of approximately 1000 items filed in 7 manuscript boxes.