Collections : [Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library]

Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Special Collections and Archives
James G. Leyburn Library
Washington and Lee University
204 W. Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
Primary Collecting Areas:
American and Virginia history, regional genealogy, history of propaganda, Southern literature, theater, local and regional portraiture, landscapes and architecture, late 19th-century travel
Description:

The Washington and Lee University Special Collections and Archives Department houses over 1,000 unique manuscript collections including those of the Rockbridge Historical Society, The American Shakespeare Center, and the Mountain Valley Preservation Association. These collections vary greatly in size, format, and scope. Subjects covered within the collections are diverse and include concentrations in American and Virginia history, regional genealogy, history of propaganda, Southern literature, and theater.

It also houses over 10,000 photographs and prints. Beyond our photograph and print collections, which include scrapbooks, images can also be found within the manuscript collections and University Archives described above. Our photographic holdings vary greatly in size and include numerous formats representative of the evolution of the photographic process. Strengths are local and regional portraiture, landscapes and architecture, W&L University history, including athletics, and late 19th-century travel.

POC: Tom Camden
Phone: (540) 458-8649
Phone: (540) 463-8109
Fax: (540) 463-8964
Start Over Repository Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library Level Subseries
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Office of Alumni Engagement records

tbd Linear Feet

This record group contains materials created by Alumni Office during the course of its regular business, such as official publications and records about its management.

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Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Board of Trustees records

20.5 Linear Feet 29 document cases, 6 flat boxes

The Board of Trustees records contain minutes, agendas, correspondence, reports, subject files, committee files, recommendations, resolutions, and the oath book.

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Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

O.W. Riegel Papers

75 Linear Feet

Highlights of this collection include material concerning the Washington and Lee Journalism Department, including course material, student papers, and lecture notes. Supplementing this course material are published materials on the history of film, 20th century war propaganda, the Nazification of Germany, Paris in the 1920's and the "Lost Generation." There also includes wide selections of personal research materials for projects such as Riegel's books Mobilizing for Chaos and Crown of Glory; collections on Riegel's travels to Central and South America and Europe including Germany during the 1930s, and the typescript of his unpublished autobigraphy to 1945 titled "Hacking It."

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Accreditation Box 1, Folder 1-11

As the department chair of Washington and Lee University's Journalism department, Riegel was responsible for its accreditation. This subseries consists of documents related to the accreditation status of Washington and Lee's Journalism department. The main agencies that Riegel worked with were the American Council on Education for Journalism, the American Association of Educators in Journalism, and the Association for Education in Journalism. Items are organized by year within each accreditation agency. Documents of note in this subseries include evaluation forms, correspondence about accreditation agency policy and goals, and annual accreditation reports.

  1. Journalism Department
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

duPont family papers

33 Linear Feet
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Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Reid Family papers

14 Linear Feet

Series 1 of this collection primarily covers the period from 1763 through Samuel McDowell Reid's death in 1869. There are also a few later items dealing chiefly with his estate. The bulk of the papers deals with business matters. Documents concern such matters as the James River and Kanawha Company, the North River Navigation Company, Washington College's relationship with the Society of the Cincinnati, slavery, and the financial dealings of John Robinson and the Hare family. Series 2 is comprised of a second set of materials received at a later date. The correspondence supplements that found in Series 1. The other materials consist chiefly of court and other legal records during the 74-year period (1778-1852) in which Andrew and his son, Samuel McDowell Reid, were clerks of the court of Rockbridge County: tavern licenses, taxation lists, apprenticeship deeds, voter lists, militia rolls, invoices, etc. There are also some Washington College papers.

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Account book Box 8

Microfilm of McDowell's Rockbridge County account book from 1776-1797

  1. Series 2
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Rockbridge Historical Society Civil War Research Collection

.5 Linear Feet

This collection consists of a compilation of both primary and secondary resources on the American Civil War collected by the Rockbridge Historical Society. Tha majority of the collection is comprised of Rockbridge County and regional Virginia subjects. Included are research papers, clippings from newspapers and various publications, original imprints, war dated printed matter and manuscripts. Key subjects include General David Hunter's raid of the Shenandoah Valley and the Battle of New Market both in Virginia, Confederate Veterans organizations, and some muster/enlistment records for regional Confederate military units.

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Adjutant and Inspector General's Office Box 1, Folder 4

General Orders No. 82, Nov. 3, 1862; General Orders No. 3, Jan. 9, 1864; General Orders No. 7, Jan 23, 1864; General Orders No. 63, Aug. 6, 1864; General Orders No. 67, Aug. 16, 1864; General Orders No. 69, Aug. 27, 1864; General Orders No. 70, Aug. 29, 1864; General Orders No. 71, Sept. 6, 1864; General Orders No. 76, Oct. 6, 1864; General Orders No. 78, Oct. 11, 1864; General Orders No. 82(83?), Nov. 1, 1864

  1. General Orders, Special Orders, and Circulars

Conscript Office Box 1, Folder 4

General Orders No. 32, Mar. 11, 1864; Circular No. 24, Aug. 17, 1864; Circular, Oct. 28, 1864; Circular No. 71, Nov. 1, 1864; Circular No. 72, Nov. 2, 1864; Circular No. 73, Nov. 4, 1864; Circular No. 74, Nov. 5, 1864; Circular No. 75, Nov. 17, 1864; Circular No. 76, Nov. 27, 1864; Circular No. 78, Dec. 12, 1864; Circular No. 79, (Dec?) 1864; Circular No. 1, Jan. 2, 1865; Circular No. 2, Jan. 12, 1865; Circular No. 3, Feb. 27, 1864

  1. General Orders, Special Orders, and Circulars
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

University and Student Organizations and Societies

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This record group contains materials created by the University's student and faculty organizations, including fraternities, sororities, and honorary societies, such as official publications by these groups and records about their management.

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Alpha Phi Omega, WLU Chapter Records

A copy of Washington and Lee's Alpha Phi Omega (A.P.O.)charter and two commemorative plaques for A.P.O. sponsored fund raisers for the the American Cancer Society - "The Rockbridge Cancer Runs."

  1. Honor Societies
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

University Library - Record Group 13

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This record group contains materials created by the University Library during the course of its regular business, such as official publications and records about its management.

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Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Museums at Washington and Lee records

10 Linear Feet

This record group contains archived materials about and created by Washington and Lee University's museums, comprised of Lee Chapel and Museum, the Reeves Collection, and the university's art collection, during the course of its regular business, such as official publications and records of its management.

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Box 1: A through Cha Box 1

This is the first box of the James Whitehead Papers, and includes materials related to the Bicentennial in 1976, as well as correspondence with people and organizations between letters "A" through "Cha."

  1. James Whitehead Papers

Box 2: Che through Lu Box 2

This box contains correspondence and related files between letters "Che" through "Lu." Also contains files related to Foreign Advisory Services.

  1. James Whitehead Papers

Box 3: Lu through Reeves Center Box 3

This file contains correspondence from "Lu" to "Reeves Center," and also includes files related to the Morris House and the Reeves Center.

  1. James Whitehead Papers
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library

Henry Strouss Performing Arts collection

15 Cubic Feet
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Finding aids may contain historical terms and phrases, reflecting the shared attitudes and values of the community from which they were collected, but are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical or mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

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