Sydney B. Williamson Papers
Collection
Identifier: MS-0206
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in detail the massive task of constructing the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks; many of these photographs are unpublished.
Dates
- 1909-1939
Creator
Language of Materials
English
Physical Description
7 boxes
Access
There are no restrictions
Use Restrictions
Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.
Extent
7 boxes
Overview
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.
Chronology
Chronology
Chronology
- 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
Biographical / Historical
Sydney Bacon Williamson was born on April 15, 1865 in Lexington, Virginia, the son of VMI Professor Thomas H. Williamson. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1884 and shortly thereafter began a distinguished career in Civil Engineering. Most notably, he served as Division Engineer of the Pacific Division of Panama Canal from 1907-1914. Williamson was responsible for wet and dry excavation of the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks; he also helped design and oversaw construction of the Pacific Terminal docks; and the water supply, sewers, roads and streets for the towns of the division including the city of Panama. During World War I he served as Col. of Engineers in France. He died at Lexington, Virginia in 1939
Physical Location
Manuscripts Stacks
Online Access
Physical Description
7 boxes
- Central America -- Description and travel.
- Civil engineers -- United States -- Biography
- Goethals, George W. (George Washington), 1858-1928
- Panama Canal (Panama) -- Construction
- Panama Canal (Panama) -- History
- Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948 -- Correspondence
- South America -- Description and travel.
- Stimson, Henry Lewis, 1867-1950 (Correspondence.)
- Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
- Virginia Military Institute -- Class of 1884
Creator
- Title
- A Guide to the Sydney B. Williamson Papers 1909-1939
- Author
- Diane B. Jacob
- Date
- © 2001 VirginiaMilitary Institute
- Language of description
- Description is inEnglish
Revision Statements
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Repository Details
Part of the Virginia Military Institute Archives Repository
