Papers of Fred B. Hamilton

Collection

Identifier: WFBH

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Papers of Fred B. Hamilton consists of documents dated from 1934 to 1946. The collection primarily documents Hamilton's work in Colorado for the Soil Conservation Service. Materials include a set of oversize engineering plans and diagrams related to the construction of irrigation ditches, diversion dams, and reservoirs in the Arkansas River Basin near the cities of Trinidad, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Labeled photographs chiefly document the construction process of projects Hamilton worked on in El Paso and Douglas County. A number of pictures are not labeled and show unidentified scenery, people, and work projects. The collection also includes reports, letters, and press releases pertaining to his professional activities for the SCS, often referencing projects shown in the oversize materials. The other main subject area is soil erosion. In addition, the collection includes a 1936 publication detailing the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado.

Dates

1934-1946

Creator

Hamilton, Fred B. (Person)

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

Biography

Fred B. Hamilton (1911-1954) worked as an agricultural engineer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and specialized in water and erosion control issues. He graduated from Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University) in 1933 with a degree in agricultural engineering.

After graduation, Hamilton's early career included work for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Wellington, Colorado, and helping to lay the first paved surface along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. During the 1940s, Hamilton worked for the Soil Conservation Service on irrigation and erosion control projects, primarily in the Arkansas River Basin near the cities of Trinidad, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs. He also worked for the Diamond A Cattle Company in South Dakota. Toward the end of his life, Hamilton became a professor of agricultural engineering at the University of Nebraska where he continued his tenure with the Soil Conservation Service.

Fred B. Hamilton was born on June 30, 1911, in Hillrose, Colorado. He was married to Dorothy Dee Hamilton with whom he had five children. He died in 1954 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Fort Morgan, Colorado.

Extent

0.5 linear feet (1 document box, 1 flat file)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Fred B. Hamilton (1911-1954) was a 1933 Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University) graduate in agricultural engineering who specialized in water and erosion control issues. He worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, the USDA Soil Conservation Service, and later the Diamond A Cattle Company before moving to the Soil Conservation Service at the University of Nebraska. Materials in the collection include papers, photographs, and engineering plans related to irrigation ditches, diversion structures, and reservoir repair in the Arkansas River Basin.

Arrangement

The collection is organized chronologically within material type groupings of papers, photographs, and oversize items.

The collection consists of 1 series in 1 box and 2 oversize folders:

Series 1: Papers, 1934-1946 and undated

Acquisition

The Papers of Fred B. Hamilton was donated by Hamilton's daughter Joyce Caufman to the Water Resources Archive in three accessions in May 2013, October 2015, and August 2016.

Processing

Processing was completed in October 2020 and included organizing the materials chronologically and by material type. Photos were sleeved, materials were placed in acid-free folders, and the collection was re-boxed. Rolled oversize items were flattened and foldered. Note that some oversize items are torn, tattered, and fragile. A 1934 map of Colorado was removed to be added to Special Collections.

Inventory Note

Note: Title information supplied by the archivist is bracketed. Estimated paginationis preceded by an "e." Two identical copies of the same item are indicated by thephrase "2 copies" at the end of the entry, following the number of pages of eachcopy.