Much of Charles Ellet, Jr.’s innovative work surveying rivers, evaluating and designing specifications for the building of locks, dams, railroads, river improvements and suspension bridges is documented in the Technical Drawings and Plans. Missing from the collection are drawings of his design for steam-powered rams.
The Technical Drawing and Plans series is divided into eight subseries: Railroads, Maps and Plans; Railroads, Designs and Patterns; Railroads, Hempfield Railroad; Estate,Township Plats, and Plans; Mississippi River; Bridges; James River and Kanawha Company 1836-1837; and James River and Kanawha Company, 1858-1859. The Railroads, Maps and Plans subseries contains line maps, profiles, plans, and profile drawings for the Virginia Central Railroad, and Pacific Railroad. The Railroads, Designs and Patterns subseries contains designs and patents for locomotives and the construction of railway flat bars, and edge rails. The Railroads, Hempfield Railroad subseries documents Ellet's planning and surveying for the elevated track through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Of particular importance are the survey drawings for the first government sponsored survey of the Lower Mississippi River Delta in the Mississippi River subseries, and the technical drawings for Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge in the Bridges subseries.
