MC 00275 Guide to the Charles P. Berkey Papers, 1884 - 1955

Creator

Berkey, Charles Peter, b. 1867

Quantity

10.5 Linear feet

General Physical Description note

21 archival box

Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff .

Language

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Purchased from Bookworm and Silverfish, Booksellers in 2000.

Acquisitions Information

Purchased from Bookworm and Silverfish, Booksellers, 2000.

Processing

Processed by: William M. Wisser; machine-readable finding aid created by: Katherine M. Wisser

Scope and Content Note

This collection includes both personal and professional materials assembled by Charles P. Berkey during his lifetime. It consists primarily of correspondence, but also contains writings, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The collection spans the entire adult life of Berkey, and therefore provides insight into both his family and the growth of his career.

The Correspondence series relates primarily to Berkey's family and their activities, while the Biography series is limited to writings about Berkey and his accomplishments. The Writings/Lectures, Professional Correspondence, and Projects series address his contributions to the fields of geology and engineering, while the Awards series docuemtns the recognition he received for this work. Finally, the Family, Genealogy, and Photographs series provides insight into his personal family history. This guide concludes with a selected bibliography of texts from his collection.

Biographical Note

Charles P. Berkey was born in Goshen, Indiana in 1867. He moved with his family to a farm outside Minneapolis, Minnesota as a young adult, and enrolled in the University of Minnesota directly after graduation from Farmington High School. He continued his studies at Minnesota, earning a Ph.D. in Geology in 1894. After teaching and researching in Minnesota for several years, he transferred to Columbia University in 1903. He flourished under his mentor, James Furman Kemp, and rose through every rank of academia at Columbia until retiring in 1932 as the Newberry Professor of Geology. He lived in Palisades, N.J. with his wife Minnie (until her death in 1940), his daughter Virginia and his son Paul. He died in 1955 at the age of 88.

Professor Berkey was a celebrated instructor of geology but his skill and passion lay in fieldwork. He spent most of his career travelling the United States and select international locations surveying geological formations and advising engineering firms. He is credited with transforming the field of geology from pure science to applied science. His close work with engineers in dam construction earned him U.S. government accolades and honorary membership into the American Society of Civil Engineering. He worked consistently past retirement and could be found in the field right up until his death.

During his career he authored several books and articles and had an edited book dedicated as a fetschschrift ( The Berkey Volume). He achieved international fame with his participation in the Mongolian Scientific Expedition of 1925, led by Charles Andrews. He was the recipient of many awards for outstanding contributions to the field of geology included Honorary Doctorates in Science from Columbia University and the University of Minnesota, and the first Kemp Medal in Geology to be award by Columbia University.

Controlled Terms

1. Articles
2. Berkey, Charles Peter, b. 1867
3. Civil engineers--United States
4. Columbia University.
5. Genealogies
6. Geologists
7. Lecture notes
8. Ledgers (account books)
9. Photographs

Access to Collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, fax, or our web form.

Mail

Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Telephone

(919) 515-2273

Fax

(919) 513-1787

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], Charles P. Berkey Papers Special Collections Research Center, MC 0275, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Access to Collection

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.