The collection consists of records describing the administrative function of and research projects undertaken by the North Carolina State University Department of Plant Biology. In addition, there are also items regarding departmental seminars, reviews, a study guide, and a history of the department written by L. A. (Larry Alston) Whitford in 1970. The collection is arranged in five series: Administrative Records, Research and Development, Maps, and Artifacts, Web Contents. The Administrative Records series contains correspondence, course material, and departmental review items. The Research and Development series contains project proposals and reports concerning research in botany. Most of the projects contained in the latter series were federally sponsored by such agencies as NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Maps series contains a small group of field maps used by botany faculty and/or students. The Artifacts series contains a lantern used by B.W. Wells while doing fieldwork.
Botanical work at North Carolina State began in concert with the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, which was established in the 1870s and later became part of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later North Carolina State University). The first courses were offered at the college in 1889. Botany appears to have been a part of biology instruction until approximately 1912, when the two disciplines were separated. In 1945, a Plant Pathology section was created within the School of Agriculture, resulting in a new Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. With the creation of the Division of Biological Sciences in 1950, the two sections were split, creating two separate departments. Both operated under the administration of the Division of Biological Sciences. The division was abolished in 1958, and the Department of Botany and Bacteriology was established from those two curricula. In 1962 the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS) was created, with Botany becoming one of five departments under its aegis. The IBS was dissolved in 1971. In the meantime, in 1966 the bacteriology program was split off from Botany, becoming the Department of Microbiology. In 2006 the Department of Botany changed its name to Plant Biology. In 2013 it became the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology.
Botanical work at N.C. State began in concert with the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, which was established in the 1870s and later became part of the college. Since the first courses were offered at the college in 1889, there have been courses in botany. At first, they were part of the biological sciences training. By 1902, there were enough classes taught to hire Frank L. Stevens as the first head of botanical instruction. Botany appears to have been a part of biology instruction until approximately 1912, when the two disciplines were separated. Academic instruction and research in botany continued to grow within the overall agriculture curriculum throughout the next few decades.
In 1945, a Plant Pathology section was created within the School of Agriculture, resulting in a new Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. With the creation of the Division of Biological Sciences in 1950, the two sections were split, creating two separate departments. Both operated under the administration of the Division of Biological Sciences. The division was abolished in 1958, and the Department of Botany and Bacteriology was established from those two curricula. In 1962 the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS) was created, with Botany becoming one of five departments under its aegis. The IBS was created to better coordinate and promote research and education in the biological sciences, and it lasted until being dissolved in 1971. In the meantime, in 1966 the bacteriology program was split off from Botany, becoming the Department of Microbiology.
In 2006 the Department of Botany changed its name to Plant Biology. It changed its name again in 2013, becoming the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology when it added faculty from the microbiology and genetics programs.
The collection consists of records describing the administrative function of and research projects undertaken by the North Carolina State University Department of Plant Biology. In addition, there are also items regarding departmental seminars, reviews, a study guide, and a history of the department written by L. A. (Larry Alston) Whitford in 1970. The collection is arranged in four series: Administrative Records, Research and Development, Maps, and Artifacts. The Administrative Records series contains correspondence, course material, and departmental review items. The Research and Development series contains project proposals and reports concerning research in botany. Most of the projects contained in the latter series were federally sponsored by such agencies as NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Maps series contains a small group of field maps used by botany faculty and/or students. The Artifacts series contains a lantern used by B.W. Wells while doing fieldwork.
This collection is organized into five series: Administrative Records, Research and Development, Maps, and Artifacts, Web Content.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, UA 100.015, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Transferred from the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Department of Plant Biology.
Web content harvested using the Internet Archive's Archive-It services.
Processed by: Pat Webber, 2004; machine-readable finding aid created by: Pat Webber, 2004; finding aid updated to reflect additions to the collection by: Beverly King, 2012 May; Todd Kosmerick, 2014 June; Gevorg Vardanyan, 2023 June; Web content processed by Kate Phillips, 2025 November
The collection is organized into five principal series:
Contains correspondence, brochures, seminar information, departmental reviews, and a history of Botany at N.C. State written by L. A. Whitford. The records are arranged alphabetically.
1 box
Contains correspondence, proposals, research results, travel files, and general information on a variety of research projects conducted within the department and with the Agricultural Experiment Station. The records are arranged alphabetically by granting agency.
1 records storage box
This series contains folding field maps created by botany faculty and/or students. These are U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle topographical maps mounted on linen, then folded and given front and back covers. These maps mostly cover western North Carolina and Tennessee, but there is one for part of Connecticut. Only one of the maps is dated (1934), but all are assumed to be from the same time period.
4 folders
This lantern was used by Wells to dry plant specimens.
This series is comprised of web sites of NC State University’s Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, captured by the NC State University Libraries since July 2016 using the Internet Archive’s Archive-It web archiving service, with prior captures by the Internet Archive dating back to June 2015, which may be less complete and was performed at undetermined intervals.
This is the official website of the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at NC State University. The NC State University Libraries has scheduled this website to be captured quarterly from July 2016 to November 2025. Also included here are prior captures by the Internet Archive dating back to June 2015, which may be less complete and performed at undetermined intervals. The site began redirecting to (https://cals.ncsu.edu/plant-and-microbial-biology/) in 2018.
Online access is provided through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
This is the official website for the Department of Plant and Micriobial Biology at NC State University. The NC State University Libraries has captured this site quarterly since 2025. The site was previously captured using the URL (https://pmb.cals.ncsu.edu/), which began redirecting in July 2018.
Online access is provided through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
Official website for Microbiology Graduate Programs in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at NC State University. The NC State University Libraries has captured this site quarterly since 2026. The site was previously hosted and captured at https://harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/microbiology/, and is described in collection UA 100.023.
Online access is provided through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
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[Identification of item], North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, UA 100.015, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.