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Archives and Special Collections
Dr. Robert H. Goddard Collection

Abstract:
The father or modern rocketry and a physicist (1882-1945). It includes his notebooks, patents, and correspondence. Also included are his wife's papers and the information that was gathered by his first biographer, Milton Lehman.

Series Description

Series Number Series Description
Family & Personal Papers, 1855-August, 1945 (4 boxes)
Family papers & genealogy, autobiographical & biographical statements, & pocket diaries arranged chronologically.
Series 2 Professional & General Correspondence, 1901-1945 (13 boxes)
Correspondence relating to Dr. Goddard's youth, personal & professional life, arranged by subseries: "Letters To", "Letters From", "Letters About", & within folders chronologically. These folders include copies of Dr.Goddard's carbons which have been made on acid-free permalife paper. The carbon copies are in a separate subseries.
Series 3 Academics, 1906- (2 boxes)

Undergraduate laboratory experiments (xerox copies from Worcester Polytechnic Institute Archives), Physics Department lecture notebooks

arranged chronologically
Series 4 Rocket Theory & Experiments, 1903-1945 (12 boxes)

Affidavits regarding rocket theory & hardware, notebooks, test data recording static tests & actual test flights for powder & liquid propellant rockets. Also test data relating to the adaptation of the rocket principle to the prototype of the bazooka, early depth charge projectile (trench mortar), & JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off Device). Note cards kept by ECG on rocket parts and systems, with cross references to Dr. Goddard's progress reports to the Navy and to his notebooks and affidavits, and test results.
Series 5 Consulting Engineer, 1942-1945 (1 box)

Agreements (contracts), correspondence, memoranda, blueprints, reports

arranged chronologically.
Series 6 Reports & statements on rocket development, 1918-1941 (2 boxes)

Periodic reports to The Smithsonian Institution, Clark University, & The Daniel & Florence Guggenheim Foundation, arranged by the receiving institution & chronological within folders. Also material on the Clark University Research Corporation (Advisory Committee).
Series 7 Patent Cases (56 boxes)

The 214 patents & 32 unsuccessful patent applications, arranged by chronology of the case number rather than the U.S. Letters Patent Number, were represented in two, incomplete files (Dr. Goddard's & those of his patent attorney, Charles T. Hawley of Worcester). The integrity of the arrangement was retained by combining the two incomplete files. The blueprints were separated, cross-referenced and arranged according to the corresponding case. The duplicate copies of patent applications, briefs, correspondence, and U.S. Patent Office rulings were removed to a separate subseries. The original U.S. Letters Patents and foreign patents (British Patent No. 133,096 & French Patent No. 498,797) are arranged chronologically according to patent number and date of issue with the foreign patents at the end of the U.S. Patents. Two copies each of U.S. Letters Patents issued to Dr. Goddard by the official government agency, arranged chronologically according to patent number and date of issue, are in a separate subseries. Since this processing, we have received a card file prepared by Mrs. Goddard, which provides the researcher with a subject index to the patent cases showing the relationship amongst cases.
Series 8 Manuscripts and Publications, 1901-1945 (5 boxes)

Arranged chronologically.
Series 9 Miscellaneous (1 box)

Arranged chronologically.
Series 10 Newspaper and magazine clippings, misc. brochures, invitations etc. 1904-1976 (15 boxes)

Arranged chronologically.
Series 11 Lists (1 box)

Affidavits, Collection of books and articles, Correspondence to and from RHG, "List of recipients of "This High Man"
Series 12 Magazine and Newspaper clippings 1920-1946 about Rockets, Inventions, etc. with H. Oberth, Max Valier, and others (1 box)
Series 13 Transcripts of Goddard Diary 1898-1945 and excerpts from five green notebooks done by ECG (1 box)
Series 14 Non-print material

Photographs [mounted] by B. Anthony Stewart, copyright National Geographic Society, paintings by Robert Goddard, photographs, albums, gyroscopes and rocket parts.

Contact Information Site Search

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Closed Holidays and Weekends

It is recommended that you contact our office prior to traveling to the library.

Additional Resources
Robert H. Goddard Home Page
Finding Aid for the Robert H. Goddard Collection
Articles Written by Dr. Goddard
FAQs about Dr. Goddard
Other Sources for Information about Dr. Goddard
Dr. Goddard's Diary: March 16, 1926
1926: First Liquid-Fueled Rocket
Drawing of Rocket L-13
Drawing of A Series Rocket
Goddard Time Capsule

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Robert H. Goddard Library
Other Web Sites about Archives and Special Collections



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