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HABS Measured Drawings of New Mexico Buildings,

 Collection
Identifier: SWA-HABS-Drawings

Scope and Content

The collection contains 42 New Mexico and regional duplicate drawings from the HABS collection at the Library of Congress. The original measured drawings date from 1934-1973. The idea for creating a HABS collection at UNM first began in the early 1980s, in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the HABS project, 1983. A grant from the American Institute of Architects, Albuquerque Chapter, helped provide funding for purchasing the materials. The drawings on average are 17" x 24" diazo positive blue line prints on white background.

The 42 HABS drawings at the CSWR represent various architectural styles from Pueblo architecture to Spanish Colonial and Territorial structures. Drawings denote different communities and building types such as studies of Mesa Verde in Colorado, the ceremonial cave and large kiva in Bandelier National Monument, Pueblo Bonito and Kin Klizin in Chaco Canyon, and many Pueblo villages. Colonial Spanish churches, residences, the Governor's Palace in Santa Fe, Penitente moradas and the Spanish torreon in Manzano, and territorial structures like the Tipton Barn, in Tiptonville, Mora County and the Leon Ranch House and Fort Lowell's officer's house near Tucson are also included.

Dates

  • 1934-1974

Creator

Language of Materials

English.

Access Restrictions

Patrons should use Library of Congress website or bound volumes of HABS drawings before requesting the oversize plans.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.

Institutional History

The HABS drawings at the CSWR were copied from the collection at the Library of Congress. Stemming from a 1933 National Park Service proposal to put unemployed architects to work documenting "America's antique buildings," the HABS program was funded by the Federal Works Project division during the depression and has continued down through the decades. This national HABS collection consists of over 363,000 measured drawings, photographs and pages of written historical and architectural information for over 35,000 American buildings across the country, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the Canal Zone.

In 1974 all the HABS measured drawings made between 1933 and 1974 were collected and transferred to the Library of Congress, where they were grouped by state, county, and vicinity, and microfilmed on 63 reels (35 mm). Reel 41 pertains to New Mexico. Those drawings done since 1974 continue to be collected at the Library of Congress. Those completed through 1979 are available on microfice.

The HABS program operates as a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress, as the depository, the National Park Service, as the administrator of the surveys, and the American Institute of Architects, as advisor, to document and preserve American buildings. Following standard archival record formats set up in the 1930s, architects have continued to systematically study, measure and draw the built environment of the United States, producing this impressive collection. Today, the survey work is carried on primarily by college students pursuing degrees in architecture and history.

Extent

432 sheets (1.25 lin. ft.)

Abstract

The collection contains blue line prints of Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) measured drawings of historic buildings in New Mexico. Consists of 39 projects pertaining to New Mexico, plus two from Arizona, and one from Colorado.

Abstract

John Gaw Meem, the architect who promoted the Pueblo-Spanish Revival Style, participated in the HABS project in New Mexico from 1933-1970. The John Gaw Meem Papers contain folders of his HABS correspondence and bulletins.

Abstract

Bainbridge Bunting, a professor at UNM, assigned his students to make measured drawings, collect documentation, and photograph historic New Mexico buildings. The Bunting buildings differ from those in the HABS collection and cover more areas of the state. Background material is located in the Bainbridge Bunting Papers, photographs in the Pictorial Collection at the CSWR.

Alternate Formats

HABS/HAER Collections available via Library of Congress American Memory web site: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/hhhtml/hhhome.html

Acoma volume: HABS plans from 1934, John Gaw Meem book, contains San Esteban del Rey Mission, Acoma Pueblo and Old Acoma Pueblo. ZIM CSWR NA5230 N6 A27 1934

Pueblo volume: HABS plans from 1934, John Gaw Meem book, contains plans of El Palacio Real de la Santa Fe, San José de Laguna Mission, Old Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, Meeting House, Old Laguna Pueblo, El Santuario del Señor Esquipula, Chimayo, Kiva, Nambe Pueblo, La Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Talpa, Mission Church at Ranchos de Taos, and San Miguel Church, Santa Fe. ZIM CSWR NA5235 S27 S26 1934

Territorial volume: HABS plans from 1940, John Gaw Meem book, contains the Baca House, Upper Las Vegas; the Torreon, Manzano; the Garcia house, Santa Fe; the Borrego house, Santa Fe; the Rael house, Santa Fe; the large kiva and the ceremonial cave, Bandelier National Monument; the Tipton barn, Tiptonville; and the Watrous house, near Watrous, New Mexico. Also includes the Fort Lowell officers' house, Pima City, near Tucson, Pima

Related Archival Material

HABS/HAER Collections Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. The entire HABS collection is available at the Library of Congress' American Memory web site. John Gaw Meem Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico. John Gaw Meem, the architect who promoted the Pueblo-Spanish Revival Style, participated in the HABS project in New Mexico from 1933-1970. The John Gaw Meem Papers contain folders of his HABS correspondence and bulletins. Bainbridge Bunting Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico. Bainbridge Bunting, a professor at UNM, assigned his students to make measured drawings, collect documentation, and photograph historic New Mexico buildings. The Bunting buildings differ from those in the HABS collection and cover more areas of the state. Background material is located in the Bainbridge Bunting Papers, photographs in the Pictorial Collection at the CSWR. Bainbridge Bunting Photograph Collection, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico. Bainbridge Bunting Collection of Measured Drawings Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

General

Contact Information

  1. Center for Southwest Research
  2. Zimmerman Library
  3. University of New Mexico
  4. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1466
  5. Phone: 505-277-6451
  6. Fax: 505-277-0530
  7. Email: cswrref@unm.edu
  8. URL: http://www.unm.edu/~cswrref/

General

Title
Finding Aid of the HABS Measured Drawings of New Mexico Buildings, 1934-1974
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Nancy Brown
Date
©2002
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English

Revision Statements

  • June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::HABS::HABS Measured Drawings of New Mexico Buildings)//EN" "nmu1HABS.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
  • Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451