The collection contains sixteen boxes of textual documents and photographs from roughly 1909 to 1984 that pertain to the Oxford Tobacco Research Station, which is just outside Oxford, North Carolina. The bulk of the collection consists of annual research reports from these years (unbound 1909-1947; bound 1948-1965). The annual reports detail the research conducted in the areas of agronomy, botany, entomology, engineering, and pathology. In addition to these reports, the collection also includes correspondence from the 1930s and 1940s, manuscripts and news releases from 1920 to 1984, and research files from 1911 to 1961.
The Oxford Tobacco Research Station is located one mile west of Oxford, North Carolina, the county seat of Granville County. It was established in 1912 as a joint program by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). Over the course of a century of research on tobacco, the Station gained an international reputation as a leading center of tobacco science under the direction of project leaders in Agronomy, Botany, Entomology, Engineering and Pathology. Notable research accomplishments include fertility investigations concerning tobacco plant nutrition, development of the first tobacco varieties with resistance to Granville Wilt and black shank diseases, and the invention of tobacco bulk curing barns.
The Oxford Tobacco Research Station is located one mile west of Oxford, North Carolina, the county seat of Granville County. It was established in 1912 as a joint program by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). Over the course of a century of research on tobacco, the Station gained an international reputation as a leading center of tobacco science under the direction of project leaders in Agronomy, Botany, Entomology, Engineering and Pathology. Notable research accomplishments include fertility investigations concerning tobacco plant nutrition, development of the first tobacco varieties with resistance to Granville Wilt and black shank diseases, and the invention of tobacco bulk curing barns.
The collection contains sixteen boxes of textual documents and photographs from roughly 1909 to 1984 that pertain to the Oxford Tobacco Research Station, which is just outside Oxford, North Carolina. The bulk of the collection consists of annual research reports from these years (unbound 1909-1947; bound 1948-1965). The annual reports detail the research conducted in the areas of agronomy, botany, entomology, engineering, and pathology. In addition to these reports, the collection includes correspondence from the 1930s and 1940s, manuscripts and news releases from 1920 to 1984, and research files from 1911 to 1961.
Correspondence is primarily between station staff, government officials, professional researchers, and tobacco farmers. Most is from the 1930s, but some letters date to the early 1940s.
Manuscripts and news releases include drafts of research publications, copies of newspaper articles about the station's activities, and pamphlets to be distributed to North Carolina farmers. E.G. Moss, an agronomist and early superintendent of the station, wrote many of these materials. Most date from 1920 to the 1950s, but some news articles were published as late as 1984.
Research files include data from tests and experiments conducted at the station, as well as information on field days and other events that the station held for the public. Relevant correspondence is occasionally included with the files. The bulk of the files date to the 1930s and 1940s, but the full range of the series is from 1911 to 1961.
These materials show station staff's commitment to providing North Carolina tobacco farmers with information on tobacco diseases and with advice on best agricultural practices. Materials also show staff's partnerships with official and academic communities to disseminate research conclusions.
This collection is arranged in four series:
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University 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.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], Oxford Tobacco Research Station Records, MC 00492, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of Paul Peterson, 2013 (Accession 2013.0234)
Processed by: Gwynn Thayer, September 2013; machine-readable finding aid created by: Gwynn Thayer, September 2013; updated by: Rose Buchanan, October 2014
The collection is organized into four principal series:
This series contains the bulk of the collection: annual research reports from 1909 to 1965 (unbound 1909-1947; bound 1948-1965). The annual reports detail research conducted in the areas of agronomy, botany, entomology, engineering, and pathology. Unbound reports are less formal in structure than later, bound reports, and they often appear to have been enclosed in correspondence between station agents and superintendents. This correspondence, where extant, is maintained with the reports. There are no reports for 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1947, 1958, and 1960.
This series is first arranged chronologically, and then alphabetically by subject if more than one report exists for a given year.
Correspondence is primarily between station staff, government officials, professional researchers, and tobacco farmers. Most is from the 1930s, but some letters date to the early 1940s. These materials show station staff's commitment to providing North Carolina tobacco farmers with information on tobacco diseases and with advice on best agricultural practices. Materials also show staff's partnerships with official and academic communities to disseminate research conclusions.
This series is arranged chronologically by decade, and then alphabetically by the surname or affiliated company of the sending correspondent.
Research files include data from tests and experiments conducted at the station, as well as information on field days and other events that the station held for the public. Relevant correspondence is occasionally included with the files. The bulk of the files date to the 1930s and 1940s, but the full range of the series is from 1911 to 1961.
Materials are first arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by subject.
Manuscripts and news releases include drafts of research publications, copies of newspaper articles about the station's activities, and pamphlets to be distributed to North Carolina farmers. E.G. Moss, an agronomist and early superintendent of the station, wrote many of these materials. Most date from 1920 to the 1950s, but some news articles were published as late as 1984. Research publications were often intended for The Progressive Farmer, an agricultural magazine founded in 1886 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. News articles and announcements were often intended for the Raleigh News and Observer.
Materials written or overseen by Moss are grouped together and broadly arranged chronologically. Other materials, largely copies of publications, are grouped together and broadly arranged chronologically.
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.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Oxford Tobacco Research Station Records, MC 00492, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University 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.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.