Max C. Fleischmann College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station Records
Scope and Contents
Thw Max C. Fleischmann College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station Records consists of farm account data. Information covers crop histories and provides names of farmers, information on operations before and after planting and harvest, irrigation, and cash statements; the Newlands Project; and the Walker River Irrigation District. These records contain economic surveys and farm business surveys including the Pahranagat Valley area, the Virgin Valley area, and southern Nevada.
Dates
- 1926-1937
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Materials must be used on-site; advance notice suggested. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Administrative History
The Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station began soon after the establishment of the University of Nevada, thanks to the Hatch Act in 1887. The act provided an annual appropriation of $15,000 to each state to establish a nation-wide system of experiment stations to conduct agricultural research appropriate to their respective geographical needs. Limited funds for the new university in Nevada caused University President LeRoy Brown to serve as the Director of the Experiment Station in 1888, and its staff were university personnel. The Board of Regents of the University also served as the Board of Control of the Experiment Station. This arrangement continued through the administration of Brown's successors, Stephen Jones and Joseph E. Stubbs. The Experiment Station gained a 60-acre farm in Washoe County, and became a distinct unit supported by its own funds and staff in 1912. In 1913, Samuel B. Doten was appointed Director, a position he held until he retired in 1946.
After Doten's retirement, Charles E. Fleming became director until his retirement in 1960. During his period as director, the station merged with the College of Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension Service. After 1960, the Experiment Station came under the leadership of Ray E. Ely. In the 1950s, Dean of the College of Agriculture John Bertrand received funds from the Max Fleischmann Foundation of Nevada to construct new buildings for the College, which physically joined the College, Experiment Station, and Cooperative Extension.
In the latter half of the 20th century, subsequent leaders of the Experiment Station and the College turned their attention towards bringing instruction and programming into balance with the research efforts, and incorporated newer fields of expertise to the curriculum. The Experiment Station is now "directed toward the advancement of agriculture through biotechnological development, the preservation and management of natural resources, and the nutritional and social aspects of urban life." [note paraphrased from Experiment Station "History of Experiment Station" webpage https://naes.unr.edu/history.aspx]
Extent
18.41 Linear Feet (19 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station was created in 1887, with an emphasis on experimental work, and studies of the economic problems of agriculture. The collection primarily consists of farm account data on specific Nevada farms and ranches, identifying names and location of farm owner, and contain crop histories, information on operations before and after planting and harvest, irrigation data, livestock reports, cash statements, pasturage reports, and information on farm produce used in the home. Also included are records on the Newlands Project and the Walker River Irrigation District.
Arrangement
The collection is organized by year, with records in the original order as received; original folder titles retained.
Boxes 1-15 are individual farm accounts arranged alphabetically by name. Location of farms is noted, and owners identified.
Boxes 16-17 consists of folders separated by dividers titled Pahranagat Valley; W.R.I.D. (Walker River Irrigation District); S.N.S. (Southern Nevada Study); and V.V.E.S. (Virgin Valley Economic Study).
Boxes 18-19 are folders separated by dividers titled Clark County, Truckee Meadows, Walker River Irrigation District, White Pine County, Carson Valley and Fallon. They include records of individual farmers and ranchers.
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the Max C. Fleischmann College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Karen Gash
- Date
- Approximately 2000
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Nevada, Reno. University Archives Repository
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
1664 N. Virginia St.
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno NV 89557-0322 USA
775-682-5665
775-682-5724 (Fax)
specoll@unr.edu