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The Simon Lake Archives may be described as an authentic collection of historical materials preserved by its producer, Simon Lake, and retained by the Lake Family through the process of inheritance. Although the majority of materials relate to Simon Lake in excess of 50,000 pieces, it includes a lesser collection of Simon's son, Thomas Alva Edison Lake, who served as a collaborator with Simon and was an engineer and inventor in his own right.
The main collection is primarily paper materials with enough surviving artifacts to make it really interesting. Many papers and files were dissembled over the previous 50 years and considerable effort has been made to "marry up" all the loose ends. Like the Simon Lake Story itself, the collection is like a humongous jig saw puzzle. A majority of the materials have been put back in their proper place, however, much work is yet to be done. The pieces gradually take shape and form outlines for numerous stories of adventure and publication possibilities. The process of organization defines the project venture.
In order to provide a simple overview of The Simon Lake Archives, I have listed its general contents below w in outline fashion:
A. Printed Matter:
Newspapers clipping that fill an entire closet size cabinet; Simon's scrapbook
Magazines, journals and periodicals with articles by and about Simon Lake;
Rare editions, & original book drafts, manuscripts, writings, lectures and interviews;
Submarine Trials Log books of the Argonaut, Protector, & Defender
Simon Lake patents & bound patent books
Congressional & Senate Hearings files and bound books.
US Shipping Board Files & Records
Radio Broadcast Scripts
Published books by Simon Lake and books Simon Lake contributed to.
Various Simon Lake company booklets, brochures, flyers, etc.
Russian & German files; The Krupp Papers
B. Correspondence between family, business associates, company, etc.
C. Business Documentation:
Business journals, company information, agreements, contracts, patents, etc.
Promotional materials relating to submarines, companies, and ventures
Canceled checks, stock certificates, receipts, and other business records
Large collection of salvage & wreck records of sunken cargo ships & treasures ships
D. Graphics Materials:
Original ink & pencil sketches of submarines, apparatus, and other inventions
Original ink drawings & blueprints
Photographs and Negatives, including some glass plates.
Glass lantern slides and the Bausch & Lomb lantern projector used in his lectures
Movie and newsreel clips
Printing blocks used at the Lake Torpedo Boat Co. Print Shop for booklets, etc.
E. Models of Argonaut Junior, Argonaut, N-4, Defender
F. Other Artifacts - periscope lenses, submarine odometers, Hussar cannonball, Lutine Bible, canvas basket from the Argonaut & Argosy, Argonaut Junior port hole frame & glass, gold dredge samples, etc.
See Archive History
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