Doctoral Dissertation Research in History of Technology

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This grant supports the work of Ms. Maureen Ogle, who, under the direction of Dr. Marcus, is undertaking dissertation research on "Private Spaces, Public Health: A Social and Technological History of American Household Plumbing, 1840-1900." This is a study of American household plumbing that focuses on (1) the technology of household sanitation and changes in technology in the nineteenth century; and (2) the relationship between technology and its social and cultural context. Ms. Ogle is examining nineteenth century architects' working plans (blueprints) housed at the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities and at the Boston Public Library. She is also examining the extensive holdings of municipal documents, ordinances, and reports related to public health held at the National Library of Medicine, the Library of Congress and the Boston Public Library. This promises to be an ideal examination of the way culture and technological innovation interact in America.