Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Gibb Gilchrist Papers
Date(s)
- 1776-1972 (Creation)
Extent
9 boxes
Name of creator
Biographical history
Gibb Gilchrist was born at Wills Point in 1887. He attended Southwestern University at Georgetown for one year before entering the University of Texas where he received a degree of civil engineering in 1909.
From 1909 to 1917, he was an employee of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad, beginning as a chairman and finishing his career with the company as assistant to the chief engineer.
During World War I, Gilchrist was with the Army Corps of Engineers, returning from France in 1919 as a captain. He joined the state highway department as a resident engineer after returning from the war and rose to the position of state highway engineer in 1924. A year later he entered private practice with a firm of consulting engineers in Dallas, where he remained until 1927.
In 1928, he was again named State Highway Engineer, and from then until 1937, Gilchrist served as chief engineer for the department. Under his administration, the Texas State Highway Department was reorganized and the Texas highway system made rapid growth. In recognition of his outstanding record, Gilchrist was elected president of the American Association of Highway Officials in 1935.
In 1937, Gilchrist accepted the position of dean of engineering at Texas A&M College and in May 1944, he was appointed president of the college. When the statewide Texas A&M College System was organized in September 1948, he was named as its first administrative head, with the title of chancellor. In 1954, Gilchrist went on modified service as chancellor emeritus, and as head of the Water Research and information Center.
Chancellor Emeritus Gilchrist was awarded honorary degrees by Austin College (D. SC., 1939), Baylor University (LL.D., 1946) and Southwestern University (LL.D.., 1946). He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Texas Society for Professional Engineers, Texas State Historical Association, Philosophical Society of Texas, and the Newcomer Society. He was active in masonry and was grandmaster of the Masonic Lodge of Texas in 1951. Gilchrist died in 1972.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection contains correspondence, printed material, financial and legal documents, photographic material, literary productions, scrapbook material, maps, plaques, and miscellaneous material created and maintained by Gibb Gilchrist which document his personal and professional life.
The collection consists of three main file series: Personal Files, Texas State Highway Department File, and Texas A&M File.
The Personal Files is comprised of the Gilchrist papers that do not reflect his official duties at the Texas State Highway Department or at Texas A&M. For example, the correspondence is of a personal, rather than business, nature. Likewise, the topical file contains various topics of interest to Gilchrist outside his official duties.
The Texas State Highway Department File reflects Mr. Gilchrist's tenure at that agency and also reflects the work of that agency in regard to programs, finances, publications, etc. The Texas A&M File reflects Mr. Gilchrist's years at A&M as Dean of Engineering, President and Chancellor. It also reflects his involvement with A&M after his retirement as Chancellor.
System of arrangement
This collection is organized into three series.
Series 1, Personal Files
Series 2, Texas State Highway Department File
Series 3, Texas A&M File
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open for research use.
Physical access
These materials are stored offsite and require additional time for retrieval.
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure those rights when needed. Permission to reproduce does not constitute permission to publish. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright, literary property rights, and libel.
Languages of the material
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Donated between fall 1974 and spring 1975.
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Compiled by Hung-Chih Yu, April 1997