Milton Pikarsky
papers, 1942-1984 (bulk 1964-1978)
Descriptive
Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center
By
Christina Goodspeed; ed. by Peter T. Alter and Rachel Juris, 2011.
Please
address questions to:
Chicago
History Museum, Research Center
1601
North Clark Street
Chicago,
IL 60614-6038
Web-site:
http://www.chicagohistory.org/research
©
Copyright 2011, Chicago Historical Society
Processed
with funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission.
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Title: Milton
Pikarsky papers [manuscript], 1942-1984 (bulk 1964-1978)
Main entry: Pikarsky,
Milton, 1924-1989
Inclusive dates: 1942-1984 (bulk
1964-1978)
Size:
16.75 linear ft. (31 boxes)
l package.
Restriction: Research use of
this collection is governed by the standard rules and regulations of the
Chicago History Museum Research Center.
Accession
number: 1989.0919
Provenance
statement: Gift
of Christine Johnson (1989.0919).
Terms governing
use: All
rights owned by the donor, including copyright, were deeded to Chicago
Historical Society. Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or
their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless
otherwise noted.
Please cite this
collection as: Milton Pikarsky papers
(Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder
number of a specific item.
This descriptive
inventory contains the following sections:
Biographical
note,
Summary
description of the collection,
Description
of some material related to the collection,
List
of online catalog headings about the collection,
Arrangement
of the collection,
Detailed
description of archival series in the collection,
List
of contents of the collection.
Biographical
note:
Milton
Pikarsky (1924-1989) was a civil engineer who served as commissioner of public
works for the City of Chicago (Ill.), chairman of the Chicago Transit
Authority, and was the first chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority.
Pikarsky received his graduate degree in civil engineering from the Illinois
Institute of Technology. He served in the United Sates Navy (1944-1946), worked
as an assistant engineer for New York Central Railroad in Chicago, and was a
partner in the firm Plumb, Tuckett, and Pikarsky (1956-1959). Pikarsky became
an engineer of public works for the City of Chicago (1960) and was promoted to
commissioner of public works (1964-1973). Mayor Richard J. Daley appointed
Pikarsky to the board of the Chicago Transit Authority in 1973, and he was
elected chairman of the board (1973-1975). Pikarsky was the first chairman of
the newly formed Regional Transportation Authority (1975-1978). In 1978, he
resigned from the RTA, and subsequently held several teaching positions,
including professor and director of transportation research at the Illinois
Institute of Technology Research Institute, and professor at the City College
of New York.
Summary
description of the collection:
Correspondence,
speeches, and articles, 1962-1978; scrapbooks, 1965-1973; appointment books,
1974-1977; reports, newspaper clippings, awards, and other papers of Milton
Pikarsky, a civil engineer who served as commissioner of public works for the
City of Chicago, Illinois (1964-1973); and chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority
(1973-1975) and the Regional Transportation Authority (1975-1978). The majority
of the collection consists of correspondence, reports, speeches, and articles
related to Pikarsky's work in the field of transportation systems and public
works. Also present are biographical materials, working papers and legal
records related to Pikarsky's early career; correspondence and press releases
pertaining to Pikarsky's appointments as director of Transportation Research at
IIT Research Institute and transportation advisor to Chicago mayor Jane Byrne;
and certificates and memorabilia documenting achievements.
Description of
some material related to the collection:
Related
materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Milton
Pikarsky photograph collection (1992.0412); and publications by Pikarsky and
photographs of him cataloged separately.
List of online
catalog headings about the collection:
The
following index headings for this collection were entered in the online
catalog.
Subjects:
Byrne,
Jane, 1933-
Daley,
Richard J., 1902-1976.
Pikarsky,
Milton, 1924-1989--Archives.
Chicago
(Ill.). Commissioner of Public Works.
Chicago
(Ill.). Dept. of Public Works.
Chicago
Transit Authority.
Chicago
Urban Transportation District.
IIT
Research Institute. Transportation Division.
Illinois.
Regional Transportation Authority.
Access
to airports--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.
City
planning--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.
Civil
engineers--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.
Crosstown
Expressway (Chicago, Ill. : Proposed)
Express
highways--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area--20th century.
Highway
engineering--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area--20th century.
Highway
planning--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area--20th century.
Local
transit--Illinois--Chicago--Planning.
Municipal
officials and employees--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.
Railroads,
Elevated--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.
Transportation--Illinois--Planning.
Transportation--Research--Illinois--Chicago
Metropolitan Area.
Urban
transportation policy--United States--20th century.
Chicago
(Ill.)--Officials and employees--20th century.
Chicago
(Ill.)--Politics and government--20th century.
Edens
Expressway (Chicago, Ill.)
Form/genre:
Appointment
books.
Articles.
Awards.
Certificates.
Correspondence.
Legal
documents.
Newsletters.
Newspaper
clippings.
Periodicals.
Photographic
prints.
Photographic
prints--Color.
Portrait
paintings.
Press
releases.
Reports.
Scrapbooks.
Slides--Color.
Speeches.
Theses.
Added
entries:
Byrne,
Jane, 1933-
Daley,
Richard J., 1902-1976.
Chicago
(Ill.). Commissioner of Public Works.
Chicago
(Ill.). Dept. of Public Works.
Chicago
Transit Authority.
Chicago
Urban Transportation District.
IIT
Research Institute. Transportation Division.
Illinois.
Regional Transportation Authority.
Arrangement of
the collection:
The
collection is arranged in five series:
Series
1. Biographical and early career material, 1943-1964 (bulk 1956-1964) (box 1)
Series
2. Commissioner of public works, 1962-1973 (box 2-13)
Series
3. Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority, 1973-1975 (box 14-17)
Series
4. Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, 1975-1978 (box 18-24)
Series
5. Other professional papers, 1979-1984 (box 25)
Series
6. Awards, degrees, and other memorabilia, 1952-1981 (box 26-29, package)
Series
7. Publications, 1942-1983 (box 30-31)
Detailed
description of archival series in the collection:
Series 1. Biographical and early career material,
1943-1964 (bulk 1956-1964) (box 1)
Series
1 contains resumes, copies of passport applications and membership cards,
working papers, legal records, correspondence, and other papers of Milton
Pikarsky. Included are structural analysis notes, likely for the New York
Central Railroad Company; correspondence and legal papers related to Pikarsky's
employment, partnership, and termination with the firm Plumb, Tuckett &
Pikarsky; and reports and photographs pertaining to a Mississippi bridge
restoration project conducted by Plumb, Tuckett & Pikarsky. Also included
are photographs and a commencement program from the City College of New York,
and a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings and photographs.
Series 2. Commissioner of Public Works, 1962-1973
(box 2-13)
Series
2 contains correspondence, reports, speeches, articles, press releases,
memoranda, and other papers created during Pikarsky's tenure as Chicago
commissioner of public works. Some materials pertain to Pikarsky's business
travel, including the United States urban transportation delegation visit to
the Soviet Union and the Chicago Metropolitan Transportation Committee European
inspection tour. Travel materials include letters of introduction written by
Mayor Richard J. Daley to European mayors on behalf of Pikarsky. Also present
are a small quantity of records of the Transit Development Corporation, as well
as drafts and a final copy of Pikarsky's master's thesis from the Illinois
Institute of Technology, titled Comprehensive
Planning for the Chicago Crosstown Expressway. The majority of the series
consists of scrapbooks (1965-1973) containing newspaper clippings, brochures,
articles, invitations, correspondence, and photographs; and published volumes
of speeches, papers, and slides (1962-1973).
Series 3.
Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority, 1973-1975 (box 14-17)
Series
3 consists of correspondence, reports, speeches, articles, press releases,
memoranda, and other papers created during Pikarsky's tenure as chairman of the
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The majority of papers in the series relate to
the Crosstown Expressway project, including reports, studies, newspaper
clippings, and other materials for and against the project. Also included are
published volumes of speeches and papers (1974-1975) and daily planners
(1974-1975).
Series 4.
Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, 1975-1978 (box 18-24)
Series
4 consists of correspondence, reports, speeches, articles, press releases,
memoranda, and other papers created during Pikarsky's tenure as chairman of the
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). Subjects include the Chicago Urban
Transportation District (CUTD), the Edens Expressway, "L" line
proposals, service agreements, and technical evaluations. Present are articles
and editorials about the O'Hare extension of the Milwaukee "L" line.
Includes some newspaper clippings, newsletters, cards, invitations, and
certificates of membership. Also included are published volumes of speeches and
papers (1975-1978) and daily planners (1976-1977).
Series 5. Other professional
papers, 1979-1984 (box 25)
Series
5 contains correspondence, press releases, speeches, and reports.
Correspondence and press releases chiefly pertain to Pikarsky's appointments as
director of Transportation Research at IIT Research Institute and
transportation advisor to Chicago mayor Jane Byrne. Speeches and reports are
mostly authored by Pikarsky and relate to topics including urban transportation
and railroads. Also included is a copy of Pikarsky's testimony before the
Science and Technology Subcommittee, Commerce Committee of the United States
House of Representatives on April 5, 1982, on the subject of the railroad
freight industry. A manuscript draft titled
The Future of Public Transit in America is also present.
Series 6.
Awards, degrees, and other memorabilia, 1952-1981 (box 26-29, package)
Series
6 consists of certificates, plaques, pins, correspondence, photographs, and
other memorabilia documenting awards and degrees received by Pikarsky. Also
present is a framed oil painting portrait of Pikarsky.
Series 7.
Publications, 1942-1983 (box 30-31)
Series
7 consists of a selection of publications related to Pikarsky's work, including
the magazine of the City of Chicago Department of Public Works. The majority of
publications feature articles written by or featuring Pikarsky and/or
annotations by Pikarsky.
List of contents
of the collection:
Box
1 Biographical
and early career material, 1943-1964 (bulk 1956-1964)
Box
2-13 Commissioner of
public works, 1962-1973
Box
14-17 Chairman of the
Chicago Transit Authority, 1973-1975
Box
18-24 Chairman of the
Regional Transportation Authority, 1975-1978
Box
25 Other
professional papers, 1979-1984
Box
26-29 & package Awards, degrees, and
other memorabilia, 1952-1981
Box
30-31 Publications, 1942-1983