Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: William Bradford Alwood Papers, Ms1960-003, Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The William Bradford Alwood Papers were acquired by the library prior to 1960. An addition to the collection was donated to Special Collections in 2007.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement and description of the William Bradford Alwood Collection was completed in May, 2010.

Biographical Information

William Bradford Alwood was born August 11, 1859 in Delta, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University and George Washington University. He also received training at the Royal Pomology School in Germany, and the Pasteur Institute in France. Alwood served as the Vice-Director of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station from 1888 to 1904. During this time he served as Professor of Horticulture, Entomology, and Mycology at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

After leaving VPI in 1904, Alwood moved to Charlottesville where he established an enological laboratory which was later incorporated into the USDA Bureau of Chemistry; he was named Chief of Enological Investigations. He continued his relationship with VPI by donating several books and papers to the library and kept in touch with old colleagues. He was awarded a certificate of merit by VPI in 1923. Alwood died April 13, 1946.

Scope and Content

The collection mainly consists of pamphlets and papers relating to various subjects including wine making, apples, pears, grapes, bacteriology, and fungi. Research papers and theses are also present in the collection. The collection also included 15 notebooks containing notes relating to Alwood's research.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series: Series I which consists of pamphlet files is arranged alphabetically by subject, Series II which is composed of research papers and theses is arranged in chronological order and with series III, the research notebooks, arranged in numerical order.

Index Terms

Subjects:

• Faculty
• History of Food and Drink
• Science and Technology
• University Archives
• University History
• Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College
• Virginia Agriculutral and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute