Archives & Special Collections holds many unique treasures of significant historical value both to the WPI community and outside scholars. The University Archives includes the original 1865 land grant for Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science (one of the nation's earliest technological universities), the papers of past presidents and trustees, and committee records for the development and implementation of the WPI Plan – a ground-breaking program that transformed WPI’s traditional engineering curriculum into a powerful and innovative approach to technological education. Among the Special Collections holdings is the Robert D. Fellman collection on Charles Dickens which includes more than 150 volumes of Dickens' writings (including rare first editions of most of his major works), some of which have been digitized and are available on Digital WPI, and more than 35 manuscripts, autograph letters, and illustrations; the Theo Brown Diaries (65 diaries from 1893-1911 by one of the principle engineers from John Deere); the Woodbury Collection including fine bird’s-eye view ink and gouache drawings up to 6’ long of Worcester and New England area factories from the nineteenth and early-twentieth century; and the Bernard Brenner Sculpture Collection including the artist’s archives and slides in addition to 73 sculptures; in addition to collections highlighting the accomplishments of our alumni, such as Robert Goddard.
