Planting Fields Foundation Archival Internship
• Dates Summer: June 15-July 27, 2024
• Reports to: Michael D. Coe Archivist
Planting Fields is a 409-acre Long Island Gold Coast estate that survives as a historical testament to American art, architecture, landscape design, and horticulture. It was created beginning in 1913 by William Robertson Coe, an English immigrant, and his wife, Mai Rogers Coe, heiress and daughter of Standard Oil partner Henry Hutleston Rogers. Together the Coes brought to life the Planting Fields we know today: a multidimensional estate where the built and natural worlds unite. The site retains numerous historic structures including Coe Hall, once the residence of the Coe Family and their staff, two greenhouses, one dedicated to the historic Camellia collection and the other featuring our tropical and subtropical plant collections, a dynamic landscape masterpiece shaped by the Olmsted Brothers, and 200 acres of woodland trails. Over the last century, the site has evolved from a private estate to a New
York State Park that welcomes over 200,000 people annually. Today, it is included in the National Register
of Historic Places and its preservation and relevance remain central to our mission.
Planting Fields Foundation Archives:
Planting Fields Foundation holds archival collections that consist of papers, photographs, films,
architectural drawings, and other materials related to the planning, construction, and maintenance of
Planting Fields during the Estate Era; to the Coe family—particularly William Robertson Coe, Mai Rogers
3 Coe, Caroline Graham Slaughter Coe, William Rogers Coe, Robert Douglas Coe, Henry Hutleston
Rogers Coe, and Natalie Mai Coe Viteti; to the Planting Fields Foundation; and to landscape
architecture. Included in the archives are original photographs by Matie Edwards Hewit; materials
about the philanthropic activities of the Rogers and Coe families and their descendants, including W.R.
Coe’s role in the development of American Studies Programs at universities around the United States;
architectural drawings by Walker & Gillete and the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm;
ephemera from the programs run by the State University of New York at Planting Fields; papers related
to the activities of Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park and the business of Planting Fields
Arboretum.
Archival Internship:
The focus of the internship is to create data necessary for creating finding aids through ArchivesSpace.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about finding aid best practices along with organizing archival
materials. During this project, the intern will gain a greater understanding of the history of Planting
Fields Foundation and will also assist with the organization and filing of documents and preparing
information for Finding Aids.
Deadline to apply: April 19, 2024
Requirements:
• Graduate/undergraduate status.
• Major in library science, history, museum studies, or related field.
• Experience with ArchivesSpace is preferred, though training will be provided.
• Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Personal vehicle recommended.
Compensation and housing:
• $1,000 stipend for six weeks
• Dormitory housing is available on site at Planting Fields
Please send a thoughtful cover leter and resume to mpenny@plantingfields.org
