National Geographic's Very First Expedition

[Ralph Bullis]

I'm researching the first National Geographic Expedition.  It was written up in Vol III May 29, 1891.  Anybody done a research or thought?  Would be interested in buying a copy of the concerned issue or any other issues concerning Mt. St. Elias and the North Gulf Coast of Alaska.  

[George Thomas Wilson]

Ralph,

Another resource you might want to try, if you can find it, is this issue in Century Magazine which I have documented in my discussion "How Others See Us: Articles about National Geographic in other publications":

Century Magazine, March 1891 (Vol. 41, No. 5), Page 865, “Two Expeditions to Mount St. Elias”: This twenty page article documents the following:

I – The Expedition of “The New York Times” (1886)

II – The Expedition of the National Geographic Society and the United States Geological Survey (1890)

Tom Wilson

[Scott T. Shier]

Hello Ralph, and welcome to the NG Corner. May I gauge your interest (and resources already on-hand, if applicable) before I send a few notes on to you? 

Do you already have any issues or collection of some sort of National Geographic Magazine ; and also, do you have any NG Society books at all? This info. will help me whip up a read-or-get-it list that is most relevant to your niche of interst on this.

*other question is are you moreso interested in Mt. Elias itself, as a discovery at that time, or are you also keen for info. on Dr. Israel C. Russell, too? 

. Best,

            - Scott S.

[Ralph Bullis]

Thanks for your interest.  I have an extensive collection of NG magazines and books,  nothing very old or valuable.  My interest in Israel Russel and the First Expedition is best explained by this short two minute video

https://vimeo.com/122153068  

   I live not far from Mt St Elias.  A friend suggested I should do some research on the Harriman Expedition as that was literally in my front yard.  However, Edward Harriman, an original founder of NG, did not publish his expeditions findings in NG magazine.  Perhaps I'm wrong.

     I would be interested in any biographical information about members of any early expeditions to my area just to bring these early explorations to life.  

 

[Scott T. Shier]

Good evening, Ralph,

I didn't receive an email alert that you replied, so I didn't know you did -- no matter. I did mull over your topic and have a few ideas but I need to sit and type them. I'll get back to you on that.

Meantime, real quick, you may be interested to find that the Smithsonian Institution (re-)published the entire set of volumes (14 of them, between 1901-10) which were written for and about the Harriman expedition, in 1910. Now, they have the complete set available for free download/PDF format on their site:

http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217400 

The "who's who" list of participants and advisers and researchers, scientists, etc. that E.H. Harriman pulled together at his own expense is impressive. This whole thing --at least in synopsis form so far-- makes for very interesting reading! 

I do need to clarify that Harriman was not in any way a founder (nor an early participant in establishing) of the Society. But the link that may have given rise to that notion is that he contacted C. Hart Merriam (one of the 33 NGS founders) to choose the scientific party. At this point, circa early 1899, Dr. Merriam was head of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's division of economic ornithology & mammalogy. 

As per any direct reporting in The National Geographic Magazine during this era on the Harriman Alaska Expedition, there are as follow:

• June 1899 NGM -- Pages 225-227  •  With a mandate to collect information and material relating to flora and fauna, geology, glaciers, and other features, the most comprehensive and well- equipped expedition ever raised in America leaves for Alaska.   *pre-lim overview, by Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor.
• December 1899 NGM -- Pages 507-512.  A party composed of the Harriman family and some 30 scientists travels the coast from Seattle to the Bering Strait, engaged in glacial and biological study.    *report by Henry Gannett, w/ maps. 

It's really interesting to me how many notable people who were a part of, or associated with the Society and Magazine were part of this Harriman endeavor.... Frederick Coville, C.H. Merriam, Thomas Kearney, John Muir, William Dall, Grove Karl Gilbert, Henry Gannett, Edward Curtis, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, John Burroughs, George B. Grinnell, etc. , to name but a few. 

Here's two links on this matter from PBS.org ---> 

Brief Timeline:

http://www.pbs.org/harriman/1899/chronology.html 

Participants:

http://www.pbs.org/harriman/1899/participants1899.html 

main Home (re: Harriman Exp.)   *be sure to check all the assoc. links!

http://www.pbs.org/harriman/index.html    

This was an interesting side-trip you threw my way Ralph, thanks. Also, I was amazed to see there was a 2001 expedition. to "retrace" and commemorate it.

Anyway, as I earlier indicated, I'll get back to with some more on the Mount St. Elias / N.G.S. / I.C. Russell material. 

cordially, 

     ~ Scott Shier

[Scott T. Shier]

P>S>

here's a 2+ min. "Antiques Roadshow" clip , re: the Harriman/Curtis photos...

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365619529/ 

[Ralph Bullis]

I certainly stand corrected about Harriman being an original founder of NG.  I probably will not pursue my research on the Harriman expedition as I commercially fished many years in Prince William Sound and the area holds few surprises.  I lived in Yakutat for several years, I worked at Icy Bay several months, and now have lived in Cordova for many years; so I am drawn to the Mt St Elias area, the first NG expedition.  Mr Russel and his crew must have been incredibly tough and driven to even make an attempt on Mt. St. Elias.  Just what they accomplished in the area is fantastic and I spend much time in the wilderness regions around here.  I would still like to procure an original copy of the First NG expedition manuscript just to read it while in the vicinity of an explored ice field.   

[Jeffry Persons]

Ralph,

I think you might try looking into this site for what you want.

https://archive.org/details/ngm_vol03_1407_librivox

This should give you all you need regarding the 1st expedition of the NGS and the price is right!

Regards,

Jeff