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National Anthropological Archives
Guide the Northern Pacific Railroad Survey drawings, 1853-1854
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NAA.MS130305
- Creators:
-
United States Pacific Railroad Expeditions and SurveysDuncan, Johnson Kelly, 1827-1862Stanley, John Mix, 1814-1872Sohon, Gustav, 1825-1903
- Dates:
-
1853-1854
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
41 Drawings
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of forty-one (41) drawings created for the Northern Pacific Railroad Survey by Johnson Kelly Duncan, Gustav(us) Sohon, and John Mix Stanley. The majority of the drawings are portraits.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series by artist: (1) Johnson Kelly Duncan, 1853-1854; (2) Gustav Sohon, 1853-1854; and (3) John Mix Stanley, 1853.
Historical Note
Historical Note
The Pacific Railroad Surveys (1853–1855) were a series of five explorations designed to find and document possible routes for a transcontinental railroad across North America. The expeditions included surveyors, scientists, and artists and resulted in an immense body of data on the geology, zoology, botany, paleontology of the land as well as ethnographic descriptions of Native peoples.
The Northern Pacific survey, led by Isaac Stevens, traveled between the 47th and 49th parallel from St. Paul, Minnesota to the Puget Sound. Artists documenting the survey included chief artist John Mix Stanley (1814-1872); astronomer, topographer, and artist Johnson Kelly Duncan (1827-1862); and assistant artist Gustav (or Gustavus) Sohon (1825-1903).
Administration
Custodial History
The drawings were donated to the Smithsonian Institution by Willard Jewell in 1883. They were transferred from the object collections of the Department of Anthropology to the Smithsonian Office of Anthropology Archives, now the National Anthropological Archives, in 1967.
Processing Information
The collection was reprocessed in 2022. The drawings, which had previously been described independently of each other, were organized into a single collection. The archivist replaced the titles previously assigned to the drawings with the titles provided by the artists. The drawings were arranged by artist in chronological order.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Use
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Preferred Citation
Northern Pacific Railroad Survey drawings, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Related Materials
Related Materials
The National Anthropological Archives holds additional drawings created by Sohon in MS 385668.
More Information
Local Numbers
Local Numbers
USNM Accession Number 13050
USNM Catalog Number 130305
Keywords
Repository Contact
National Anthropological Archives
Museum Support Center
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
naa@si.edu
