Smithsonian Institution Archives

Robert Ridgway Papers, circa 1850s-1919

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7167
Creators:
Ridgway, Robert, 1850-1929
Dates:
circa 1850s-1919
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
24.9 cu. ft. (2 document boxes) (1 half document box) (49 12x17 boxes) (2 16x20 boxes) (8 3x5 boxes) (oversize materials)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These papers consist of Ridgway correspondence with Spencer Fullerton Baird, drawings of birds, and material collected by Ridgway for his important work, Color Standards and Nomenclature (Washington, 1912).
Many of the materials in this collection are available online.

(Electronic Resource)

View Digitized Materials.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Robert Ridgway (1850-1929) was born in Mount Carmel, Illinois. In 1864 he wrote to Spencer Fullerton Baird, asking Baird to identify a bird that Ridgway had seen. Ridgway and Baird began corresponding, and, in effect, Baird became Ridgway's mentor. In 1867 Baird secured an appointment for Ridgway as zoologist on Clarence King's Geological Survey of the Fortieth Parallel. Upon his return to Washington in 1869, Ridgway was put to work by Baird to furnish the technical descriptions and certain of the drawings for a book on North American birds being prepared by Baird and Thomas Mayo Brewer. In 1874 Ridgway was appointed an ornithologist on the staff of the United States National Museum. In 1880 he was appointed Curator of the Department of Ornithology. Ridgway remained Curator until his death in 1929, although after 1915 he resided in Olney, Illinois.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7167, Robert Ridgway Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Ridgway, Robert, 1850-1929 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brewer, T. M. (Thomas Mayo), 1814-1880 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clarence King Geological Survey of the Fortieth Parallel Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Division of Birds Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ornithology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ornithologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Birds Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scientific illustrations Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu