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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.
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
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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