Reference Request
Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7213
Western Union Telegraph Expedition (1865-1867)
Western Union Telegraph Expedition Collection, 1865-1867
Historical Note
The Western Union Telegraph Expedition, 1865-1867, also known as the Russian-American Telegraph Expedition, was undertaken to study the possibility of setting up a communications system with Europe by way of Alaska, the Bering Straits, and Asia. The expedition was organized in three divisions, working in Canada, Russian-America (Alaska), and Asia. Robert Kennicott, the veteran Alaskan explorer, was placed in charge of the Russian-American division. Under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and the Chicago Academy of Sciences, a Scientific Corps was established, with Kennicott in command, to accompany the Russian-American division and make collections in natural history. Naturalists William H. Dall, Henry M. Bannister, and Henry W. Elliott served as members of the Scientific Corps. On the death of Kennicott on May 13, 1866, Dall became chief of the Scientific Corps until the expedition was terminated in July 1867 due to the successful laying of the Atlantic Cable.
Descriptive Entry
This collection includes correspondence, mostly to Spencer F. Baird, from members of the Scientific Corps of the Western Union Telegraph Expedition, including Kennicott, Dall, Bannister, and Elliott; copies of reports submitted to divisional chiefs from expedition staff members; newspaper clippings concerning the expedition; copies of notes on natural history taken by Robert Kennicott; and a journal containing meteorological data recorded by Henry M. Bannister from March to August, 1866.
Restrictions
Access RestrictionIt appears that some of the material in this collection was removed from the official correspondence files of the Smithsonian.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887
- Bannister, Henry M.
- Chicago Academy of Sciences
- Dall, William Healey, 1845-1927
- Elliott, Henry Wood, 1846-1930
- Kennicott, Robert, 1835-1866
- Russian-American Telegraph Expedition
- Western Union Telegraph Expedition (1865-1867)
Subject
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7213, Western Union Telegraph Expedition Collection