G. Arthur Cooper and the "Scarlet Harlot"

Summary

On a collecting trip to the White Sands, New Mexico, G. Arthur (Gustav Arthur) Cooper (1902-2000), paleobiologist at the National Museum of Natural History, stands beside his car, used in the field, nicknamed the "Scarlet Harlot". Cooper came to the Smithsonian in 1930 as assistant curator in the Division of Stratigraphic Paleontology of the United States National Museum (USNM). In 1941, he advanced to associate curator and in 1944 to curator of the Division of Invertebrate Paleontology. He was appointed head curator of the Department of Geology in 1957, and oversaw its division into the separate departments of Paleobiology and Mineral Sciences in 1963. He continued as chairman of the Department of Paleobiology through 1967 when he was appointed senior paleobiologist. After his retirement from federal service in 1974, he continued his research at the Smithsonian as paleobiologist emeritus until 1987

Subject

• Cooper, G. Arthur (Gustav Arthur) 1902-
• National Museum of Natural History (U.S.)
• National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Dept. of Paleobiology
• United States National Museum

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Notes

Photograph included in the transcript of G. Arthur Cooper Interview by Pamela M. Henson, January 5, 1984, in Smithsonian Institution Archives

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives Record Unit 9524 G. Arthur Cooper Oral History Interviews

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1973

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

• Scientific expeditions
• Scarlet Harlot (automobile)
• Transportation
• Paleoontology
• Employees
• Museums
• Automobiles
• Paleobiologists
• White Sands, New Mexico
• Collectors and collecting
• Smithsonian Institution
• Personnel management
• Brachiopods
• Explorations and Expeditions
• School field trips
• Museum curators
• Paleobiology
• Smithsonian Institution--Employees
• Field trips

Place

Washington (D.C.)

Form/Genre

• Photographic print
• Person, candid

ID Number

86-498

Physical description

Color: Color; Size: 10w x 8h; Type of Image: Person, candid; Medium: Photographic print

Full Record

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