Portrait of Robert Kennicott

Summary

A studio portrait of naturalist Robert Kennicott.

Subject

• Kennicott, Robert
• Megatherium Club

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Notes

Robert Kennicott (November 13, 1835 -May 13, 1866) was an explorer and naturalist noted for his field work in Alaska. Interested in natural history from a young age, he began sending specimens to Spencer Baird and the Smithsonian Institution. Though based in Chicago for most of his short career, he also worked in Washington, D.C. with Spencer Baird to organize the Smithsonian's amphibian and reptile collections. While in D.C. he lived in the Smithsonian Institution Building or "Castle" and was a member of the Megatherium Club. Kennicott died in Alaska on May 13, 1866, while commanding the Russian-American Telegraph Expedition, also known as the Western Union Telegraph Expedition.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 14, Folder: 39

Contact information

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

Date

c.1860

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

• Explorers
• Collectors and collecting
• Kennicott Expeditions

Form/Genre

• Photographic print
• Portraits

ID Number

SIA2010-1593

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Back and White; Size: 7.4w x 9.4h; Type of Image: Portrait; Medium: Photographic print

Full Record

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