Smithsonian Institution Archives

Topical Finding Aids to Records in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Guide to Records of Expeditions, 1878-1917

List of Expeditions
(Smithsonian and Non-Smithsonian), 1849-1877

Harriman Alaska Expedition - Bryn Mawr and Smith Glaciers, College Fiord, Port Wells, June 26, 1899 (Photo by C. Hart Merriam)

This is a chronological list of expeditions from 1850-1878, compiled by staff of the Joseph Henry Papers Project. The following sources were used to compile this list.

  1. Smithsonian Institution Annual Report of 1877, p. 105-115.
  2. Exploration and Empire by William H. Goetzmann.
  3. United States Navy and Scientific Exploration, 1837-1860 (Ph.D. Dissertation) by John Dryden Kazar.

The Smithsonian was not involved with expeditions listed in italics. Files referenced in this list are located in the offices of the Joseph Henry Papers Project. Expeditions are ordered chronologically by the start date of the expedition.

Pre-1850||1850||1851||1852||1853||1854||1855||1856||1857||1858||1859||1860||1861||1862||1863||
1864
||1865||1866||1867||1868||1869||1870||1871||1872||1873||1874||1875||1876||1877

Pre-1850

Lieutenant James Melville Gilliss, United States Astronomical Expedition to Chili. 1849-1852
James Melville Gilliss
James Melville Gilliss
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Captain Howard Stansbury, Exploration of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1849-1850

Lieutenant James H. Simpson and Colonel John M. Washington, Simpson Survey. 1849-1850

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1850

Colonel Edwin J. Dehaven, United States Arctic Expedition of 1850-1851.

Lieutenant F. T. Bryan, Bryan Expedition of 1850.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph E. Johnston and Major Jefferson Van Horn, Johnston Expedition.
John Wells Foster
John Wells Foster
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Dr. D. D. Owen, United States Geological Survey made in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. 1850-1857

Captains L. Sitgreaves and J. C. Woodruff, Survey of Oregon and Washington Territories.

Dr. J. Evans, United States Geological Survey of Oregon Territory.

Dr. Charles T. Jackson, United States Geological Survey of Lake Superior.

John Wells Foster and J. D. Whitney, United States Geological Survey of Lake Superior.

W. Stimpson, New England coast.

Thaddeus Culbertson, Upper Missouri.

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1851

Lieutenant W. L. Herndon, United States Naval Expedition to the Amazon. 1851-1853

Major W. H. Emery and Colonel J. D. Graham, Mexican Boundary Survey. 1851-1857

Captain L. Sitgreaves, Zuni and Colorado River Expedition.

Joseph Balestier, United States Expedition to the East Indies.

Lieutenant W. F. Lynch, United States Expedition to West Africa.

Captain John Henry Aulick, planned expedition to Japan. (never went)

Planned expedition to Siberia. (never went)

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1852

Captain R. B. Marcy and Captain George B. McClellan, Exploration of the Red River.

Lieutenant W. F. Lynch, United States Exploring Expedition to Africa. 1852-1854

Lieutenant D. N. Couch, Exploration of Northern Mexico. 1852-1853 (Couch purchased collections made by Dr. L. Berlandier)

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1853

Commodore M. C. Perry, United States Naval Expedition to Japan. 1853-1855

E. K. Kane, United States Arctic Expedition of 1853-1855.

Captain T. J. Page, United States Exploring Expedition to Paraguay. 1853-1854

Captains C. Ringgold and J. Rodgers, United States Naval Expedition to the North Pacific.
Drawing by William Stimpson on the Northern Pacific Exploring Expedition
Drawing by William Stimpson on the
Northern Pacific Exploring Expedition
(From SI Archives RU 7253)

Lieutenant Isaac Strain, Darien Ship Canal Expedition. 1853-1855

Governor I. I. Stevens and George B. McClellan, Pacific Railroad Survey (47-49th parallel). 1853-1855

Captains Gunnison and Beckwith, Pacific Railroad Survey (38th parallel). 1853-1855

Captain Whipple, Pacific Railroad Survey (35th parallel). 1853-1855

Lieutenant J. G. Parke, Pacific Railroad Survey (West 32nd parallel). 1853 or 1854-1855

Captain J. Pope, Pacific Railroad Survey (East 32nd parallel). 1853 or 1854-1855

Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Pacific Railroad Survey (32-35th parallel and Coastal Route). 1853-1855
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden in the field
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden
in the field
(From SI Archives RU 7177)

Dr. George Suckley, Washington and Oregon Territories. 1853-1856 --see file under "47-49th Parallel Survey"

Dr. J. G. Cooper, Washington and Oregon Territories. 1853-1856 --see file under "47-49th Parallel Survey"

Lieutenant William Jeffers, United States Naval Expedition to Nicaragua.

Asa B. Gray, Asa B. Gray's Civilian Survey of the 32nd Parallel.

Fremont, Fremont's Civilian Survey of the 38th Parallel.

Peter A. Dey and Greenville M. Dodge, (?)Peter A. Dey Survey.

Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, Upper Missouri. 1853-1855

R. D. Cutts, California Coast, United States Coastal Survey

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio.

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1854

Captain R. B. Marcy, Brazos River.

Lieutenant W. P. Trowbridge, Pacific Coast, United States Coastal Survey. 1854-1855

A. J. Vaughan, Upper Missouri. 1854-1855

Dr. P. R. Hoy, Wisconsin and Missouri.
Robert Kennicott
Robert Kennicott
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Robert Kennicott, Illinois, Minnesota, and Winnipeg. 1854-1857

Gustavus Wurdemann, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. United States Coastal Survey. 1854-1858

Reverend A. C. Barry, Wisconsin.

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1855

Captain J. Pope, Artesian Well Boring Expedition. 1855-1858

Lieutenant G. K. Warren and Captain W. F. Raynolds/Reynolds, Nebraska, and South Dakota. 1855-1860 --See file under "Dakota Expeditions: 1855-1860"

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Coast of New Jersey.

E. Samuels, California. 1855-1856

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1856

Lieutenant Bryan, Wagon-Road Survey. 1856-1857

Major G. H. Thomas, Fort Yuma.

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1857

Lieutenant J. C. Ives, Colorado River. 1857-1858

Lieutenant N. Michler, Interoceanic Ship Canal Expedition. 1857-1858
John Xantus
John Xantus
(From SI Archives RU 95)

John Xantus, Fort Tejon. 1857-1858 --See file under "Exploration of Cape St. Lucas...1860"

A. Campbell, Northwestern Boundary Survey. 1857-1861

W. M. Magraw, South Pass Wagon-Road. 1857-1858

Captain T. J. Page, La Plata River.

Donald Gunn, Red River of the North and Nelson River.

Colonel Joseph E. Johnston, Southern Boundary of Kansas.

J. B. Leech, El Paso and Fort Yuma Wagon-Road Route.

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1858

Lieutenant John Brooke, United States Naval Expedition to the North Pacific.

Robert Kennicott, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. 1858-?

Captain Thomas Blakiston, Saskatchewan.

Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, New Jersey.

B. F. Meeks and Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, Kansas.

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1859

Captain J. N. Macomb, San Juan River Expedition.

Captain James H. Simpson, Kansas, Nebraska, and Utah.

John Xantus, Cape St. Lucas and the Gulf of California, United States Coast Survey. 1859-1861

Lieutenant John Mullan, Mullan Road Expedition. 1859-1860

F.W. Lander, South Pass Wagon-Road Route.

J. W. Tolman, Illinois.

Dr. J. B. Bean, Central Florida.

Dr. George Suckley, Kansas, Nebraska, and Utah.

William Cooper, Bahamas.

Dr. Henry Bryant, Bahamas.

Dr. J. G. Cooper, South Florida.

Captain H. G. Wright, Tortugas.

Captain D. P. Woodbury, Tortugas.

Dr. Whitehurst, Tortugas.

Saint Charles College, Louisiana.

James McLeannan, Isthmus of Panama.

Theodore Nicholas Gill, West Indies and Newfoundland.

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1860

Dr. Isaac Hayes, United States Arctic Exploring Expedition. 1860-1861

Dr. J. G. Cooper, Oregon via Fort Benton.

Captain C. P. Stone, Gulf of California.

Dr. C. S. Canfield, Coast of California.

Bernard R. Ross, Hudson's Bay Territory. 1860-1861

George Barnston, Lake Superior.

J. Mackenzie, Hudson's Bay Territory. 1860-1863

C. Drexler, Hudson's Bay Territory.

Elliott Coues, Coast of Labrador.

Williams College Lyceum of Natural History, Greenland and Labrador.

Dr. W. Stimpson, Coast of North Carolina.
Theodore Nicholas Gill
Theodore Nicholas Gill
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Theodore Nicholas Gill, Coast of North Carolina.

Dr. W. W. Anderson, Northern Mexico.

J. H. Clark, Texas Boundary Survey.

J. W. Swan, Puget Sound. 1860-1877

Dr. J. B. Holder, Tortugas.

Charles Wright, Cuba. 1860-1863

J. M. Woodworth, Minnesota.

Patrick Duffy, New Mexico.

W. A. Henry, Labrador Eclipse Expedition.

Lieutenant J. D. Kurtz, United States Atlantic Coast.

E. Germain, Chili.

P. S. Dodd, Nova Scotia.

J. R. Willis, Nova Scotia.

W. G. Winton, Nova Scotia.

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1861

Lawrence Clark, Jr., Hudson's Bay Territory. --See under file "Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration 1858- "

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1862

John Xantus, Mazatlan and Western Mexico. 1862-1863 --See under file "Cape St. Lucas...1859-1861"

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1863

Ivan Lukeen, Alaskan Expedition.

Captain W. W. DeLacy, Yellowstone Park Expedition.

Peter A. Dey, Union Pacific Railroad Reconnaissance. 1863-1869

Henry Connolly, Hudson's Bay Territory. 1863-1866

Hon. C. R. Riotte, Costa Rica.

J. Carmiol, Costa Rica.

Dr. Charles Sartorius, Eastern Mexico.

Professor F. Sumichrast, Mexico.
Elliott Coues
Elliott Coues
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Captain John M. Dow, West Coast of Central America.

Hon. C. R. Buckalew, Ecuador.

Dr. Elliott Coues, Arizona.

Dr. R. Hitz, Upper Missouri.

Captain John Feilner, Upper Missouri.




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1864

Colonel A. J. Grayson, Mazatlan.

Dr. Arthur Schott, Yucatan.

Hon. D. K. Carter, Bolivia.

W. T. March, Jamaica.

N. H. Bishop, Cuba.

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1865

Colonel R. S. Williamson, Oregon and Nevada. 1865-1866

Governor William McTavish, Fort Garry.

Dr. H. Berendt, Honduras and Guatemala.

Robert Swift and George Latimer, Puerto Rico.

Reverend H. B. Tristram, Palestine.

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1866

Colonel Charles Buckley, Western Union Telegraph Expedition.

William H. Dall, Western Union Telegraph Expedition. --See under file "Western Union Telegraph Expedition".
Wooden Mask collected during the Western Union Telegraph Expedition
Wooden Mask collected during
the Western Union Telegraph Expedition
(From SI Archives RU 7073)

Ferdinand Bischoff, Western Union Telegraph Expedition. --See under file "Western Union Telegraph Expedition".

H. M. Bannister, Western Union Telegraph Expedition. --See under file "Western Union Telegraph Expedition".

Dr. J. T. Rothrock, Western Union Telegraph Expedition. --See under file "Western Union Telegraph Expedition".

C. P. Gaudet, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration 1858"

William J. Hardesty, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay..."

Strachan Jones, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay..."

James Lockhart, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay..."

John Reid, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay... "

Donald Gunn, West of Lake Winnipeg. --See under file "Hudson's Bay..."

Robert MacFarlane, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay... "

Thomas Flett, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration. --See under file "Hudson's Bay..."

James Sibbiston, Hudson's Bay Territory.

William Bross, Hudson's Bay Territory.

Dr. C. A. Canfield, Monterey California.

Dr. Edward Palmer, Arizona.

Dr. Wernick, Colorado.

Dr. H. B. Butcher, Rio Grande.

A. E. Younglove, Hayti/Haiti.

Dr. Henry Bryant, Puerto Rico and Bahamas.
William H. Hudson
William H. Hudson
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Henry Hague, Guatemala.

Dr. Earl Flint, Nicaragua. 1866-1877

Dr. A. Von Frantzius and J. C. Zeledon, Costa Rica.

J. and T. Rhodes, Panama.

Valdimir/Vladimir Knudsen, Sandwich Islands/Hawaii.

William H. Hudson, Buenos Ayres/Aires. 1866-1868



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1867

Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden on the Yellowstone River
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden (left)
on the Yellowstone River
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Professor Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, United States Geological Survey. 1867-1877

Clarence King, Geological and Geographical Exploration of the 40th Parallel. 1867-1872

Bernard R. Ross, Hudson's Bay Territory Exploration.

Hon. A. A. Burton, Columbia.

Ferdinand Bischoff, Mazatlan.

Dr. Thomas T. Miner, Winnebago Reservation.

Dr. M. Allen, Bermuda.

Colonel A. J. Grayson, Revillagigedo Islands.

Dr. Van Patten, Guatemala.

Mr. Hardemann, San Salvador.

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1868

Edward Palmer
Edward Palmer
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Professor Othniel Charles Marsh, Western United States. 1868, 1870-1874

Professor James Orton, Ecuador.

Mr. McDougal, Hudson's Bay.

George Davidson, Alaska, United States Coast Survey.

J. H. Devereaux, Tennessee and Ohio.

Dr. Edward Palmer, Indian Territory.

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1869

Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, Nevada and California.

Captain Charles Raymond, Alaskan Expedition.

D. E. Folsom, C. W. Cook and Mr. Peterson, Yellowstone.

Captain C. M. Scammon, Coast of Oregon and Alaska.

Lieutenant F. M. Ring, Alaska.

P. Figyelmezy, British Guiana.

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1870

David S. Stanley, North Pacific Railroad Surveys. 1870-1873.

Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane and N. P. Langford, Yellowstone.

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Vineyard Sound.

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1871

John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Professor John Wesley Powell, United States Geographical and Topographical Survey of the Colorado River and the West.

Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, United States Geographical Surveys West of the 100th Meridian. 1871-1878

Captain J. W. Barlow, Yellowstone.

George A. Boardman, Florida.

Dr. H. C. Yarrow, North Carolina.

Captain Charles Bryant, Behring Sea.




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1872

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Bay of Fundy.

Dr. A. S. Packard, Jr., United States Coast Survey.

Henry W. Elliott, Behring Sea.

William H. Dall, Alaska.

F. Sarg., Guatemala.

Professor William M. Gabb, San Domingo.

G. Brown Goode, Bermuda.

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1873

Emil Bessels
Emil Bessels
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Captain William A. Jones, Yellowstone.

Captain C. F. Hall and Dr. Emil Bessels, Arctic Seas.

Henry W. Elliott, St. George Island.

Commodore G. E. Belknap, North Pacific Ocean.

Archibald Cambpell and Dr. Elliott Coues, Along the Northwestern Boundary Survey.

Charles Bendire, Arizona.

Livingston Stone, Upper Sacramento River.

James W. Milner, Great Lakes.

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Portland, Maine.

Vinal N. Edwards, Massachusetts.

Samuel Powel, Narraganset Bay.

Professor William M. Gabb, Costa Rica.

Professor F. Poey, Cuba.

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1874

Colonel Custer, Black Hills of South Dakota.

Professor Spencer F. Baird, South Coast of Connecticut.

Captain Nicholas Pike, Mauritius.

A. B. Steinberger, Samoan Islands.

Lucien M. Turner, Vicinity of Saint Michael's, Norton Sound. 1874-1877

Professor H. E. Webster, Coast of Virginia.

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1875

Jerome H. Kidder
Jerome H. Kidder
(From SI Archives RU 95)

Walter P. Jenny, Black Hills Scientific Expedition.

Professor Spencer F. Baird, Vineyard Sound.

Alaska Commercial Company, Alaska.

Paul Schumacher, Oregon and California. 1875-1876

Reverend Stephen Bowers/Powers, Nevada and California.

Dr. Jerome H. Kidder, Kerguelen Islands.

Dr. E. Kershner, South Pacific.

Edwin Smith, Chatham Islands, United States Coast Survey.

Dr. Edward Palmer, Arizona and California.


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1876

W. A. Mintzer, Arctic Region.

Dr. W. W. Hays, San Luis Obispo.

Dr. J. F. Bransford, Nicaragua.

Captain J. G. Baker, Islands South of California.

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1877

E. W. Nelson, Alaska.

Professor D. S. Jordan, Southern States.

Dr. J. F. Bransford, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Reverend Stephen Bowers, Santa Barbara and surrounding area.

Clark Mills, Florida.
G. Brown Goode
G. Brown Goode
(From SI Archives RU 95)

F. A. Ober, West India Islands.

Spencer F. Baird, Coast of Massachusetts and Eastern Nova Scotia.

Livingston Stone, Clackamas River, Oregon.

Captain J. J. Fuller, Kerguelen Island.

Major A. S. Gaines and K. M. Cunningham, Mobile, Alabama.

G. Brown Goode, Bermuda.

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