Friday July 12, 2013, 1-2:30 PM, CFPL
Welcome to Workshop V, of the Thoreau Society’s 2013 Annual Conference
Thoreau’s Illustrated Atlas Project
(A continuation of my 2012 talk http://allanhschmidt2.wordpress.com/)
1. Thoreau’s exposure to surveying courses at Harvard (then and now)
During his initial year (1833) at Harvard College, Henry Thoreau was subjected to a “thorough course” of “Plane Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, and Algebra with practical application to Heights and Distances, and Surveying and Navigation.”
This course on navigation is still being offered and happens now to be the longest continuously running subject-matter offered there! “It’s the most practical course you can take at Harvard,”
According to Dan Justicz ’91, alum, “You find your way by watching the movements of the sun and stars. You even construct your own navigation instruments. There’s a minimum of lecturing.”
Harvard Catalog 2013
Astronomy 2 – Celestial Navigation (2179)
Faculty of Arts and Sciences Fall 2012-2013
Philip M. Sadler
S M T W T F S
Tuesday 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Tuesday 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Description: Never be lost again! Find your way on sea, land, or air by employing celestial and terrestrial techniques. Acquire expertise in using navigators’ tools (sextant, compass, and charts) while learning the steps to the celestial dance of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. This 108-year-old course (1905?) continues to rely on practical skills and collaborative problem-solving, while utilizing historical artifacts (instruments, maps, captains’ logs) and student-built devices. Culminating in a day-long cruise to practice navigation skills.
Credits: Half course
Location: Observatory A Building A-101, Observatory D Building Phillips Auditorium
2. Thoreau Surveying while living at Walden Pond (1845-1846)
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/133a.htm
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/133b.htm
map orientation
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Gleason/Map_Large.jpg
3. Thoreau visits Brister’s Spring while traveling to Walden Pond
https://aschmidt01742.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/how-could-thoreau-not-have-known-or-did-he/
4. Thoreau’s trails and t-rails to Walden Pond
5. Surveying textbooks in Thoreau’s library include 1852 edition of Charles Davies Element of Surveying
Harvard 1851 edition originally published 1830; copy in CFPL is 1852 from Thoreau’s library
6. Thoreau’s surveying work after Walden Pond
http://allanhschmidt.wordpress.com/
7. Thoreau’s Field Notes of Surveys 1849-1861
http://allanhschmidt01742.wordpress.com/
Over 100 Land building Surveying products created by Thoreau 1839-1861
1. Isaac Watt’s Woodlot
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/135.htm
3. Emerson’s Woodlot & Meadow
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/33.htm
7. Sawmill Brook
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/34.htm
8. Haverhill
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/30.htm
10. Yellow House Lot
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/129.htm
13. Daniel Shattuck Cottage
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/108.htm
32. Barns
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/80a.htm
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/80b.htm
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/80c.htm
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/80d.htm
87. Lead pipe
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/84.htm
91. 94. John B. Moore
https://aschmidt01742.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/survey-feb081853.jpg
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/94a.htm
04/1860 John B. Moore
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_Surveys/94b.htm
05/1860 Concord River
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_surveys/107a.htm
(see below)
10/1860 Multi-town
http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/Thoreau_Surveys/23.htm
(see below)
8. Bronson Alcott suggests creation of an Illustrated Atlas by Thoreau according to Marcia Moss’ Catalog of Thoreau Surveys” published by the Thoreau Society as Booklet 28, Genesco New York, 1976
http://allanhschmidt1.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/mossbinder1.pdf
9. Louisa May Alcott negotiates purchase of Thoreau residence after his death
10. Today’s trails to Walden Pond
11. Map design for walkers today
NYC Pedestrian maps URL http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/nyregion/cant-find-north-new-york-pedestrian-maps-are-coming.html?emc=eta1
12. Thank TS (Mike Frederick) Thoreau Society and CFPL (Leslie Wilson the CFPL Special Collections Curator, & Caroline Nie, Head CFPL, Technical Services/Technology, and their staff for their resources and support.
Bio:
Allan H. Schmidt formerly Executive Director of the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and a specialist in research, development and use of geographic information systems recently has explored the application of such technology to historical data. He also serves as Chairman of The Mill Brook Task Force, a subcommittee of Concord’s Natural Resources Commission.
