Bradford Washburn, father of modern Museum of Science, dies at 96
“Bradford Washburn, the founder of the modern Boston Museum of Science who transformed a modest collection into renowned institution, died last night at the age of 96.”
Walking the Berkshires alerted me to the passing of Henry Bradford Washburn — founder of Boston’s Museum of Science, the preeminent mountain cartographer in the world, and perhaps the best photographer of mountains since Ansel Adams. This man personified a lot of heroic attributes in my mind. Whenever I think about climbing Mount Washington and plan a route, I look at a Brad Washburn map. He mapped Everest in his 70s.
Washburn is the man who mapped Everest, McKinley and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He was a pioneer climber of Alaska’s peaks. His maps are art. The photos are exquisite.
two recommendations for books from my favorite California little known writer
Leland Fredrick Cooley (great grandson of pioneering California rascal Will Chard)
Run For Home
Richest Poor Folks
Both out of print and both novellas describing the experiences of my brother’s and my generations as we self-educated and found a path. Excellent reading.
Jim
Just back from a Colorado on the red eye this morning. Yesterday driving over Vail Pass in the brilliant sunshine I spontaneously burst into tears, now i come to find there was a major disturbance in the Force, RIP Brad Washburn.