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William H. Dall - Field Notes, 1873

In 1873, eight years after he was appointed to lead the corps of scientists on the Western Union Telegraph Expedition, American naturalist and prominent malacologist William Healey Dall was in the Alaska region again, this time conducting research on islands along the southern rim of the Bering Sea.This field book includes his personal descriptions and observations of birds and other animals and the sites from which they were collected. Largely lists, Dall also includes sketches, measurements and Aleut terminology for whales. Join with us and other digital volunteers to transcribe these field notes of a man dedicated to gaining a better understanding of the Alaskan and North Pacific regions and their ecosystems.

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William H. Dall - Field Notes, 1880

The field book documents the survey work of William H. Dall along the southwestern coast of British Columbia and Alaska during the early summer of 1880. A naturalist and prominent malacologist in the second half of the 19th century, Dall was often called upon for a variety of other scientific work. In this field book, Dall describes terrain, travel progression, descriptions of rock observed, then includes survey data and calculations for Port Althorp and bearings from deck of the schooner, bearings from Glacier Spit. Please help us transcribe this, one of Dall's smaller field books.

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William H. Dall - Field Notes, 1880 (1 of 2)

The year 1880 saw William H. Dall traveling again, this time as part of the United States Coast Survey. The survey addressed both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, however Dall's locus of activity was the Alaska and the North Pacific. Since 1865, this region had held Dall's interest, when as part of the Western Union Telegraph Expedition's science corps he began to explore and develop an scientific understanding of the largely unknown region. Please help us transcribe what Dall describes as "Notebook No. 1" of his two volume 1880 field notes. In his typical, narrative style, he notes group activities, destinations, weather readings, specimens, the terrain at various locations along with some discussion of the composition of Alaskan population and indigenous farming.

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William H. Dall - Field Notes, 1880 (2 of 2)

"Wm. H. Dall, Act'g. Asst, U.S. C. & G Survey, In charge of Schr. Yukon" So starts notebook #2 of William H. Dall's field notes from his work with the United States Coast Survey aboard the Schooner Yukon in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. Picking up on Sunday August 22nd 1880, where the first notebook left off, Dall continues his detailed notes of the activities of survey members, the weather, coastal terrain and interactions with the indigenous tribes. Join us in transcribing this second volume of Dall's 1880 field notes. One of our digital volunteers has suggested that Dall's handwriting improves when the weather is warmer. Whether that's true or not, his handwriting in this notebook is remarkably easy to read.

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William H. Dall- Diary,1865

Who would you recruit to help you build a trans-Pacific communication system? For Western Union's Telegraph Expedition of 1865-1867 (which explored creating a communication system between North America and Europe through Alaska and Asia), the company chose naturalist William Healey Dall to lead the expedition's science corps. Dall was later named Honorary Curator of the United States National Museum's Division of Mollusks. This diary also serves as a background for Dall's previously transcribed diary from the end of the Telegraph Expedition. Join other volunteers in transcribing Dall's diary and read a first-hand account of an incredible science expedition!

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William H. Dall's Diary, 1866 -1867

On March 21, 1865 William Healey Dall set sail with the Western Union Telegraph Expedition to explore the possibility of an overland telegraph line through the Arctic to Europe. Space aboard the ship was set aside for a “science corps” including leader Robert Kennicott, Dall and several others who sought to gather data on the unknown region. After Kennicott’s untimely death during the expedition, Dall was promoted take over its leadership. Traveling by canoe and dogsled, he collected samples and made extensive geographic observations.

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William Healey Dall - Collections Lists, Western Union Telegraph Expedition, 1865/1868

From 1865-1867, a group of scientists, under the guidance of the Smithsonian Institution and Chicago Academy of Sciences, set off to explore building a trans-Pacific communication system through Alaska and Asia. During what became known as the Western Union Telegraph Expedition, this Scientific Corps (led by naturalist William Healey Dall) collected specimens to send to the Smithsonian. What exactly did the expedition collect? Find out with this set of collections lists kept by Dall during the Western Union Telegraph Expedition. One list details materials sent back to the Smithsonian in 1865, and the other is a catalogue of specimens collected in 1868. Dall himself later became an Honorary Curator of the US National Museum's Division of Mollusks from 1880 until his death in 1927. Explore the Western Union Telegraph Expedition collections and help transcribe important specimen information!

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102 Total pages
70 Contributing members
William Healey Dall - Diary, 1872

What is the best time to spend time in the Aleutian Islands? If you are a scientist studying marine life, every season is important. Naturalist William Healey Dall (1845-1927) kept this diary from June through December of 1872 while on the schooner Humboldt as part of the United States Coastal Survey of Alaska. His chronological entries describe his daily activities as part of the Survey's science corps and sometimes include measurements of the tides and other weather conditions. Jump into this transcription effort along with other digital volunteers to make this part of the future U.S. National Museum Curator of Mollusks's collection of personal papers more accessible.

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105 Total pages
37 Contributing members
William Healey Dall - Diary, United States Coast Survey, 1873

Who would you choose to explore and chart the farthest reaches of the Alaskan wilderness? In 1873, the United States Coast Survey chose naturalist William Healey Dall to explore the Alaskan territory (just recently purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867). Dall, who also traveled through Alaska with the Western Union Telegraph Expedition of 1865-1867, took measurements and notes about his travels, the climate, and barometric pressure. Later on in Dall's vibrant scientific career, he was named Honorary Curator of the United States Museum's Division of Mollusks. Join other volunteers in transcribing Dall's diary and explore a first-hand account of a fascinating scientific expedition!

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108 Total pages
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William Healey Dall - Diary, Western Union Telegraph Expedition, July-November 1867

Who would you recruit to help you build a trans-Pacific communication system? For Western Union's Telegraph Expedition of 1865-1867 (which explored creating a communication system between North America and Europe through Alaska and Asia), the company chose naturalist William Healey Dall to lead on the expedition's science corps. Dall was later named Honorary Curator of the United States National Museum's Division of Mollusks. This diary, which covers the final year of the expedition, also serves as a continuation of Dall's previously transcribed 1865 diary from the beginning of the Telegraph Expedition. Join other volunteers in transcribing Dall's diary and read a first-hand account of an incredible science expedition!

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113 Total pages
19 Contributing members
William Healey Dall: Diary, Western Union Telegraph Expedition, December 1867-August 1868

Experience the end of the Western Union Telegraph Expedition with the last in a series of diaries by naturalist William Healy Dall. Dall led the expedition's science corps on a historic trip to explore building a trans-Pacific communication system through Alaska and Asia. Later in his career, Dall was named Honorary Curator of the United States National Museum's Division of Mollusks. This diary also serves as a continuation of the first volume of Dall's 1867 diary from the Telegraph Expedition. Join other volunteers in transcribing Dall's diary and explore the final days of an incredible science expedition!

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