Covers the development of the meteorite collection and reminiscences of colleagues, c. 1920-1970, including: Smithsonian support for the meteorite collection; Merrill's creation of the collection; competition with other museums; South American collectors, such as Clay Preston Butler and Mark C. Bandy; post-World War II surge of interest in meteorites and the growth of the collection; techniques for separating iron and nickel and improving analyses of meteorites; reminiscences of Foshag, especially his research interests, Paricutin observations, and health problems; unsuccessful attempts to acquire the Nininger collection of meteorites; evaluation of meteorite collections in other museums; meteorite collecting trips in the U.S.; reminiscences of Secretary Abbot, including his investments in platinum and diamonds and his preaching at the Congregational Church; reminiscences of Foshag as Head Curator of the Department of Geology; reminiscences of G. Arthur Cooper as Head Curator of the Department of Geology, including establishment of a fund for tektites, the split of the Department of Geology into the Department of Paleobiology and Department of Mineral Sciences in 1963, and acquisition in 1963 of the electron microprobe; reminiscences of field work with Brian H. Mason of the American Museum of Natural History and his appointment as Curator at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Object Details
- Collection Creator:
- Henderson, Edward P., interviewee
- See more items in
- Edward P. Henderson Oral History Interviews
- Edward P. Henderson Oral History Interviews / Interviews
- Container
- Interviews
- Archival Repository
- Smithsonian Institution Archives
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9529, Edward P. Henderson Oral History Interviews
- Record ID
- ebl-1615312838738-1615312838846-0
- Metadata Usage
- CC0