fbpx
Wikipedia

American Geographical Society

May 03, 2024

Not to be confused with the National Geographic Society.

The American Geographical Society (AGS) is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world.[2] The society encourages activities that expands geographical knowledge, and the interpretation of that knowledge so that it can be useful to geographers and other disciplines, especially in a policymaking environment. It is the oldest[3] nationwide geographical organization in the United States. Over the century and a half of its existence, the AGS has been especially interested in three regions: the Arctic, the Antarctic, and Latin America. A signature characteristic of the AGS-sponsored exploration was the requirement that its expeditions produce tangible scientific results.

American Geographical Society
AbbreviationAGS
Formation1851
HeadquartersManhattan
Location
Coordinates40°43′27″N 74°00′19″W / 40.72409780°N 74.00527430°W / 40.72409780; -74.00527430[1]
President
Marie D. Price
Chairman
Christopher Tucker
Chief Executive Officer
John Konarski
AffiliationsAmerican Council of Learned Societies
Websiteamericangeo.org
Formerly called
American Geographical and Statistical Society

History edit

The AGS was founded by 31 New Yorkers, who were wealthy philanthropists, historians, publishers and editors. Among them were George Folsom, Henry Grinnell, Henry Varnum Poor, Hiram Barney, Alexander Isaac Cotheal, Henry Evelyn Pierrepont, S. De Witt Bloodgood, John Romeyn Brodhead, Joshua Leavitt and Archibald Russell.

The founders held a joint interest in polar exploration, and readily organized the AGS upon the request of Lady Franklin to search for her husband and his voyagers lost in the Polar Franklin Expedition. In September 1851, the committee formed to draft a constitution. On October 9, this committee undertook the constitution at a meeting held in the Geographical and Statistical Library in New York City. The society was not fully established until December 7, 1854, under a charter granted by legislator of the State of New York'[4]: 14–70 

The society was primarily named the "American Geographical and Statistical Society"; possibly due to the fact that the organizational meeting was held in New York University's "Geographical and Statistical Library".[5] In 1871, the AGS amended its Charter and dropped "and Statistical" from its title, thus becoming the "American Geographical Society".[4]: 71–111 

The society's first and most ambitious attempt to influence governmental policy was made early in 1862. On January 7, a special committee was appointed to devise a taxation system to correspond with the present state of public affairs.[6] The committee prepared a report which was printed and distributed to members of the society, members of Congress, and other public functionaries throughout the United States. The society also began to integrate globally within the international geographical community, sending a council member to attend the first International Geographical Congress.

 
11 West 29th Street, Manhattan

During World War I, the interdisciplinary, government-sponsored "Inquiry" in preparation for the Paris Peace Conference was led by the AGS and headquartered in the society's building in New York. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918, President Woodrow Wilson and the American Delegation sailed for France. With them sailed AGS Director Isaiah Bowman and three truckloads of geographical information compiled by Bowman and 150 geographers, historians, economists, statisticians, ethnographers, political scientists, and scholars of international law.

The AGS was instrumental in providing technical and professional support to the many polar expeditions of Louise Arner Boyd during the 1930s. Her long-time friendship with geographer and future Johns Hopkins University president, Isaiah Bowman, helped inspire in Louise a lifelong interest in geography and photography, which proved invaluable on all her expeditions. The AGS published her book, The Fiord Region of East Greenland, and also sent her in 1934 as the organization's delegate to the International Geographical Congress in Warsaw, Poland. During this trip Louise traveled throughout Poland with local experts, documenting the life, work and customs of the rural people, a population that would undergo drastic changes during and after the Second World War. The AGS published her second book, Rural Poland.

After World War I, the society undertook an ambitious effort to map "Hispanic America" as part of the international effort to map the entire world at 1:1,000,000. The venture lasted from 1920 to 1945 and eventually produced 107 map sheets at a total cost of more than one-half million dollars, mostly in private donations.[4]

 
Broadway at 156th Street

During World War II, the society assisted more than forty agencies of the U.S. government. Contributing ethnographic data to U.S. Military Intelligence in the efforts to defuse Axis strongholds in Eastern Europe.

The headquarters of the American Geographical Society were initially established at New York University in Washington Square. The university's chapel was used for some of the society's lectures and the AGS remained at this location until 1858. Later, two rooms located in Clinton Hall, formerly the Astor Opera House, became the society's next home in December 1858.[7] In 1866, the American Geographical Society moved to Cooper Union at Cooper Square on Ninth Street, where it remained for ten years.[8] In 1911, the AGS moved to 3755 Broadway at 156th Street.[9] This three story building was built on land donated by Archer Milton Huntington's mother and designed by Charles Pratt Huntington.[10] Audubon Terrace became the society's most prominent home and was visited by many scholars and dignitaries, including President Woodrow Wilson.

After numerous relocations across New York City, the AGS is currently housed at 121 Sixth Avenue, Manhattan.

The AGS was awarded the Scottish Geographical Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 2001.[11]

Past presidents edit

The society has possessed a diverse line of presidents, including a New York City Mayor and The New York Times Editor. The first president was George Bancroft, an American historian and statesman who was prominent in the promotion of secondary education and public policy.

The society's presidents have included:[2]

  1. George Bancroft (1852–1854)
  2. Francis L. Hawks (1854–1861)
  3. Henry Grinnell (1861–1864)
  4. Charles Patrick Daly (1864–1899)
  5. Seth Low (1900–1901)
  6. Robert Edwin Peary (1903–1907)
  7. Archer M. Huntington (1907–1911, Honorary President 1911–1916)
  8. John Greenough (1916–1925, Honorary President 1925–1934)
  9. John Huston Finley (1925–1934, Honorary President 1934–1940)
  10. Roland L. Redmond (1934–1947)
  11. Richard Upjohn Light (1947–1957)
  12. Walter A. Wood (1957–1967)
  13. Serge A. Korff (1967–1972)
  14. William A. Hance (1972–1973)
  15. Richard H. Nolte (1973–1980)
  16. John E. Gould (1980–1996)
  17. Donald J. Lloyd-Jones (1996–1999)
  18. William P. Doyle (2000–2002)
  19. Jerome E. Dobson (2002–2016)
  20. Marie D. Price (2016–present)

Other leaders

Geographical education edit

Publications edit

The AGS publishes a peer-reviewed, scholarly periodical devoted exclusively to geography titled Geographical Review[12] . The journal contains articles on all aspects of current topical and regional issues within geography. Additionally, the society publishes a forty-page, full-color journal titled Focus' in Geography, which includes articles on a variety of topics aimed towards a broader audience of students, teachers, administrators and parents. Focus is edited and written by academic and professional geographers and includes theme sections; maps and photos; and special country issues. Ubique, the society's thrice-yearly letter newsletter, serves as a vehicle for communication of Society news and events. Ubique is sent to all Fellows, Associates, Medalists, Geography Department Heads, and Galileo Circle Members.

The AGS also provides geographers to speak to the media on a variety of issues critical to human, environmental, political, and economic development. The AGS Writers Circle produces Commentary and Op Ed pieces about issues of importance to global society, such as geopolitics, spatial technologies (e.g. Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) and Spatial Modeling), water management, global climate change, globalization, urban growth and change, and social issues.

Expeditions edit

To contribute to geographical understanding, the AGS arranges an array of expeditions to various locations.

The expeditions the society has been connected with fall into three categories:

  • expeditions organized and led by members of the society's staff
  • other expeditions in which members of the AGS staff took part
  • expeditions under the society's auspices or assisted by the institution in any other ways

Most notably:

A Transcontinental Excursion was arranged and executed by the AGS in 1912. The idea for this excursion was generated by Professor William Morris Davis who, in 1908 "tried the unique experiment of conducting a geographical excursion in Europe, open to students of European and American universities". The excursion promoted the acquaintance of European geographers with Americans.[13][14]

Currently, the AGS sends teams of scholars to improve U.S. understanding of foreign lands and peoples, in order to reduce international misunderstandings and improve humanitarian assistance in case of natural disasters, technological accidents, terrorist acts and war. The organization aims to build a multi-scale Geographic information system (GIS) for each world region, collect unclassified GIS data, conduct participatory GIS, train a new caliber of regional experts, disseminate GIS data freely to the public and publish the results in popular media and scholarly journal. Each expedition is titled a Bowman Expedition, in honor of past AGS Director, Isaiah Bowman.

Others include:

Archives edit

The AGS archive contains field notes, original maps, sketches, photographs, journals, artifacts, correspondence, expedition flags and memorabilia, field equipment, telegrams, press clippings, event programs, radio logs, meeting records, and many other documents and artifacts. In 2011 the AGS of NY and the AGS Library at UW Milwaukee began a project to organize, rehouse and create the finding aid for the society archives.

The AGS Library was transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee[15] in 1978. It holds a large collection of material from Latin American and the Polar Regions and contains over one-million items, some dating back to the 15th century.

The AGS Travel Program edit

Since 1984, the AGS have organized a Travel Program, sponsoring in excess of 250 educational trips for the general public. The AGS Travel Program lecturers are professional geographers, fellows of the society and authorities on the regions traveled. Trips are conducted through various means of travel, including private jet and ship.

Fliers' & Explorers' Globe edit

See also: List of Fliers' & Explorers' Globe Signers
 
Fliers' & Explorers' Globe

The American Geographical Society acquired its Fliers' & Explorers' Globe in 1929 as a gift from AGS President John H. Finley.[16] In his position as editor-in-chief of The New York Times, Finley invited early heroes of exploration and aviation to draw their routes and sign their names on his 18-inch globe. The society has continued the custom and has created a symbol of humanity's drive to explore the universe.

Signers of the Fliers' & Explorers' Globe over the years are men and women who have explored certain places on earth for the first time in recorded history, reached new extremes of height or depth, pioneered new means of travel, or set aviation records. Among them are such people as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Sir Edmund Hillary, William Beebe, Louise Arner Boyd and the Apollo 13 astronauts.

Signers of the Fliers' & Explorers' Globe are proposed by AGS' Exploration Committee for approval by the AGS Honors Committee and confirmation by the AGS Council.

Medals and awards edit

The AGS presents a number of awards and medals:

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Google (20 May 2021). "121 6th Ave" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b . amergeog.org. Archived from the original on 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  3. ^ "American Geographical Society". encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Wright, John Kirtland 'The Years of Henry Grinnell', Geography in the Making: The American Geographical Society 1851-1951 (1952) — George Grady Press
  5. ^ "New-York City". The New York Times. 1853-12-15
  6. ^ "The American Geographical Society: The Report of the Council upon Taxation and Finance". The New York Times. 1862-01-17.
  7. ^ "Opening of the New Rooms of the Geographical and Statistical Society". The New York Times. 1859-02-11"
  8. ^ "Transfer of the American Geographical Society to the Cooper Union". The New York Times. 1867-08-06.
  9. ^ . washington-heights.us. Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
  10. ^ Mary Mitchell and Albert Goodrich, The Remarkable Huntingtons: Chronicle of a Marriage (2004) pp. 21–24. — The Budd Drive Press, ISBN 0-9749644-0-9
  11. ^ "Scottish Geographical Medal". Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  12. ^ . wiley.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  13. ^ The American Geographical Society of New York, Memorial volume of the Transcontinental Excursion of 1912 of the American Geographical Society of New York (1915) pp. 1-407. — The De Vinne Press
  14. ^ "Eminent World Geographers Here to See Our Land". The New York Times. 1912-08-18.
  15. ^ . UWM. Archived from the original on 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  16. ^ "Finley Presents Globe". The New York Times. 1930-01-22.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Geographical Society.
  • Official website  
  • American Geographical Society Library at UW–Milwaukee
  • The American Geographical Society Library on Atlas Obscura

May 03, 2024
american, geographical, society, confused, with, national, geographic, society, organization, professional, geographers, founded, 1851, york, city, most, fellows, society, americans, among, them, have, always, been, significant, number, fellows, from, around, . Not to be confused with the National Geographic Society The American Geographical Society AGS is an organization of professional geographers founded in 1851 in New York City Most fellows of the society are Americans but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world 2 The society encourages activities that expands geographical knowledge and the interpretation of that knowledge so that it can be useful to geographers and other disciplines especially in a policymaking environment It is the oldest 3 nationwide geographical organization in the United States Over the century and a half of its existence the AGS has been especially interested in three regions the Arctic the Antarctic and Latin America A signature characteristic of the AGS sponsored exploration was the requirement that its expeditions produce tangible scientific results American Geographical SocietyAbbreviationAGSFormation1851HeadquartersManhattanLocation121 Sixth Avenue New York New York United StatesCoordinates40 43 27 N 74 00 19 W 40 72409780 N 74 00527430 W 40 72409780 74 00527430 1 PresidentMarie D PriceChairmanChristopher TuckerChief Executive OfficerJohn KonarskiAffiliationsAmerican Council of Learned SocietiesWebsiteamericangeo wbr orgFormerly calledAmerican Geographical and Statistical Society Contents 1 History 2 Past presidents 3 Geographical education 3 1 Publications 3 2 Expeditions 3 3 Archives 3 4 The AGS Travel Program 4 Fliers amp Explorers Globe 5 Medals and awards 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory editThe AGS was founded by 31 New Yorkers who were wealthy philanthropists historians publishers and editors Among them were George Folsom Henry Grinnell Henry Varnum Poor Hiram Barney Alexander Isaac Cotheal Henry Evelyn Pierrepont S De Witt Bloodgood John Romeyn Brodhead Joshua Leavitt and Archibald Russell The founders held a joint interest in polar exploration and readily organized the AGS upon the request of Lady Franklin to search for her husband and his voyagers lost in the Polar Franklin Expedition In September 1851 the committee formed to draft a constitution On October 9 this committee undertook the constitution at a meeting held in the Geographical and Statistical Library in New York City The society was not fully established until December 7 1854 under a charter granted by legislator of the State of New York 4 14 70 The society was primarily named the American Geographical and Statistical Society possibly due to the fact that the organizational meeting was held in New York University s Geographical and Statistical Library 5 In 1871 the AGS amended its Charter and dropped and Statistical from its title thus becoming the American Geographical Society 4 71 111 The society s first and most ambitious attempt to influence governmental policy was made early in 1862 On January 7 a special committee was appointed to devise a taxation system to correspond with the present state of public affairs 6 The committee prepared a report which was printed and distributed to members of the society members of Congress and other public functionaries throughout the United States The society also began to integrate globally within the international geographical community sending a council member to attend the first International Geographical Congress nbsp 11 West 29th Street Manhattan During World War I the interdisciplinary government sponsored Inquiry in preparation for the Paris Peace Conference was led by the AGS and headquartered in the society s building in New York After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 President Woodrow Wilson and the American Delegation sailed for France With them sailed AGS Director Isaiah Bowman and three truckloads of geographical information compiled by Bowman and 150 geographers historians economists statisticians ethnographers political scientists and scholars of international law The AGS was instrumental in providing technical and professional support to the many polar expeditions of Louise Arner Boyd during the 1930s Her long time friendship with geographer and future Johns Hopkins University president Isaiah Bowman helped inspire in Louise a lifelong interest in geography and photography which proved invaluable on all her expeditions The AGS published her book The Fiord Region of East Greenland and also sent her in 1934 as the organization s delegate to the International Geographical Congress in Warsaw Poland During this trip Louise traveled throughout Poland with local experts documenting the life work and customs of the rural people a population that would undergo drastic changes during and after the Second World War The AGS published her second book Rural Poland After World War I the society undertook an ambitious effort to map Hispanic America as part of the international effort to map the entire world at 1 1 000 000 The venture lasted from 1920 to 1945 and eventually produced 107 map sheets at a total cost of more than one half million dollars mostly in private donations 4 nbsp Broadway at 156th Street During World War II the society assisted more than forty agencies of the U S government Contributing ethnographic data to U S Military Intelligence in the efforts to defuse Axis strongholds in Eastern Europe The headquarters of the American Geographical Society were initially established at New York University in Washington Square The university s chapel was used for some of the society s lectures and the AGS remained at this location until 1858 Later two rooms located in Clinton Hall formerly the Astor Opera House became the society s next home in December 1858 7 In 1866 the American Geographical Society moved to Cooper Union at Cooper Square on Ninth Street where it remained for ten years 8 In 1911 the AGS moved to 3755 Broadway at 156th Street 9 This three story building was built on land donated by Archer Milton Huntington s mother and designed by Charles Pratt Huntington 10 Audubon Terrace became the society s most prominent home and was visited by many scholars and dignitaries including President Woodrow Wilson After numerous relocations across New York City the AGS is currently housed at 121 Sixth Avenue Manhattan The AGS was awarded the Scottish Geographical Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 2001 11 Past presidents editThe society has possessed a diverse line of presidents including a New York City Mayor and The New York Times Editor The first president was George Bancroft an American historian and statesman who was prominent in the promotion of secondary education and public policy The society s presidents have included 2 George Bancroft 1852 1854 Francis L Hawks 1854 1861 Henry Grinnell 1861 1864 Charles Patrick Daly 1864 1899 Seth Low 1900 1901 Robert Edwin Peary 1903 1907 Archer M Huntington 1907 1911 Honorary President 1911 1916 John Greenough 1916 1925 Honorary President 1925 1934 John Huston Finley 1925 1934 Honorary President 1934 1940 Roland L Redmond 1934 1947 Richard Upjohn Light 1947 1957 Walter A Wood 1957 1967 Serge A Korff 1967 1972 William A Hance 1972 1973 Richard H Nolte 1973 1980 John E Gould 1980 1996 Donald J Lloyd Jones 1996 1999 William P Doyle 2000 2002 Jerome E Dobson 2002 2016 Marie D Price 2016 present Other leaders Isaiah Bowman Director 1915 to 1935 John K Wright Director 1938 1949 Geographical education editPublications edit The AGS publishes a peer reviewed scholarly periodical devoted exclusively to geography titled Geographical Review 12 The journal contains articles on all aspects of current topical and regional issues within geography Additionally the society publishes a forty page full color journal titled Focus in Geography which includes articles on a variety of topics aimed towards a broader audience of students teachers administrators and parents Focus is edited and written by academic and professional geographers and includes theme sections maps and photos and special country issues Ubique the society s thrice yearly letter newsletter serves as a vehicle for communication of Society news and events Ubique is sent to all Fellows Associates Medalists Geography Department Heads and Galileo Circle Members The AGS also provides geographers to speak to the media on a variety of issues critical to human environmental political and economic development The AGS Writers Circle produces Commentary and Op Ed pieces about issues of importance to global society such as geopolitics spatial technologies e g Geographic Information Sciences GIS and Spatial Modeling water management global climate change globalization urban growth and change and social issues Expeditions edit To contribute to geographical understanding the AGS arranges an array of expeditions to various locations The expeditions the society has been connected with fall into three categories expeditions organized and led by members of the society s staff other expeditions in which members of the AGS staff took part expeditions under the society s auspices or assisted by the institution in any other ways Most notably A Transcontinental Excursion was arranged and executed by the AGS in 1912 The idea for this excursion was generated by Professor William Morris Davis who in 1908 tried the unique experiment of conducting a geographical excursion in Europe open to students of European and American universities The excursion promoted the acquaintance of European geographers with Americans 13 14 Currently the AGS sends teams of scholars to improve U S understanding of foreign lands and peoples in order to reduce international misunderstandings and improve humanitarian assistance in case of natural disasters technological accidents terrorist acts and war The organization aims to build a multi scale Geographic information system GIS for each world region collect unclassified GIS data conduct participatory GIS train a new caliber of regional experts disseminate GIS data freely to the public and publish the results in popular media and scholarly journal Each expedition is titled a Bowman Expedition in honor of past AGS Director Isaiah Bowman Others include Isaac Israel Hayes Arctic Expedition to reach the North Pole Robert Peary s Polar Expeditions The Powell Expedition exploration of the Grand Canyon Archives edit The AGS archive contains field notes original maps sketches photographs journals artifacts correspondence expedition flags and memorabilia field equipment telegrams press clippings event programs radio logs meeting records and many other documents and artifacts In 2011 the AGS of NY and the AGS Library at UW Milwaukee began a project to organize rehouse and create the finding aid for the society archives The AGS Library was transferred to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 15 in 1978 It holds a large collection of material from Latin American and the Polar Regions and contains over one million items some dating back to the 15th century The AGS Travel Program edit Since 1984 the AGS have organized a Travel Program sponsoring in excess of 250 educational trips for the general public The AGS Travel Program lecturers are professional geographers fellows of the society and authorities on the regions traveled Trips are conducted through various means of travel including private jet and ship Fliers amp Explorers Globe editSee also List of Fliers amp Explorers Globe Signers nbsp Fliers amp Explorers Globe The American Geographical Society acquired its Fliers amp Explorers Globe in 1929 as a gift from AGS President John H Finley 16 In his position as editor in chief of The New York Times Finley invited early heroes of exploration and aviation to draw their routes and sign their names on his 18 inch globe The society has continued the custom and has created a symbol of humanity s drive to explore the universe Signers of the Fliers amp Explorers Globe over the years are men and women who have explored certain places on earth for the first time in recorded history reached new extremes of height or depth pioneered new means of travel or set aviation records Among them are such people as Charles Lindbergh Amelia Earhart Sir Edmund Hillary William Beebe Louise Arner Boyd and the Apollo 13 astronauts Signers of the Fliers amp Explorers Globe are proposed by AGS Exploration Committee for approval by the AGS Honors Committee and confirmation by the AGS Council Medals and awards editThe AGS presents a number of awards and medals Honorary Fellowships The Alexander amp Ilse Melamid Medal Cullum Geographical Medal Charles P Daly Medal Samuel Finley Breese Morse Medal David Livingstone Centenary Medal George Davidson Medal Osborn Maitland Miller Medal Van Cleef Memorial Medal Paul P Vouras Medal John E Gould Medal Wrigley Fairchild PrizeSee also editRoyal Geographical SocietyReferences edit Google 20 May 2021 121 6th Ave Map Google Maps Google Retrieved 20 May 2021 a b History of the American Geographical Society amergeog org Archived from the original on 2009 02 26 Retrieved 2009 03 02 American Geographical Society encyclopedia com Retrieved 20 May 2021 a b c Wright John Kirtland The Years of Henry Grinnell Geography in the Making The American Geographical Society 1851 1951 1952 George Grady Press New York City The New York Times 1853 12 15 The American Geographical Society The Report of the Council upon Taxation and Finance The New York Times 1862 01 17 Opening of the New Rooms of the Geographical and Statistical Society The New York Times 1859 02 11 Transfer of the American Geographical Society to the Cooper Union The New York Times 1867 08 06 Audubon Terrace Museum Group washington heights us Archived from the original on 2010 06 15 Retrieved 2010 06 09 Mary Mitchell and Albert Goodrich The Remarkable Huntingtons Chronicle of a Marriage 2004 pp 21 24 The Budd Drive Press ISBN 0 9749644 0 9 Scottish Geographical Medal Royal Scottish Geographical Society Retrieved 20 May 2021 Geographical Review wiley com Archived from the original on 2011 06 07 Retrieved 2010 06 16 The American Geographical Society of New York Memorial volume of the Transcontinental Excursion of 1912 of the American Geographical Society of New York 1915 pp 1 407 The De Vinne Press Eminent World Geographers Here to See Our Land The New York Times 1912 08 18 About the AGS Library UWM Archived from the original on 2009 03 11 Retrieved 2009 03 21 Finley Presents Globe The New York Times 1930 01 22 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Geographical Society Official website nbsp American Geographical Society Library at UW Milwaukee The American Geographical Society Library on Atlas Obscura Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Geographical Society amp oldid 1191231207, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.