Bradford Washburn facts for kids

Henry Bradford Washburn, Jr. (born June 7, 1910 – died January 10, 2007) was an amazing American explorer. He was also a skilled mountaineer, photographer, and cartographer. A cartographer is someone who makes maps!

Bradford Washburn founded the Boston Museum of Science. He was its director for many years, from 1939 to 1980. Later, he became its Honorary Director for life. In 1940, Bradford married Barbara Polk. They even spent their honeymoon climbing Mount Bertha in Alaska! It was the first time anyone had ever climbed that mountain.

Washburn was famous for four main things:

• He was one of the best American mountaineers from the 1920s to the 1950s. He found new ways to climb many big mountains in Alaska. Often, he climbed with his wife, Barbara. She was one of the first women to climb mountains and the first woman to reach the top of Denali (Mount McKinley).
• He was a pioneer in using aerial photography (taking pictures from the air) to study mountains. He used these photos to plan climbing trips. His thousands of black-and-white photos of Alaskan mountains and glaciers are famous. They show lots of details and are also very artistic.
• He created detailed maps of many mountain ranges. These included maps of Denali, Mount Everest, and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.
• He led the Boston Museum of Science for a long time.

Some of his biggest achievements, like mapping Mount Everest, happened when he was in his 70s and 80s. This shows he was dedicated his whole life.

Early Life and Education

Bradford Washburn was born on June 7, 1910. His hometown was Cambridge, Massachusetts. He came from a well-known family. His family's history goes back to the Mayflower ship. One of his ancestors was Elder William Brewster. He was a leader of the Pilgrim colonists.

Bradford's father, Henry Bradford Washburn, Sr., loved the outdoors. He was also a dean at the Episcopal Theological School. Bradford's mother was Edith Buckingham Hall. His younger brother, Sherwood Larned Washburn, was a famous physical anthropologist. He was a pioneer in studying primatology, which is the study of primates like monkeys and apes.

Washburn went to Harvard University. There, he was part of the Harvard Mountaineering Club. He later returned to Harvard. In 1960, he earned a master's degree. He studied geology (the study of Earth's rocks and soil) and geography (the study of Earth's features).

Bradford Washburn also loved to fly airplanes. He flew a plane by himself for the first time in 1934. This happened at Boeing Field in Seattle. He earned his private flying license later that year. He got it at Roosevelt Field on Long Island.

Exciting Expeditions

In 1937, Washburn went on a very important trip. He planned to climb Mount Lucania in the Yukon. This mountain is 17,147 feet (5,226 meters) tall. To start the climb, he and his climbing partner, Robert Bates, needed to reach Walsh Glacier. This glacier was 8,750 feet (2,670 meters) above sea level.

Washburn asked Bob Reeve, a famous Alaskan bush pilot, for help. A bush pilot flies small planes into remote areas. Reeve sent a message back saying, "Anywhere you'll ride, I'll fly."

Reeve used a ski-equipped plane to land on the glacier. He made several trips in May without any problems. But in June, when he landed with Washburn and Bates, the plane sank into soft snow. Washburn, Bates, and Reeve worked hard for five days to get the plane out. Finally, Reeve was able to get the plane back into the air. He had to remove extra weight and use a smooth, steep icefall to take off.

Washburn and Bates then continued their journey on foot. They made the first climb of Mount Lucania. After a very difficult descent and long journey, they hiked over 150 miles through the wilderness. They finally reached safety in the small town of Burwash Landing.

Awards and Honors

Bradford Washburn received many awards during his life. He even got nine honorary doctorates. In 1956, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In 1979, he earned the Gold Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. This was for his "outstanding contributions to cartographic research." This means he was honored for his amazing work in making maps.

He and his wife, Barbara, also received two awards from the National Geographic Society. In 1980, they received the Alexander Graham Bell Medal. Then, in 1988, they were given the Centennial Award.

In 1994, he received the King Albert Medal of Merit from Belgium. This award recognized his leadership in creating a new, large map of Mount Everest. This huge mapping project took place from 1982 to 1991. In 1998, he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Cherry Kearton Medal and Award.

Later Life and Legacy

Bradford Washburn passed away on January 10, 2007. He was 96 years old. He died of heart failure in a retirement home in Lexington, Massachusetts. He left behind his wife, Barbara, a son named Edward, and two daughters, Dorothy and Elizabeth.

The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum (BWAMM) is named after him. It is dedicated to mountaineering, mountains, science, and art. It also aims to share knowledge. These are all things that Washburn cared about deeply. The museum is a project of the American Alpine Club, Colorado Mountain Club, and National Geographic Society. It opened on February 16, 2008, in Golden, Colorado.

First Climbs in Alaska

Here are some of the mountains in Alaska that Bradford Washburn was the first to climb or found new routes on:

• 1933: Pointed Peak, Fairweather Range, Saint Elias Mountains
• 1934: East Ridge above the Plateau Mount Crillon, Fairweather Range, Alaska, USA. Climbed with H. Adams Carter.
• 1937: Mount Lucania, Saint Elias Mountains
• 1938: Mount Marcus Baker, Chugach Mountains
• 1938: Mount Sanford, Wrangell Mountains
• 1940: Mount Bertha, Fairweather Range, Saint Elias Mountains
• 1941: Mount Hayes, Alaska Range
• 1944: Mount Deception, Alaska Range
• 1945: Mount Silverthrone, Alaska Range
• 1947: McGonagall Mountain, Alaska Range
• 1951: West Buttress Route on Denali, Alaska Range
• 1951: Kahiltna Dome, Alaska Range
• 1955: Mount Dickey, Alaska Range

See also

In Spanish: Bradford Washburn para niños