Harriet Chalmers Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harriet Chalmers Adams
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 22, 1875 |
| Died | July 17, 1937 (aged 61) Nice, France
|
| Resting place | Chapel of the Chimes |
| Occupation | Explorer, writer, photographer |
| Spouse(s) | Franklin Pierce Adams |
Harriet Chalmers Adams (born October 22, 1875 – died July 17, 1937) was an amazing American explorer, writer, and photographer. She traveled all over the world in the early 1900s. Her journeys took her through South America, Asia, and the South Pacific. She wrote about her adventures in National Geographic magazine. Harriet also gave many talks about her travels, showing cool color slides and movies.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Harriet Chalmers Adams was born in Stockton, California. Her parents were Alexander Chalmers and Frances Wilkens. As a child, she loved riding horses with her father. They went on many adventures together. One amazing trip lasted a whole year. When she was 14, they rode horses from Oregon to Mexico. They traveled through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
On October 5, 1899, she married Franklin Pierce Adams. He was an electrician.
Exploring the World
First Big Trip: South America
In 1900, Harriet went on her first huge adventure. She and her husband spent three years traveling around South America. They visited every country there. They even crossed the Andes mountains on horseback. The New York Times newspaper said she reached "twenty frontiers previously unknown to white women."
Harriet chose practical clothes for her trips. She often wore pants, boots, and a man's shirt. She wanted to be comfortable and safe. During her travels, she learned about local customs and languages. She lived among the people she met. She shared their food and sleeping habits.
Following Columbus's Path
In 1910, Harriet took another interesting trip. She followed the path of Christopher Columbus's early discoveries. She rode a horse across Haiti.
World War I Reporter
During World War I, Harriet worked as a reporter. She wrote for Harper's Magazine in Europe. She was the only female journalist allowed to visit the trenches. This was a very dangerous job.
Writing for National Geographic
Harriet wrote many articles for the National Geographic Society. She also shared her amazing photographs. She wrote about places like Trinidad and Surinam. She also wrote about Bolivia and Peru. Some of her articles included "Some Wonderful Sights in the Andean Highlands" (1908). Others were "Kaleidoscopic La Paz: City of the Clouds" (1909). She also wrote "River-Encircled Paraguay" (1933).
Breaking Barriers for Women Explorers
Harriet was invited to give talks at The Explorers Club. But she was not allowed to join the club. This club was only for men until 1981.
In 1925, Harriet helped start a new group. It was called the Society of Woman Geographers. This group helped women explorers connect with each other. She was the president of this society until 1933. Later, she also joined the Royal Geographical Society.
Harriet Chalmers Adams traveled over 100,000 miles in her life. She amazed many audiences with her stories. The New York Times called her "America's greatest woman explorer." They said she had a "magnetic hold" over her audience.
Later Life
Harriet Chalmers Adams passed away in Nice, France. This was on July 17, 1937. She was 61 years old. An obituary in The Washington Post said she was a "confidant of savage head hunters." It also said she never stopped exploring the world's remote corners. She is buried at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, California.
See also
In Spanish: Harriet Chalmers Adams para niños
