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Lincoln Ellsworth Papers

 Collection
Call Number: MS 1311

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of papers relating to Lincoln Ellsworth's flight across the North Pole in 1926 with Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile. Included are correspondence, various unpublished writings by Ellsworth, the certificate of award of the Norwegian Order of St. Olav, several maps, memorabilia, and other miscellaneous papers such as P. Kühne's "Chamois-Hunting in Switzerland" with the original drawings and correspondence of Arthur Frost bound in.

In the correspondence, along with letters of congratulations and announcements of awards and honors for Ellsworth, are numerous letters from Amundsen dealing with business matters such as the publication of their book First Crossing of the Polar Sea (a typescript can be found in the collection) and the awards of the Order of St. Olav, and with a controversy over the extent of Nobile's participation in the expedition. Also included in the correspondence are letters from Charles Dawes promoting the awards of a Congressional Medal to Ellsworth. Other notable correspondents are Richard E. Byrd, Calvin Coolidge, Wilbur Cross, Frank Kellogg, and Theodore Roosevelt. Much of the correspondence is addressed to persons other than Ellsworth.

All of the materials except the bound volumes came to Yale in the form of a portfolio compiled by Ellsworth and titled "Two Years of Arctic Exploration: Personal papers of Lincoln Ellsworth, 1925-1926." The porfolio has been dismantled for preservation purposes. The papers were the gift of Mrs. Lincoln Ellsworth in 1956.

Dates

  • 1921-1928

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Lincoln Ellsworth, 1956.

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.1311

Abstract

The papers consist of correspondence, unpublished writings, awards, memorabilia, and maps relating to Lincoln Ellsworth's flight across the North Pole in 1926. Included also is a copy of P. Ku?hne's: Chamois-Hunting in Switzerland, with the original drawings and correspondence of Arthur Frost. Principal correspondents are Roald Amundsen, Richard E. Byrd, Calvin Coolidge, Wilbur Cross, Charles Dawes, Frank Kellogg, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Biographical / Historical

Lincoln Ellsworth, explorer and civil engineer, participated in the first Grand Pacific Railroad survey across Canada from 1902-1907. He worked as an engineer in Canada and Alaska from 1907-1924. In 1924, Ellsworth organized an expedition through the Andes to the Amazon River. In 1926, he participated in trans-polar flights and, in 1931, he participated in trans-Arctic flights and submarine expeditions. Ellsworth a made flight to the interior of Antarctica in 1939. He was the recipient of many awards and the author of several books.

Title
Guide to the Lincoln Ellsworth Papers
Status
Under Revision
Author
compiled by Janet Elaine Gertz
Date
September 1981
Description rules
Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours