Biographical Text
Born Henry Bradford Washburn, Jr. (1910-2007), Bradford Washburn built a career as a distinguished mountaineer, aerial photographer, and professional cartographer. His passion for mountain climbing began as a youth on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. He refined his skills as a mountaineer while climbing in the Alps including ascents of the Matterhorn, Grepon, and Aguille Verte.
Bradford Washburn made his first map at the age of 14 of Squam Lake in New Hampshire and he wrote the series “Among the Alps with Bradford” for young boys at beginning at the age of 16. From those early endeavors he went on to become a professional cartographer and produced some of the most accurate maps on the Yukon and Alaskan Region including Mt. McKinley, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Everest. Washburn also produced to scale, models of Everest and the Presidential Range, which the Everest Models resides here at the Bradford Washburn Mountaineering Museum in Golden, Colorado.
Washburn graduated from Harvard and had been an instrumental contributor to the Harvard Mountaineering Club HMC during school as well as a mentor after he graduated. Washburn helped organize and lead the Harvard-Dartmouth Alaskan Expeditions, 1933-1934, just to highlight some of his mountaineering in his college years. After graduating from Harvard, Washburn accepted the position of Director at the Museum of Natural History in Boston, which he helped develop into what is now Boston’s Museum of Science. Washburn maintained the role as Director for over 40 years and received the title of Honorary Director after retiring from the position. At the beginning of his career, he met and married Barbara Polk, now Barbara Polk Washburn and they had three children, Dorothy, Betsy, and Edward.
Bradford Washburn is known best for his aerial photography and the quality and preciseness of his mountain photography. Washburn is recognized for his pioneering spirit and for his exploration in uncharted mountains and glaciers in Alaska and the surrounding Yukon Region. Washburn accomplished several ascents of Mount McKinley, including his first ascent of the West Buttress, as well as ascents and first ascents of other mountains in the Alaskan and Yukon Region. His wife Barbara is also recognized for her contributions to mountaineering as the first female ascent of Mt. McKinley.
Washburn was a lifetime member of the American Alpine Club and donated the materials specifically to the American Alpine Club so that members could directly benefit from the materials that Washburn collected over the years.
Washburn died in 2007, at the age of 96. During his lifetime, Washburn had published several books, articles, and papers including an account on the controversy surrounding Dr. Frederick A. Cook’s claim to be the first person to summit Mt. McKinley. Several biographies and accounts of Washburn’s life have been published in recent years. Please see the American Alpine Club Library Catalog for published resources.
For a detailed chronology, see the following bibliographic reference:
Decaneas, Anthony, ed. Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography. Seattle, WA: The Mountaineers, 1999.
Resources consulted for biographical background:
Richey, Mark. In Memoriam –Henry Bradford Washburn, Jr. 1910-2007. Published in The American Alpine Journal, 81 Vol.49, p.476-478, Harlin III, John, ed., 2007.
Physical Contents Extent
Total Small & Regular Boxes: 22 (papers and photographs and artifacts)
Total Oversized Flat Boxes: 6 (oversized papers and photographs)
Map & Print Rolls: 6
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