Mary Jobe Akeley
Mary Jobe Akeley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Leonore Jobe 1878-01-29 |
| Died | January 19, 1966 (aged 87) |
| Education | A.M. Columbia University, 1909 |
| Spouse | Carl Akeley (married 1924-10-18 to 1926-11-17) |
| Parents |
|
Mary Jobe Akeley was an explorer, author, mountaineer, and photographer. She undertook expeditions in the Canadian Rockies and in the Belgian Congo. She worked at the American Museum of Natural History creating exhibits featuring taxidermy animals in realistic natural settings.[1][2] She worked on behalf of conservation efforts, including being one of the first advocates for the creation of game preserves.[2] She founded Camp Mystic, an outdoor camp for girls.[3]
Biography
Akeley was born Mary Leonore Jobe in Tappan, Ohio on January 29, 1978.[4] She graduated from Bryn Mawr College and earned a master's degree from Columbia University in 1909.[2] She was an accomplished mountain climber in the Canadian Rockies and was a member of the American Alpine Club.[1][2]
In 1924, she married African explorer and taxidermist Carl Akeley. In 1926, she accompanied him on his fifth expedition in Africa (and her first); on the trip, he became sick in the mountains of the Belgian Congo and died. She completed the expedition; on her return to the United States, the Museum of Natural History named her to be her husband's successor as the adviser to the development of their African Hall. The Hall was later renamed in the Akeley's honor.[2]
Awards and Honors
- Knight of the Order of the Crown by King Albert of Belgium for her conservation work[1][5]
- Mount Jobe in the Canadian Rockies named in her honor by the Canadian government[2]
- Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame[5]
References
- ^ a b c Hall, Henry S. (1967). "Mary Jobe Akeley". American Alpine Journal: 452.
- ^ a b c d e f "MARY J. AKELEY, AN EXPLORER, 80; Author and African Wildlife Expert for Museum Dies". The New York Times. 1966-07-22. p. 31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ^ "Mary Jobe Akeley Papers". collections.conncoll.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ^ "Akeley, Mary Jobe (1878–1966) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ^ a b Sommer, Carol (2015-09-12). "Legacy of Mystic's Mary Jobe Akeley has global reach". The Day. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
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