This collection contains 87 card photographs and 3 lantern slides taken between January and September 1891 during a United States Department of Agriculture scientific expedition led by T.S. Palmer from Death Valley, California, to Mt. Whitney to collect flora and fauna. The collection includes photographs of Death Valley, as well as the Antelope Valley, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley.

Naturalist Theodore S. Palmer (1868-1955) was born in Oakland, California, and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1888. He joined the United States Department of Agriculture as field agent and ornithologist and shortly thereafter, in 1891, led an expedition from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney. In 1895 he received his M.A. degree from Georgetown University and in 1896 began work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Biological Survey. He became assistant chief there in 1897 and rose through the ranks until he was named Senior Biologist in 1928. After his retirement in 1933, he worked as an assistant zoologist, specializing in the nomenclature of mammals and birds, at the United States National Museum. He was a member of many distinguished organizations, was active on governmental regulatory bodies for game laws, and wrote numerous books and articles.

90 photographs (87 photographs and 3 lantern slides) in 2 boxes + lantern slide box

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