Out of the Vault: Discover the Coast and Geodetic Survey, the U.S.'s first science agency
Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2016 at 1pm-3pm ET; book and history talk (and webinar) 2PM-2:45PM ET
Out of the Vault flyer (PDF)
Out of the Vault poster (PDF)
Event/Reservation info: This event is free and open to the public. members of the public interested in attending the exhibit, and anyone wishing to tune into the webinar, should RSVP to Library Reference (Please use the subject line: "RSVP Out of the Vault"). A government-issued photo ID is required for those attending in person.
Speaker: Albert "Skip" Theberge, NOAA Central Library
Abstract: Discover the Coast and Geodetic Survey by viewing and examining rare and unique books and items that tell the story of the U.S.'s first science agency. Treasures on display will include: 17th century land surveying texts, early topographic maps, and treatises on nautical surveying.
Enjoy a book and history talk with Skip Theberge, 2pm-2:45pm in person (and via webinar) to learn more about the collection -- and come any other time from 1pm-3pm to browse the historic items.
About the Speaker: Skip Theberge, acting head of reference at the NOAA Central Library, retired from NOAA Corps in 1995 after 27 years of primarily hydrographic surveying and seafloor mapping. He headed the NOS Ocean Mapping Section in the late 1980s during the EEZ mapping program. Since retirement from NOAA Corps he has remained active in the ocean mapping community having served for 12 years on the Advisory Committee for Undersea Features of the United States Board on Geographic Names and for three years on its international counterpart. He was part of the NOAA science team that helped design the Sant Ocean Hall of the Smithsonian Institution Museum of Natural History. He is the history editor of Hydro International magazine and the author of over 80 papers dealing with the history of hydrographic and geodetic surveying, seafloor mapping, and various aspects of oceanography.
For remote access: Audio: Dial toll-free US 866-833-7307, participant code is 8986360#. Webcast at www.mymeetings.com Under "Participant Join", click "Join an Event", then add conf no: 742656968. Passcode is brownbag. Be sure to install the correct plug-in (or run the plug-in as a temporary application) for WebEx before the seminar starts.
I knew they had worked for the survey. I even had a photo of my Uncle Tab from the NOAA archives on the website. But I'd come to a confusion upon seeing my Uncle Harrold's occupation in the 1940 census as "Lightkeeper." Shortly afterward he'd joined the USCG, so I immediately thought about a light house gig. But then I took a better look at the record and it said USC & GS - and I figured it out. And lightkeeper is one of the guys on the survey team.
Thanks the archives freely available on the NOAA website, I even found other references to projects they were on, and when they received recognition for 30 years of service.
The US Coast & geodetic survey is basically the first sceitifc agency the US created. It led in to what we now know as USGS and NOAA. Also, the surveying work they did is the basis for the current GPS system around the globe. My uncle Tab worked in states, as well as in Ethiopia. I hope I can dig up more about where they both worked. Before them, their father and grandfather were also surveyors in Kentucky. And even though my Gramps didn't work for the survey more than maybe a month, my dad ended up studying geology and meteorology. Some things just keep int he family, I guess!
Ethiopia, Circa 1960 (photo credit: NOAA.gov Photo Library)
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