Interpreting Captain Bob Bartlett's AGS Notebook Chronicling Significant Parts of Peary's 1908–09 North Pole Expedition

Abstract

A small notebook from the hand of Captain Bob Bartlett, expedition member on Robert E. Peary's 1908–09 quest of the North Pole, sheds light on how the official story of the venture developed. The notebook covers the period March 30 through August 31, 1909. While not the eagerly sought “smoking gun” regarding Peary's claim, the notebook does suggest an important role for Bartlett's writings in helping to provide texture and chronological structure to Peary's accounts. The notebook, written in ink by Bartlett and signed by Captain Bob himself, is held by the American Geographical Society archive, located at the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee

Key words:

• Captain Bob Bartlett
• North Pole
• Robert E. Peary

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Deirdre C. Stam

Dr. Stam, Trustee of the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, is retired from a career in library and information science at Long Island University, Drew University, Catholic University, Syracuse University, and Columbia University; [[email protected]].