Thomas Hutchins papers

Thomas Hutchins (1730-1789) was a military engineer for the British Army from the 1750s to the 1770s, and eventually became the geographer of the United States. Before taking on this role, Hutchins worked on survey projects in the Midwest and Florida. As the nation’s geographer, he worked primaril...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hutchins, Thomas 1730-1789 (Creator)
Collection:Thomas Hutchins Papers
Collection Number:0308
Format: Manuscript
Language:English
Subjects and Genres:
Online Access:Link to finding aid
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Physical Description: 1.6 Linear feet 3 boxes, 1 flat file
Summary: Thomas Hutchins (1730-1789) was a military engineer for the British Army from the 1750s to the 1770s, and eventually became the geographer of the United States. Before taking on this role, Hutchins worked on survey projects in the Midwest and Florida. As the nation’s geographer, he worked primarily throughout the Mid-Atlantic States, most notably on the completion of the Mason-Dixon Line survey in the 1780s. His papers consist mostly of correspondence and reports on the topography of the United States and observations on the coast of Florida and on the navigability of rivers. There are also papers on surveying parties, describing the land surveyed and contact with Indian, French, and Spanish settlements. This collection provides an excellent account of North America while it was still relatively untouched and reflects both the scientific thinking of the era and the growing interest in westward expansion. Journal, 1760, published in the P.M.H.B., 2 (1878): 149-153.