Mitchell, Henry
Henry Mitchell (September 16, 1830 – December 1, 1902) was an American oceanographer and hydrographer, and a co-founder of the National Geographic society. Born in Nantucket to surveyor and astronomer William Mitchell (December 20, 1791 - April 19, 1868), Henry joined the U.S. Coastal survey at the age of 19, and produced for the survey many charts of the waters near his home, both on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. He worked for four years to produce a chart of New York Harbor, which was hailed as the most accurate of its contemporaries. During his service with the survey he devised new methods for measuring tides and currents, advancing the science of hydrography beyond the production of new charts. He traveled extensively, visiting Europe to study the old world's canals, dykes and harbors, and even visited the Suez Canal in Egypt as it neared completion. In 1888 he would be among the thirty-three luminaries to found the National Geographic Society, proving instrumental in bridging fields in order to build the multidisciplinary foundation upon which the Society was based.
Detailed Early Coastal Chart of Edgartown Harbor
Section I, Edgartown Harbor and Cotamy Bay, Mass.
$750.00
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A very rare 1871 U.S. Coast Survey Map of Edgartown and Katama Bay on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. This detailed working harbor chart was produced to illustrate the buildup of sand in the bay (making it unnavigable) in order to argue for the opening of a safe passage through Katama Beach. The chart shows the approaches to Edgartown - both the main approach from the northeast, marked by a lighthouse, and also the approaches via Katama Bay (Cotamy on the map)- whose mouth is shown entirely blocked by Katama Beach. Historical natural openings in the beach are noted, including a 1776 opening which had appeared on Des Barres' chart of the island, are noted. Nine cross sections of the beach are shown, indicating the height of the beach above sea level. A further cross section, showing the increasing silt blockage of the northern mouth of the Bay between the west shore and Chappaquiddick Point is shown as well. Tidal patterns measured inside and outside Katana bay are compared in a chart. Detailed soundings are provided throughout. (more details)