Notebook kept by Rafinesque on a trip from Philadelphia to Kentucky

Despite his meticulous field work, professional success in France at such an early age, and further studies in Europe and the United States, Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783-1840) was largely regarded as eccentric. His often unconventional ideas were hard for his professional peers to embrace. However, contemporary scientists have come to recognize Rafinesque for his field work and avant-garde thinking.

The field journal he kept in the autumn of 1818 during a trip from Philadelphia to Kentucky is mostly in French and includes sketches of plants, shells, fish, and mammals as well as hand-drawn maps.

Discover more about this field book and additional Constantine Samuel Rafinesque materials in this collection.