Leffingwell Camp Site

Infobox_nrhp | name =Leffingwell Camp Site
nrhp_type =nhl


caption =
location= Flaxman Island, 58 mi. W of Barter Island on Arctic coast of Alaska
locmapin = Alaska
lat_degrees = 70 | lat_minutes = 11 | lat_seconds = 6.5 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 146 | long_minutes = 0 | long_seconds = 14 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1906
architect=
architecture=
designated= June 02, 1978cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1189&ResourceType=Site
title=Leffingwell Camp Site |accessdate=2008-01-05|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = June 21, 1971cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
refnum=71001093

Leffingwell Camp Site, located on a barrier island of the Arctic coast of Alaska, was used by polar explorer and geologist Ernest de Koven Leffingwell in the Anglo-American Polar Expedition of 1906-1908, which aimed to explore the Beaufort Sea. The expedition fared badly, as its ship, the Duchess of Bedford, was eventually locked in ice and destroyed.

The camp site was chosen before the ship was destroyed, rather than being merely a nearest landfall. The site was used by Leffingwell over several years, beyond the end of that expedition.

Leffingwell created the first accurate map of a section of Alaskan coastline. He was the first to scientifically describe permafrost and to pose theories about permafrost which have largely proven true. He accurately identified the oil potential of the area, including assessing that it was not, in his day, technologically or economically feasible to develop it.

The historic integrity of the camp was diminished in the 1930's when some structure was removed by a salvager.

The camp was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/71001093.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Leffingwell Camp] |294 KB|date=September 18, 1987 |author=Susan Morton |publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/71001093.pdf "Accompanying 12 photos from 1909, 1971, 1975."] |3.47 MB]

It is located on Flaxman Island, 58 miles west of Barter Island on the Arctic Coast of Alaska.

References

External links