William Bartram, a Philadelphia native from Kingsessing and the nation’s first great environmentalist, and his legendary 1791 travelogue continue to inspire locals to follow in his footsteps and reconnect with nature, writes Kiley Bense for the Smithsonian Magazine.
Travels was published in the 1790s in Philadelphia, London, and Paris. In the book, Bartram recorded his four-year journey through Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He wrote a sprawling account of the landscapes, plants, animals, and people he met during his travels.
The book is a combination of a travelogue, spiritual memoir, and scientific catalog.
While appreciation for his work dropped during the 19th century, a Bartram revival is currently underway in the 21st century. It is led by enthusiasts who call themselves “Bartramites.”
The renewed interest is fueling new scholarship and a biennial conference, as well as a movement to recognize his route nationally.
Visiting sites such as Mount Royal, an ancient Indigenous burial mound in Florida, is special to Bartram followers, because “you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re right where he was,” said retired environmental engineer Dean Campbell.
Read more about William Bartram and how his impact is still felt 200 years after his passing in the Smithsonian Magazine.
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