May 17, 2012Roger Tory Peterson
Located at 16 Bowen Street
Roger Tory Peterson, world renowned ornithologist, artist, photographer, author, educator, and environmentalist was born in Jamestown August 28,1908, son of a Swedish father and a German mother.
His passion for birds was sparked by a flicker, which he thought was dead, but which flew away when he reached to touch it. In 7th grade, his teacher, Blanche Hornbeck, spurred his interest in painting birds through the Junior Audubon Club at the school. An indifferent student, Peterson spent his time in the woods, stalking birds and butterflies to identify and catalog them. During the summer months of the year, he was the only boy in Jamestown who had special permission from the police department to stay out past the 8:45 p.m. curfew. He could be found under the street lights with his net, collecting moths.
Peterson attended art schools in New York City and became a decorator and an art instructor. However, his love of birds was paramount and he pursued development of his new system of bird identification. Five publishers rejected his proposed field guide before Houghton Mifflin printed 2,000 copies of Field Guide to the Birds in 1934. They sold out within two weeks. Peterson revised the guide several times, and he also wrote or edited numerous other field guides, with sales now well into the millions of copies.
Peterson was awarded many honorary doctoral degrees and other honors during his lifetime. He continued working and traveling around the world until his death July 28,1996.
"We alone of all creatures have it within our power to ravage the world or make it a garden." Dr. Peterson’s oft-quoted statement has inspired many environmentalist to steadfastly pursue issues and concerns, their views often at odds with popular opinion. His legacy will live on for many generations, not only through his artwork and field guides, but also through his avowed love of Planet Earth and the totality of life that inhabits it.
BOYHOOD HOME OF
ROGER TORY PETERSON
AUGUST 28, 1908 - JULY 28, 1996 WORLD FAMOUS NATURALIST FATHER OF BIRD WATCHING ARTIST AUTHOR EDUCATOR