Mt. Agassiz

Fri, Jul 6, 2001 		  Etymology Story Photos / Slideshow Map Profile

Mt. Agassiz (13,892 ft.)

Named by L. A. Winchell in 1879

Also Col

"Louis Agassiz (1807-1873), a naturalist, geologist, and teacher. He was born in Switzerland, came to the United States in 1846, and became a professor of zoology at Harvard in 1848. Lilbourne A. Winchell, in 1879, gave the name 'Agassiz Needle' either to this peak or to what is now Mount Winchell, a truly needlelike peak 0.7 mile southeast of Mount Agassiz. (Winchell, 160.) The name change from 'Agassiz Needle' to 'Mount Agassiz' was proposed by the Sierra Club in the 1930s. (SC records in BL.) The name 'Agassiz Col' first appeared on the 1948 Mt. Goddard 15' map."
- Peter Browning, Place Names of the Sierra Nevada

Joseph LeConte and Josiah Whitney were students of Agassiz at Harvard University.

"Key figure in the history of organismal biology and geology. Formulated theory of the Ice Ages (i.e., that pre-historical glacial advances were due to world-wide climatic changes); idealist and leading exponent of creationism in the tradition of Cuvier (his mentor in Paris); founder of paleoichthyology; leading ichthyologist; founder of the Museum of Comparative Zoology and mentor of dozens of American naturalists. Involved in founding of AAAS and National Academy of Sciences. In Europe, he was supported financially by the King of Prussia and politically by A. von Humboldt; in America, he was allied with leading philanthroposts, politicians, and intellectuals such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The only important, outspoken scientific opponent of Darwinism in America during the 1860's, he used public lectures and popular essays instead of scientific publications to further his views."
- Lefalophodon (online)

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    This page last updated: Mon Jul 20 20:12:39 2009
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