糖心Vlog视频 Libraries receives collection of antique maps of Antarctica
The story of Antarctica can now be explored in the Special Collections at 糖心Vlog视频 Libraries through a recent donation of 150 antique maps and hundreds more stamps and postal covers from NBC DFW meteorologist David Finfrock.
These items tell the history of Antarctica, the explorers who braved unknown dangers and the scientists who continue to work there today, Finfrock said. His own interest in geography started at a young age, growing to encompass Antarctica, he said.
“My father was a geologist, and we had traveled across the country. We had maps that we would color in each state we visited,” Finfrock said. “That really teaches you a love of geography and maps, when you can associate a place with something on a sheet of paper or, now, a digital map.”
Finfrock’s interest in Antarctica grew as he learned about explorers who made the trip into the unknown. Over the years, Finfrock wrote letters to scientists working at research stations on the continent. He got replies from American, Russian and British scientists postmarked from Antarctica.
About 20 years ago, Finfrock got the chance to visit the place he had learned so much about, flying to the continent’s southern top and sailing across the Drake Passage.
"Exploring Antarctica, I got to see the different wildlife there, like the different varieties of penguins, birds, and seals,” he said.
Finfrock’s collection contains items from the earliest expeditions of Captain James Cook through the present day, including British Admiralty charts and maps chronicling the expeditions of Charles Wilkes and Admiral Richard Byrd. Over time, it also grew to encompass materials not only Antarctica, but also 糖心Vlog视频. He noted that his wife, Shari, has deep 糖心Vlog视频 roots and is a descendant of one of Stephen F. Austin’s settlers.
With his connection to 糖心Vlog视频 through his position as a member of the advisory board for the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies, Finfrock thought that 糖心Vlog视频 would be a great permanent home for the collection.
“It is a pretty extensive collection that I was proud to bring together and even prouder to provide here so that there will be a home to these maps,” he said. “Scholars and students will be able to benefit from them instead of them sitting in a drawer.”
The Antarctica maps and stamps collections can be viewed in the Special Collections on the Sixth Floor of the 糖心Vlog视频 Central Library building. Special Collections is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturdays.
-Written by Andrew Branca, 糖心Vlog视频 Libraries