Dugout Canoe Item Number: E26616-0 from the National Museum of Natural History

Notes

FROM CARD: "BLACK WOOD, BROAD ROUND BOTTOM, SHARP CURVED PROJECTING END. THE MARK ON THIS OF JOSEPH HENRY, JUST REFERRED TO THE THEN SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN, TO WHOM IT WAS SENT."The Anthropology catalogue ledger book lists the donor for boat #26615 as Edward Palmer, but it lists no donor for #26616. Someone has listed Palmer as the collector/donor for 26616 on its catalogue card, on the assumption that Palmer might have collected it as well, but that assumption is questionable. Accession number for this object is also unclear. Canoe was entered into the Anthropology catalogue ledger book in 1876 (and presumably possibly accessioned in 1876 or before?) This 1870's date is seemingly confirmed by the reference to it having been sent to Joseph Henry, who was the Secretary (Head) of the Smithsonian from 1846-1878. Speculatively, one possibility may be that this is the wooden canoe donated by Vincent Colyer under Accession No. 2478, in 1872, as Colyer was corresponding with Joseph Henry concerning the donation, so the canoe would presumably have been sent to Henry's attention. Colyer identified his canoe as being from the "Stackeen River" (i.e. the Stikine River), Alaska.