Harvard Forest Collection

SummaryThe Harvard Forest Collection consists of 44 reels of film shot between 1926 and 1978. The bulk of the films, shot between 1928 and 1939, depict the efforts of various employees, students and researchers at Harvard Forest to preserve the forest and adhere to the principles of forestry. Life and work in the forest include researchers making note of the various kinds of trees and conducting research on seedlings in the nursery, loggers and fire fighters. A few of the films depict similar work conducted in other forests: Pisgah State Park in Winchester, NH, and Black Rock Forest in Cornwall, NY, such as the use in the latter of early 20th century kilns to make charcoal. The majority of the films contain intertitles and were meant for instruction. Also included in the collection are several professionally produced educational films ranging in subject matter from the logging industry and ecology to genetics. A few films in the collection document the creation of the Harvard Forest dioramas in the Fisher Museum. There is footage from a film entitled The Five Outposts Of Harvard in the collection that contains information about various research stations owned by Harvard University. Also included in the collection is footage from the Petersham Historical Society of Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Petersham, MA.

Biographical/Historical NotesHarvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts, is both a world-renowned center for conducting ecological research in the field of forestry and a wildlife recreation area. Founded in 1907 on land secured for Harvard University through the generosity of John S. Ames and the collaboration of James W. Brooks of Petersham, Harvard Forest supports a forest growth of varied composition and was initially designed to be a field laboratory for graduate students in Harvard’s forestry program, an experiment station for research in forestry and a model forest to demonstrate the best practices of forestry. After the death of Harvard Forest’s first director, Richard T. Fisher, the Assistant Director, Albert C. Cline, took charge until a replacement candidate could be found. Cline was named as the Director of Harvard Forest in 1939, after the departure of the interim candidate. The Black Rock Forest in Cornwall, NY, was was officially designated a research and demonstration forest in 1928 by its owner, Dr. Ernest G. Stillman. Black Rock Forest Consortium This was also around the time that Mr. Fisher and Stillman conceived of the Harvard Forest dioramas as an exhibit depicting the land-use history, ecology and conservation of New England forests. Dr. Ernest G. Stillman (1884-1949) graduated from Harvard University in 1908 and earned an MD from Columbia University in 1913. He practiced medicine, conducted pulmonary research, and his philanthropic work included supporting the Fisher Museum at Harvard Forest, underwriting the Harvard Forest dioramas. See also the Ernest G. Stillman Collection.

RepositoryNortheast Historic Film

AvailabilityThe Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and UseAuthorization to reuse and/or reproduce must be obtained from Northeast Historic Film. See http://www.oldfilm.org/research for more information.