Frank H. Shoemaker
Frank H. Shoemaker followed a familiar pattern throughout his life. He studied his natural surroundings and recorded his discoveries. He kept field notes; he wrote long letters; he created stories from his experiences. In keeping field notes about bird life and ornithology, photography, and beetle studies, Shoemaker provided a record of early natural history in Nebraska and other areas of the Great Plains. His stories or narratives highlight both scientific information and his own personal experiences, allowing both his knowledge and his own personality to traverse years. His photography provides images of birds, animals, and some landscapes that have substantially changed over time.
The most detailed of Shoemaker's narratives document his trips to the Nebraska sandhills in 1911. Recording each trip by county, Shoemaker provided daily entries and stories side by side with photographs he took to visually record his experiences.
