Clarendon native was world-renowned naturalist

Posted 19 May 2014 at 12:00 am

By Bill Lattin
Orleans County Historian

CLARENDON – One of Clarendon’s most famous citizens was Carl E. Akeley, a noted taxidermist, naturalist, sculptor and author.

Here he is in his studio shortly before he died in 1926.

The Clarendon Historical Society will celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth on May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Clarendon Rec Hall.

Special guest speaker will be Jay Kirk, author of “Kingdom Under Glass.”

He will present a program on Akeley, who is known for creating African Hall at New York’s Museum of Natural History.

A historic marker on Hinds Road notes where Akeley was born and grew up.

An early example of his work dating to around 1880, a stuff fox, is on display at the Cobblestone Museum in Childs.